Recently, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) convened leaders from key nationally focused housing organizations at the AIA Housing Summit to foster collaboration, gather insights, and inform housing policies.
The AIA Housing Summit, held at the District Architecture Center, brought together CEOs, Vice Presidents, and senior leaders from nearly 20 national housing organizations for a dynamic policy discussion. The summit is in response to AIA’s 2025 National Housing Survey, conducted in partnership with the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM), which projected a shortfall of 4–7 million housing units, a deficit expected to grow by an additional 2 million within the next five years.
AIA considers housing a fundamental human right. The summit showcased best practices, embraced diverse perspectives, and explored opportunities for collaborative legislative action. Key issues dominating discussions:
- With budget cuts impacting the Department of Housing and Urban Development and many other federal agencies, multiple attendees of the Housing Summit acknowledged the anxiety and uncertainty around the current federal funding landscape for housing.
- While the U.S.’s Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) was expanded under 2025’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, calling for a permanent 12 percent credit allocation increase starting in 2026, more financial and regulatory incentives are needed to encourage the private sector to build more housing, both market-rate and affordable.
- One of AIA’s current priorities is support for the bipartisan ROAD to Housing Bill, which recently passed the Senate as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). If passed, this legislation would create new, flexible grants to help communities increase housing supply and strengthen infrastructure, among other benefits.
Organizations participating in the AIA Housing Summit include:
American Planning Association
American Wood Council
Habitat for Humanity
Housing Innovation Alliance
Institute for Market Transformation
Manufactured Housing Institute
Modular Building Institute
National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials
National Coalition for the Homeless
National Council of State Housing Agencies
National Housing Conference
National Housing & Rehabilitation Association
National Low Income Housing Coalition
National Multifamily Housing Council
NYU Furman Center
United States Conference of Mayors
Window and Door Manufacturers Association