President Donald Trump signed an executive order yesterday that establishes a White House Council tasked with identifying and removing barriers hindering the development of affordable housing, HousingWire.com reported. In effect, he is “tearing down red tape in order to build more affordable housing,” a White House release said. The council will comprise members of eight federal agencies and be chaired by Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson. Its creation will “streamline interagency processes and deliver results even faster,” the White House said. This will require the council to meet with state and local leaders to identify issues impeding the development of affordable housing, and to assess the impact of state, federal and local regulations on the cost of such development. Among the specific issues the council will aim to tackle include ways to cut excessive costs in order to spur construction.
