The National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC) and National Apartment Association (NAA) issued the following statement to congratulate Dr. Ben Carson on his nomination to serve as Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD):

“NMHC and NAA congratulate Dr. Carson on his selection as HUD Secretary. As the voice of an industry that contributes $1.3 trillion annually to the economy, represents more than 12 million jobs and the 39 million who live in apartment homes, NMHC and NAA are looking forward to working with President-elect Donald Trump and his nominee for Secretary of HUD.

“Today, America is facing an enormous deficit when it comes to aligning the supply of apartments with demand. Between 300,000 and 400,000 apartments must be constructed annually to simply keep pace with population growth. Yet, between 2011 and 2015, just 208,000 apartments were developed annually. We are optimistic that with the new Administration and Dr. Carson, we can develop a balanced housing policy that recognizes the importance of a strong housing market for both rental and homeownership.

“The number of families renting their homes currently stands at an all-time high and as many as 4.4 million new renter households will form over the next decade. Therefore, it is critically important that business leaders, the Trump Administration and lawmakers in Congress work together to promote the pro-growth policies that support the apartment housing industry and that make it easier for residents and their families to find the housing that makes sense for them and their communities. A modern, comprehensive housing policy will create millions of jobs and align housing supply with demand.”

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