People in cities like Pittsburgh or Kansas City really need to understand how national policies affect local housing markets. That’s especially true now, with the Trump presidency possibly bringing more policy implications. Jackie Smith, a sociology professor at the University of Pittsburgh and a member of the university’s editorial board with the National Housing Coalition, has seen a trend where corporations have purchased large amounts of properties, which has increased housing costs in cities like Pittsburgh.

Additionally, there are greater concerns for what Trump says about cutting social services. We know that when major government programs are slashed, the poor suffer, especially in a country where most of the safety net is managed by state and local programs. As the federal budget gets tighter, the programs that help the poor, which really are at risk of being cut, are mostly the ones people have in states and local areas. People who support low-income housing, like the National Low Income Housing Coalition, have two main worries. They are concerned that the new Trump administration is heading in a completely different direction and that federal money and efforts previously aimed at helping low-income housing will be cut or simply ignored.

Further, Trump’s immigration and trade policies might lead to a slowdown in the housing market in other ways too. For instance, a tight immigration policy could limit the number of workers in construction and related fields, raising costs and increasing the pressure on housing supply. Tariffs on construction materials would likely depress housing construction as companies are forced to pay the extra taxes on imported products. Some voters cited the cost of living as a factor in their decision to elect Trump to a second term as president. But with inflation actually starting to ease, his proposed tariffs could actually increase what we pay for goods and services .

The connection between what the national government decides and what happens in local housing market seems really complicated, at least to me. I won’t even pretend to try and explain it, because I don’t think I really can. But I understand pretty well the two big forces that are making things worse for a lot of low-income and middle-class people in cities that are really feeling the pressure of housing insecurity. Advocates for low-income housing say that Trump’s tough immigration policies and plans for deregulation and new trade tariffs might raise the costs of building homes and reduce the number of homes available. This could lead to an increase in the prices of homes and rent even more.

Until next time…

Dylan