Laws and Labor Provide Opportunities to Ease Availability, Affordability of Housing

“If new construction is a luxury good, then we’ve failed as a society,” said Will Ruder, executive vice president of the Home Builders Association of Greater Kansas City. Ruder recently testified before the Kansas Special Committee on Available and Affordable Housing, chaired by Rep. Sean Tarwater.

Ruder’s message to the group was simple: Laws and labor are the biggest opportunities for state and local officials to influence the cost and availability of housing.

When asked about property tax increases on a new development, Ruder told the committee that they increase the moment you touch the dirt so you’re paying for something you can’t sell for a few years.

“You’re being taxed on inventory that’s not even on the shelf yet,” said Ruder.

Regarding the labor shortage, Ruder noted that housing is built by people for people in the place it is consumed; it cannot be manufactured elsewhere. He also noted that the trades are the greatest path to entrepreneurship.

“I appreciate the opportunity to provide the home building perspective to the committee members and I believe we can reduce the 24,000-unit deficit we currently have in Kansas City if all parties work together to find solutions to ease the constraints creating this shortfall,” said Ruder.

Click here to watch the full committee meeting.