Housing is critical to economic well-being, from the national perspective to the household level. It’s the largest cost in most household budgets and a key component of how we measure price growth and inflation. Whether a community has enough quality, affordable housing to rent or buy is a major component of quality of life and determines firms’ ability to attract workers. How easily and equitably home buyers can finance purchases affects who can buy a home. How easily homeowners can borrow against their home equity greatly influences the improvements they make to their homes, the vacations they take, how they pay for their children’s education, or even how long they live in their homes after they retire. It’s impossible to overstate the impact that housing has on our lives and our economy.

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