Trump housing stance clashes with voter affordability concerns
Trump's promise to keep home values rising conflicts with voter concerns about housing affordability that helped drive his election victory in South Florida.
President-elect Donald Trump’s promise to keep home prices rising puts him at odds with voters who ranked housing affordability as a top concern in the 2024 election.
Trump told supporters in September that his administration would ensure home values “only go up,” a pledge that conflicts with widespread voter anxiety about housing costs that helped drive his own electoral victory.
The contradiction highlights a fundamental tension in American housing policy — homeowners want their property values to appreciate while prospective buyers struggle with record-high prices and mortgage rates.
In Miami-Dade County, the median home price reached $620,000 in October, up 8% from last year, according to the Miami Association of Realtors. First-time buyers in neighborhoods like Kendall and Coral Gables face monthly payments exceeding $4,000 for modest homes.
“You can’t have it both ways,” said Maria Rodriguez, a real estate economist at Florida International University. “Rising home values mean less affordability for everyone trying to get into the market.”
Exit polls showed 73% of voters considered housing costs a major issue, with younger voters particularly concerned about homeownership prospects. Yet Trump’s policy proposals focus on reducing construction regulations rather than cooling price growth.
The president-elect has promised to open federal land for development and cut permitting requirements, measures that could increase housing supply over time but won’t immediately address affordability.
Local developers in South Florida say regulatory relief could help, but warn that construction costs and land prices remain the bigger obstacles to affordable housing.
“We need more units, but we also need prices that working families can handle,” said Carlos Herrera, president of the Miami-Dade Builders Association. “Those goals don’t always align.”
Trump’s transition team did not respond to requests for comment about reconciling his price promises with voter concerns.
Housing economists expect the administration to prioritize homeowner wealth over buyer affordability, potentially deepening the divide between property owners and renters seeking to purchase their first homes.