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Democratic heavyweights like Maryland Gov. Wes Moore are expected to speak at a virtual fundraiser for Vice President Kamala Harris centered around affordable housing — an issue taking on more prominence in the 2024 campaign.
Organizers for “YIMBYs for Harris,” which include the Center for New Liberalism think tank, aim to harness the grassroots enthusiasm around Harris to push a simple, straightforward message: Build, baby, build.
During what they are dubbing “YIMBYchella” on Wednesday night, Moore, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, and US Sen. Brian Schatz plan to make the case for federal action to drive down housing costs, paired with looser zoning laws at the state and municipal level. Among pro-housing advocates, it’s viewed as the formula to ending the nation’s persistent housing crunch.
“Tons of people wanted to take part, and it just kind of took a life of its own,” Armand Domalewski, one of the event’s organizers, told Semafor. “There’s been so much enthusiasm.”
Harris has made housing affordability part of her economic agenda. Her campaign on Tuesday released a minute-long ad spotlighting her recent proposal to construct three million new housing units over four years, part of an August media ad buy targeting voters in swing states like Nevada. At the Democratic National Convention last week, Harris vowed to “end America’s housing shortage.”
“This is the first time that our party’s leader has prioritized housing and set a specific goal like this in a speech of that level of importance,” Schatz told Semafor.
Schatz said during the virtual fundraiser, he’ll highlight the role federal government has in loosening rules around housing construction. “If we simply make it easier to build the thing we say we want, we will get more of it. And this assumption that we can’t all have nice things and that scarcity has to drive a political and policy division among community members is frankly, bullshit,” he said.
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It follows other grassroots fundraisers such as the “White Dudes for Harris” last month that drew over 100,000 participants. By comparison, “YIMBYs for Harris” might elicit a smaller niche audience that gets enthusiastic about zoning laws, but the event underscores fresh zeal among Democrats to address housing affordability.
Multiple polls indicate housing remains a top issue for voters going into the election. The Biden administration has sought to rein in housing costs, which have soared in the post-pandemic economy. The number of available homes up for sale are lower compared to before the pandemic, and mortgage rates are still double 2021 levels.
In addition to building more housing units, Harris supports a $25,000 down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers. Critics argue that provision would drive up prices if supply doesn’t catch up with housing demand.
The View From The Trump Campaign
Former President Donald Trump hasn’t fully detailed a plan to lower housing costs. The GOP platform includes a pledge to open some federal lands to housing construction, and support for unspecified tax incentives.
“President Trump can be trusted to restore the American Dream because he has a real plan to defeat inflation, bring down mortgage rates, and make purchasing a home dramatically more affordable,” Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. “He will rein in federal spending, stop the unsustainable invasion of illegal aliens which is driving up housing costs, cut taxes for American families, eliminate costly regulations, and free up appropriate portions of federal land for housing.”