CCRE Federal Housing Policy Panel: Key Insights on Supply, Affordability, and Innovation

Catch highlights from CCRE's August 12 virtual panel featuring national housing experts David Garcia, Lesli Gooch, and Kim Johnson, moderated by The Wall Street Journal’s Rebecca Picciotto.

On August 12, 2025, the Center for California Real Estate (CCRE) convened a virtual panel, A Nation’s Challenge, A Federal Response: Advancing Housing Through Policy, bringing together top housing policy experts to explore how Washington can play a stronger role in tackling the national housing crisis.

Moderated by Wall Street Journal reporter Rebecca Picciotto, the discussion featured David Garcia (Up for Growth), Lesli Gooch (Manufactured Housing Institute), and Kim Johnson (National Low Income Housing Coalition). Panelists examined recent federal legislation, supply strategies, and opportunities to increase affordability across the housing spectrum.

The CCRE panel featured multiple takeaways:

• Congress putting housing on the agenda: Federal legislation like the ROAD to Housing Act reflects a shift in federal priorities, signaling that lawmakers are beginning to treat housing supply as a national issue—linking funding to measurable results to encourage local action.

• Expanding manufactured housing’s role: Federal code updates could make manufactured homes more flexible, scalable, and competitive with site-built housing.

• Preservation alongside production: Protecting existing affordable rentals is just as important as building new units, especially for rural and tribal communities.

  
  

The conversation underscored the growing momentum behind federal housing solutions.

Watch the full discussion and explore past CCRE panels.