"Many of our vital workers, such as teachers and police officers, are still struggling to find decent, affordable rental housing," NHC president Conrad Egan notes. "For this reason, in its domestic agenda and upcoming fiscal year 2005 budget proposal, the Administration must include key initiatives and increased funding aimed at ensuring affordable housing for all of the nation's families."

NHC is suggesting that the powers that be focus on four tasks in an effort to help rectify the problem: preserving exiting homeownership and rental properties; producing more resources to stimulate the development of low- and low- to moderate-income housing; lowering the cost of housing by decreasing excessive regulations; and fueling private-sector development of affordable housing through additional incentives.