The speakers reiterated a piece of vital information noted in the report: the fact that housing plays a vital role in the national economy and that, currently, it accounts for 16% of the Gross Domestic Product. The positive effects of housing development reach the local level as well, with development of 100 multifamily homes generating an average of $28 million in local income over a 10-year period. But, that is the good news. "The job isn't finished," Jerry Howard of the National Association of Home Builders says during the conference call. "We have to make sure policy makers are aware of that." He noted, as an example of current problems, the fact that so many people in the workforce, notably teachers and firefighters, are unable to buy or rent in their communities due to prices or a lack available quality offerings.

And while great strides have been made in the area of homeownership, the rental market is still in need of attention. When asked by GlobeSt.com if homeownership has taken precedence over the issue of affordable housing, Howard responds that, "if it looks like rental housing is taking a back seat, it's probably because the administration is pushing the homeownership agenda, so it's getting more press; we push for both, equally." Alluding to the impending presidential election and a potential change in the administration, Kempner says, "housing is definitely a bipartisan issue; our policy recommendations make sense for both parties."