President Donald Trump’s proposal to ban Wall Street investors from buying single-family homes is running into resistance on Capitol Hill, exposing a growing divide over how to address the U.S. housing affordability crisis, The Wall Street Journal writes.
The White House has pushed congressional Republicans to attach an investor ban to bipartisan housing bills advancing in both chambers, but lawmakers have largely declined, warning the move could derail legislation focused on boosting housing supply. GOP leaders argue the proposal conflicts with free-market principles and lacks key definitions, including who qualifies as a “large institutional investor.”
While Trump has framed the ban as a way to ease pressure on first-time buyers amid home prices that have surged more than 50% since 2019, many lawmakers favor measures that streamline construction and expand development instead.
The standoff highlights competing political strategies: regulating demand versus increasing supply, even as housing sales hit a 30-year low and affordability remains a central voter concern.
The Wall Street Journal has the full story.
