In a nation that many people consider divided politically, there appears to be one issue that most agree on.
According to a survey commissioned by online brokerage Redfin, most Americans support government policies that would help make housing more affordable.
Redfin noted that roughly four in five (79%) U.S. residents believe there should be tax breaks for first-time homebuyers, and 77% believe there should be policies that make homes more affordable. That’s according to the survey fielded to 4,000 U.S. residents in May 2026 by Ipsos and commissioned by Redfin.
Three-quarters (76%) of U.S. residents say there should be caps on rent increases, 75% believe there should be initiatives for building homes for low-income families, and 74% think there should be programs for down payment assistance, the survey found. It noted that just over half (54%) say there should be policies that make it easier to build homes in their area.
That’s the lowest share among the policies Redfin asked about, but still majority support.
Both Parties Support Affordability
Redfin noted that Democrats generally are more likely than Republicans to support programs that would make housing more affordable, but not by much. For example, Redfin said that 83% of Democrats say there should be policies that make homes more affordable, as do 74% of Republicans.
Eighty-five percent of Democrats say there should be first-time buyer tax breaks, as do 77% of Republicans, Redfin said.
According to Redfin, the survey results align with the broad bipartisan support behind the federal ROAD to Housing Act that Congress approved on June 23 and is currently in limbo as President Donald Trump has delayed plans to sign it. The legislation is intended to tackle the nationwide housing affordability crisis by increasing housing supply, streamlining building processes and expanding access to affordable homeownership opportunities.
“For over a decade, the prevailing view was that housing was a local issue best left to city councils and mayors—but housing affordability has become a national crisis,” said Daryl Fairweather, Redfin’s Chief Economist. “By passing this bill out of the Senate Banking Committee 24-0, Republicans and Democrats alike showed that affordability is a priority. The great accomplishment of the bill itself is that it uses solutions like zoning reform and streamlines building permitting to prove that government policies can make people better off without spending big.”
