March 2026

Housing advocates warn that recent changes to a federal rural lending program could sharply limit homeownership opportunities for low-income families in California communities. The California Coalition for Rural Housing said revisions made Feb. 10 to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Section 502 Direct Loan program reduce the maximum loan amount allowed under the program […]

Indiana Gov. Mike Braun swiftly signed into law comprehensive state housing reforms after lawmakers spent weeks debating how much the state could and should override local zoning rules and design standards. The law adopts a softer approach to neutralizing local zoning authority after mayors, county commissioners and municipal planners complained that the initial bill overreached

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Cost of Housing Index, released on Thursday, indicates that housing affordability slightly improved in 2025 as new home prices decreased nationwide and mortgage rates steadily declined during the second half of the year.  The quarterly index shows that the average family needed to spend 34% of their