New homes will still be too expensive for me to buy—how does allowing more construction actually help?

It’s true that most new homes are built at today’s prices and may still be expensive. But allowing more construction helps in another important way—through something called “housing filtering.”

• When new homes are built, people who can afford them often move out of older homes or apartments.
• Those older homes then become available for other households at lower prices or rents.
• Over time, this creates more movement and more choices in the housing market.

In short, new homes help open existing homes for others, creating more options for everyone.