Affordability tops the list of state priorities for 2026
Eric Cochling in the DC Journal
Originally published February 3, 2026
A full agenda is underway in the 35 states that have just convened their legislative sessions. Affordability is the buzzword heard far and wide, as millions of Americans continue to struggle with the high cost of living. Economic concerns are likely to dominate statehouses in 2026, especially in an election year, with 36 states holding gubernatorial races. The issues debated in the legislative halls will almost certainly spill onto the campaign trails.
Even without the election-year backdrop, state lawmakers will feel pressure from their constituents to do something about rising household costs. Beyond the cost of groceries and lingering inflation, nothing has quite captured the cost-of-living spotlight like the skyrocketing price of housing.
Home ownership, once a staple of the American Dream, is out of reach for many, but especially the poor and younger generations. The average first-time homebuyer is now 40, a striking shift from the 1980s and 1990s, when Americans usually bought their first home in their late 20s or early 30s.
Owning a home is the key to moving up the economic ladder and building wealth, but it also plays an important role in helping people build families and communities. When Americans no longer see homeownership as part of their future, they delay starting families and putting down roots.
Many state and local governments recognize the magnitude of this problem — and, thankfully, have a great deal of control over housing policy through zoning, permitting and land-use rules. State leaders can look to Montana as an example; it recently passed housing reforms that are set to expand supply and reduce prices.
Eric Cochling is chief program officer and general counsel at the Georgia Center for Opportunity.