President Donald Trump signed two executive orders on Friday aimed at slashing regulations that have slowed home-building and complicated the lending process as the president zeroes in on his house affordability agenda.
One <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/03/removing-regulatory-barriers-to-affordable-home-construction/">order</a> seeks to take federal regulatory burdens off of homebuilders, streamline federal permitting for housing developments, and develop regulatory best practices for state and local governments to follow. The other <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/03/promoting-access-to-mortgage-credit/">order</a> would &#8220;improve the availability and affordability of mortgage credit&#8221; and ease regulations that have especially affected local lenders, such as community banks, according to the White House.
&#8220;It is the policy of my Administration to reduce regulatory barriers to building homes and to steward taxpayer dollars in a manner that promotes housing affordability,&#8221; one of the orders states.
Trump&#8217;s move to address housing affordability comes as the White House focuses on tackling economic issues ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Housing costs remain on the forefront of many Americans&#8217; minds after prices jumped in the years after the COVID pandemic, when construction significantly slowed.
&#8220;The American dream of homeownership depends on a dynamic housing market in which a varied inventory of new homes is built and renovated each year,&#8221; Trump&#8217;s executive order added. &#8220;Layers of unnecessary regulatory barriers, slow permitting processes, and onerous mandates at all levels of government have delayed construction, restricted development, and driven up the costs of new housing. These constraints have made housing less affordable for many Americans.&#8221;
On Thursday, the Senate easily <a href="https://apnews.com/article/affordable-housing-congress-bipartisan-8c15c9600bf0bd40e2420785aa5af20c">passed</a> legislation that would ease regulations and prevent corporations from buying single-family homes. Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), who sponsored the bill alongside Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), called the bill &#8220;consequential legislation that makes it easier to become a homeowner.&#8221; The Senate bill would also streamline environmental reviews and inspections, which would likely speed up the homebuilding process.
The bill, which passed 89-10 in the Senate, now heads to the House, where it faces an unknown future. Leaders in the House, which passed similar legislation earlier this year, have expressed opposition to some parts of the Senate bill. Even if the House passes the housing bill, it&#8217;s unclear how soon President Trump would sign it. Trump said last week that he would not sign any piece of legislation until the Senate passed the SAVE America Act.
On mortgage rates, the Trump administration believes slashing regulations will allow more lenders to compete in the game and thereby drive down borrowing costs.
The White House said that its action on mortgage aims to &#8220;reduce the regulatory burden on community banks and otherwise facilitate community bank engagement in mortgage activity; foster innovation, growth, and consumer choice in the mortgage market; modernize origination and closing standards to reduce lending costs; remove regulatory distortions to the structure of the mortgage market and to ensure capital and liquidity frameworks subject similar credit and liquidity risks to similar regulation across the system; promote competition among mortgage lenders of all charter types to drive down mortgage rates; and strengthen housing-finance liquidity.&#8221;
Trump also continues to pressure Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell to further lower the interest rate, which has dropped to the 3.50%-3.75% range. The Federal Reserve is set to meet next week to decide whether to move the interest rate or keep it steady.
&#8220;Where is the Federal Reserve Chairman, Jerome &#8216;Too Late&#8217; Powell, today? He should be dropping Interest Rates, IMMEDIATELY, not waiting for the next meeting,&#8221; Trump said on Thursday.

Donald Trump

Trump Takes Step To Make It Easier For Americans To Buy A Home

Executive

federal regulation

Housing

Politics

White House

NEW YORK — Residents lined up outside a Brooklyn high school Thursday to air their grievances about the city’s landlords, inaugurating one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s flagship initiatives.
The event was the first of five planned “Rental Ripoff Hearings,” which aim to “uncover policy recommendations that will more effectively and systematically protect tenants in their homes.” Led by Mamdani’s Director of Tenant Protection Cea Weaver — who infamously claimed that “Homeownership is a tool of white supremacy” — said the proceeding would focus on recording violations, requesting repairs, and exposing abusive landlords.
In her presentation, titled “New Yorkers vs. Bad Landlords,” Weaver told the room that the mayor’s office would use the feedback collected at the rental rip off hearings to inform housing policy going forward.
One resident in attendance described the poor conditions of her apartment to The Daily Wire. 
“The ceiling caved in,” she said of the three-bedroom apartment she shared with roommates. “There’s rodents and rats and we haven’t had heat the last two winters.”
Asked why she remained in the apartment, she explained that it is rent-stabilized and that she is a comic artist who cannot afford another apartment. She said her share of the monthly rent is $300, while the total rent for the unit is $900. The average rent for a three-bedroom apartment in New York is <a href="https://www.apartments.com/rent-market-trends/brooklyn-ny/">$4,841</a> a month.
But not everyone was happy with the hearing. Leftist critics <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/nycha-residents-frustrated-about-rental-ripoff-hearings/">objected</a> that the hearings were limited to private housing, excluding residents in New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) properties — about one in 16 New Yorkers.
In the middle of Thursday’s session, a masked woman wearing knee-high green socks stormed the stage to <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/02/26/us-news/nycha-tenants-sound-off-inhumane-conditions-ahead-of-mamdanis-first-rental-ripoff-hearing/">criticize</a> this exclusion.
“NYCHA should be allowed in the motherf*cking building,” she yelled. “Poor people need a f*cking voice.”
Weaver and other members of the Mamdani administration let the woman interrupt the hearing for nearly two minutes before addressing the masked individual. Weaver informed the woman that NYCHA could speak to representatives just like the other New Yorkers. They then helped the woman exit the stage. As she exited, she almost took the wooden podium with her.
Private landlords, too, are unsurprisingly unhappy with the hearings.
“They should pull from a combination of tenants, landlords, financiers, developers, and economists,” New York real estate broker Adam Frisch told The Daily Wire, saying the hearings were too one-sided. “Everybody looks at the situation with their own biases, and it&#8217;s the role of the mayor to sit down with tenants and landlords and say I know you’re both unhappy. Let&#8217;s see what we can do.”
Landlords blame rent stabilization for the poor conditions of certain apartments. Without the ability to raise rent, they say, they are unable to generate sufficient revenue to maintain their buildings.
Pinnacle Group, a major New York landlord, filed for bankruptcy in 2025, claiming that the “sharp increase in financing costs outpaced rental revenue, which could not be correspondingly increased due to rent stabilization.”
Mamdani, who promised while campaigning to host a Rental Ripoff Hearing in each of the city’s five boroughs, was not present at Thursday’s event. He had spent the day in Washington, D.C., meeting in the Oval Office with President Donald Trump. The pair <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-and-mamdanis-secret-d-c-meeting-centers-on-a-defining-nyc-fight">discussed</a> strategies to increase housing in New York City.

NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani Interview

We Went To Zohran Mamdani’s First ‘Rental Ripoff Hearing.’ Everyone Was Mad.

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Zohran Mamdani

President Donald Trump and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani will have their second in-person meeting Thursday afternoon in Washington, D.C.
Both the president and the mayor kept the Oval Office encounter under wraps until Thursday afternoon—though The New York Times reports that people familiar with the matter said the two would discuss strategies to increase housing supply in New York City, an issue that has become a defining challenge for Mamdani’s administration.
It remains unclear whether a formal agenda has been finalized.
Mamdani and several of his top advisers reportedly traveled to Washington on Thursday morning. Unlike his previous visit to the White House in November, this trip was not publicly announced in advance.
The mayor posted a selfie from his flight to Washington in November, drawing attention to the high-profile meeting. Media outlets were aware of the November meeting days in advance, but as with Thursday’s meeting, few details about the agenda were released beforehand. When Mamdani landed at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in November, he was swarmed by the press before departing for the White House.
Their first meeting surprised political observers from both parties. Despite significant policy differences, Trump and Mamdani appeared cordial, even allowing portions of the session to be open to the press. The two exchanged light-hearted remarks, with a memorable moment occurring when Mamdani was asked by a reporter if he still thought President Trump was a fascist. Trump responded: “Just say yes; it’s easier than explaining.”
On Tuesday, Trump brought up Mamdani during his State of the Union address, noting he was a “nice guy,” while adding that he disagrees with what he called the mayor’s “bad policy.”
The timing of Thursday’s closed-door meeting underscores the growing urgency of housing affordability in New York. Last week, Mamdani proposed raising property taxes by 9.5% to balance the city’s budget. The mayor has made tenant protections and expanded housing construction central pillars of his administration.
Later Thursday evening, the mayor is scheduled to kick off his &#8220;Rental Rip-off&#8221; series, a public forum designed to give renters across the city an opportunity to share concerns about rising rents, landlord practices, and housing conditions. City officials say testimony gathered during the series will help shape future legislative proposals.

Zohran Mamdani, Donald Trump

Trump And Mamdani’s ‘Secret’ D.C. Meeting Centers On A Defining NYC Fight

Washington D.C.

As a member of Gen Z, I am often told my generation is a lost cause for conservatism — too cynical, too progressive, or just too far gone.
That assumption couldn’t be more wrong. Gen Z isn’t rejecting America; we’re demanding that it work again. And if conservatives are serious about reclaiming the soul of the nation, the path forward runs directly through the issues my generation lives with every day.
Gen Z came of age at the crossroads of stability and uncertainty. 
During President Trump’s first term, we witnessed a strong economy, interest rates that opened the door to homeownership, an end to forever wars, and a return to policies that prioritized the family.
Under President Biden, however, millions of young Americans graduated college and took entry-level jobs that barely covered their student loan payments, even as the cost of everything rose faster than their paychecks. They were told to follow the rules — go to college, take on loans, delay adulthood. Then, when those rules failed them, they were blamed.
What frustrates my peers isn’t tradition or responsibility; it’s a system that feels rigged against them. 
That’s precisely where conservatism, properly articulated, can meet the moment.
<h3>Homeownership</h3>
For Gen Z, homeownership feels less like a milestone and more like a fantasy. Sky-high rents that prevent us from putting money into savings, zoning restrictions that choke supply, and inflation driven by reckless federal spending have priced young people out of opportunity. 
Conservatives should call this what it is: a policy failure. Government rules make it harder to build homes, while bad monetary policy drains savings and pushes the dream of stability further out of reach for young families.
If we believe in ownership, stability, and opportunity, then we should lead on reforms that make it easier — not harder — for young Americans to buy homes and build wealth.
<h3>Student Debt</h3>
Then there’s student debt. Gen Z didn’t invent the student loan crisis; we inherited it.
Many borrowers were reckless, and they should repay what they owe. But recklessness was enabled by a federal loan system that treated teenagers as capable of signing six-figure contracts while shielding universities from the consequences of failure.
Subsidies have fueled tuition inflation and reduced institutional accountability, leaving students to bear the full cost of bad decisions — both theirs and the systems.
Conservatives should reject blanket loan “forgiveness” that shifts the burden to taxpayers, but we must also offer real solutions: ending the federal government’s role as a blank-check lender so private institutions once again have incentives to lend responsibly, expanding alternatives like apprenticeships and credentialing, and breaking the cartel between the federal government and higher education. Responsibility cuts both ways—and universities should finally be forced to bear some.
<h3>Building A Family </h3>
Most surprising to pundits — but obvious to anyone paying attention — is Gen Z’s renewed interest in traditional family values. After watching the loneliness, instability, and social breakdown of the last two decades, many in my generation are rediscovering what older generations once took for granted: marriage matters, family matters, and children are not obstacles to fulfillment but central to it. This isn’t nostalgia; it’s realism. Gen Z wants meaning, not just mobility. We want strong relationships, safe neighborhoods, and a culture that doesn’t sneer at commitment.
Conservatives should lean into this—not with lectures, but with policies that make it possible to start and raise a family. That means an economy where a young family has the chance to create a home and build a foundation for the future, a tax code that doesn’t treat marriage like a liability, and leaders who value faith, responsibility, and strong bonds across generations. When conservatives defend the family, we aren’t clinging to the past — we’re offering a future Gen Z actually wants.
The fight for America’s soul isn’t about writing off an entire generation. It’s about proving that our ideas can meet real needs in real lives. Gen Z is open, skeptical, and looking for answers. If conservatives are honest about the economic realities we’re dealing with and defend the institutions that make life meaningful, my generation won’t just listen — we’ll lead.
* * *
Jake Matthews is a communications manager for technology, economics, and energy at The Heritage Foundation.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

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Gen Z Isn’t Lost. We’re Looking For A Conservatism That Works.

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Minneapolis’ housing plan is facing a fair housing investigation by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the federal government announced on Thursday afternoon.
Specifically, HUD is concerned that aspects of the Minneapolis 2040 plan may violate Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the Fair Housing Act, according to a press release. The release notes that the plan’s proposal for “cultural districts… where a significant portion of the population is comprised of people of color, Indigenous people, and/or immigrant communities&#8221; could be discriminatory. In addition, the Trump administration is raising red flags about the city&#8217;s emphasis on “people of color” and “indigenous people” for homeownership programs.
“For example, your Community Planning and Economic Development department will prioritize ‘rental housing for Black, Indigenous, People of Color and Immigrant communities’ by ‘leveraging [its] rental licensing authority,’” Craig Trainor, HUD Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, wrote in a <a href="https://www.hud.gov/sites/default/files/FHEO/documents/Ltr-from-AsstSecTrainor-to-MayorFrey-Fair-Housing-Act-Investigation_Redacted.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a> to Mayor Jacob Frey. “That is not going to fly.”
HUD Secretary Scott Turner noted that Minnesota has been under intense scrutiny for fraud allegations and convictions related to government programs, which led Gov. Tim Walz to opt not to seek a third term this November.
“Minnesota is ground zero for fraud and corruption because they have chosen to ignore the law to serve a cynical political agenda. This undermines our American values, united by a common heritage, language, and commitment to equal treatment under law,” Turner said in a statement, adding that his department “will not stand for illegal racial and ethnic preferences that deny Americans their right to equal protection under the law.”
Trainor said that Minnesotans are being “held captive to the riotous impulses of left-wing cultural arsonists.”
“Its largest city, Minneapolis, has fared no better under its clownish mayor, Jacob Frey, whose government may be engaging in unlawful discrimination by prioritizing Minneapolis residents for housing based on race and national origin rather than need. The Trump Administration will ensure Minneapolis fully complies with the Fair Housing Act,” he stated.
In response to the investigation, a city spokesperson told The Daily Wire in a statement that “Minneapolis is proud of its record on housing &#8211; to build a city that is vibrant, safe and inclusive for all. In fact, we have award-winning affordable housing programs, and our work is a model for cities around the country. This investigation appears to be about politics not affordable housing.”
The Trump administration has made efforts to clamp down on federal funding for programs ranging from food stamps to Medicaid unless more accountability measures are enacted. A federal judge halted the food stamp funding pause this week after the state sued, but the case continues, MinnPost reported.
Several individuals are facing federal wire fraud charges for attempting to abuse Minnesota’s Housing Stability Services Program, the DOJ announced in September.

Mayor Jacob Frey

Minneapolis Under Investigation Over Possible Discriminatory Housing Program

Housing and Urban Development

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Trump Administration

President Donald Trump announced that the federal government will purchase $200 billion in mortgage bonds in an effort he believes will help lower housing costs.
In a Truth Social post on Thursday, he said former President Joe Biden “ignored the housing market” and said that he, by contrast, is giving “special attention” to the issue.
“Because I chose not to sell Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in my First Term, a truly great decision, and against the advice of the ‘experts,’ it is now worth many times that amount — AN ABSOLUTE FORTUNE — and has $200 BILLION DOLLARS IN CASH,” he said.
“Because of this, I am instructing my Representatives to BUY $200 BILLION DOLLARS IN MORTGAGE BONDS. This will drive Mortgage Rates DOWN, monthly payments DOWN, and make the cost of owning a home more affordable,” the president continued. Trump directly said it would help in “restoring Affordability,” which has become a buzzword on the 2026 campaign trail as the country still recovers from post-pandemic and Biden-era inflation.
The announcement comes after he said on Wednesday that he would be taking action against institutional investors purchasing single-family homes.
“It is for that reason, and much more, that I am immediately taking steps to ban large institutional investors from buying more single-family homes, and I will be calling on Congress to codify it. People live in homes, not corporations. I will discuss this topic, including further Housing and Affordability proposals, and more, at my speech in Davos in two weeks,” Trump wrote on Wednesday.
The Daily Wire reported after Trump’s Wednesday announcement, this is part of a larger effort by the administration to tackle housing woes nationwide, including the push from the president to select a Federal Reserve chair who will aggressively cut interest rates, as Chair Jerome Powell leaves the role in May.
&#8220;Could somebody please inform Jerome ‘Too Late’ Powell that he is hurting the Housing Industry, very badly? People can&#8217;t get a Mortgage because of him. There is no Inflation, and every sign is pointing to a major Rate Cut,&#8221; the president posted to Truth Social in August.
Home prices have surged over the last decade by 105%, according to MoneyLion in October.

President Trump Visits Federal Reserve

Trump Vows To Lower Mortgages With ‘$200 Billion’ Bond Purchase

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Money

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani&#8217;s Director of Tenant Protection might need some protection herself after a tough first week on the job left her in tears.
On Monday, Cea Weaver caught flak for old social media posts, including one claiming home ownership was a weapon of white supremacy. On Tuesday, she struggled to defend the Mamdani administration&#8217;s controversial housing policies in a Spectrum News interview. And on Wednesday, a reporter confronted the housing radical about her mother&#8217;s $1.6 million Nashville home.
Instead of responding, Weaver <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/01/07/us-news/zohran-mamdanis-tenant-advocate-cea-weaver-breaks-down-crying-when-asked-about-hypocritical-gentrification-comments/">reportedly</a> started crying and ran back inside her apartment. The 37-year-old activist has a history of complaining about gentrification, including in her Brooklyn neighborhood — where she is herself a gentrifier.
It&#8217;s a rough start for Weaver, who is expected to play a major role in Mamdani&#8217;s administration. The tenant czar is slated to direct Mamdani&#8217;s &#8220;Rental Ripoff Hearings,&#8221; struggle sessions in which residents of all five boroughs will be able to publicly voice their complaints about their rental experience.
&#8220;Working New Yorkers will be able to speak about the challenges they face,&#8221; from behind a microphone, Mamdani says, &#8220;from poor building conditions to hidden fees on rent payments.” The Mamdani administration says it will then identify “common themes” in the complaints to “directly inform policy interventions to take on these ripoff tactics.”
Mamdani already gave one tenant the floor at a press conference announcing the “Rental Ripoff” hearings. Josie Wells is a tenant at 85 Clarkson Avenue, a rent-stabilized apartment building in Brooklyn. Wells <a href="https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=7670df6d756a93b6&amp;rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS1183US1185&amp;udm=7&amp;fbs=AIIjpHxU7SXXniUZfeShr2fp4giZrjP_Cx0LI1Ytb_FGcOviEreERTNAkkP8Y6EXltYTGWs9RGaEMfZ2dZFFrbmM-rnq9t2Yd6CLmSU0fTw2YpsUFAZkjtkV3nlJNkF6dgnv8hBPbkvFBFvt9qVz5tXWHwMIOLAC51x133zpKWFy3_mb_RMbN-fftEKVRqPS6EEOPe03eIz5AliHkH7tItgiHkmm33AQJg&amp;q=mamdani+press+conference+housing&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjJnLSQuvWRAxWRD1kFHXKuH1QQtKgLegQIFRAB&amp;biw=736&amp;bih=790&amp;dpr=2#fpstate=ive&amp;vld=cid:10516219,vid:Adjn_PIVwa4,st:0">complained</a> about the “dirty walls that haven’t seen a fresh coat of paint in years, cabinets hanging precariously in kitchens and bathrooms, [and] cracked plaster [that] zig-zags across ceilings and hallways.”
85 Clarkson Avenue is one of the many properties owned by the Pinnacle Group, which filed for bankruptcy in May 2025, and was featured at this press conference.
At the press conference, a sign read, “As we rise, Pinnacle will fall.” The sign was displayed by the Union of Pinnacle Tenants, who organized to fight “for a say in the auction process to ensure that repairs are made, our rent stabilization is respected, and our buildings aren’t sold to yet another abusive landlord.”
Advisors to Pinnacle Group <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-12-29/bankrupt-nyc-rental-buildings-get-451-million-offer-from-summit">said</a> that “the bankruptcies were caused by a sharp rise in interest rates, inflation-driven increases in operating expenses, and lower rent collections.”
Weaver says the Mamdani administration has gotten involved to ensure the building goes to someone who can pay for upkeep while also complying with rent price caps.
&#8220;The city intervened in the bankruptcy proceeding in order for the city to take a hard look at the conditions that are in the building as well as a plan that has been put forth by the top bidder, because we want to ensure that whoever is taking on this portfolio is able to comply with both rent stabilization laws as well as housing maintenance code.&#8221;
As of now, it is unclear if there is a bidder who fits that description.

Overhead view of some New York City Housing Authority  (NYCHA) projects (1977)

Mamdani’s Director Of Tenant Protection Breaks Down After Brutal First Week On The Job

Economy

U.S.

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he plans to take executive action to stop “large institutional investors” from buying “single-family” homes in the United States.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the move comes as housing affordability remains a major concern for Americans, adding that he would like Congress to codify the policy into law.
“For a very long time, buying and owning a home was considered the pinnacle of the American Dream. It was the reward for working hard, and doing the right thing, but now, because of the Record High Inflation caused by Joe Biden and the Democrats in Congress, that American Dream is increasingly out of reach for far too many people, especially younger Americans,” he posted.
“It is for that reason, and much more, that I am immediately taking steps to ban large institutional investors from buying more single-family homes, and I will be calling on Congress to codify it. People live in homes, not corporations. I will discuss this topic, including further Housing and Affordability proposals, and more, at my speech in Davos in two weeks,” he continued. The details of the plan are currently unknown.
A 2024 Government Accountability Office <a href="https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-24-106643?utm_campaign=usgao_email&amp;utm_content=topic_housing&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=govdelivery" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> found that the impact of institutional investors varies widely by region, with many areas in the southern United States showing a significant share of the single-family rental homes owned by investors with more than 1,000 properties.
“Millions of homeowners defaulted on their mortgages during the 2007-2009 financial crisis. Institutional investors — companies that own a lot of single-family rental homes — bought many of these foreclosed homes in bulk and converted them into rental housing, especially in states across the southern U.S.,” the GAO’s website states regarding the report.
“Researchers found that institutional investors may have contributed to increasing home prices and rents following the financial crisis. However, it&#8217;s unclear how these investors affected homeownership opportunities or tenants because many related factors affect homeownership — e.g., market conditions, demographic factors, and lending conditions,” it continues.
Interest rates are also expected to be a major factor, as Trump is expected to name a successor to Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, whose term ends in May. The president has called for rates to be cut more aggressively, which could impact how much homebuyers can afford to borrow.

US-ECONOMY-HOUSING-REAL ESTATE

Trump Makes Big Move To Combat Spiking Home Prices, Takes Aim At Big Investors

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With the median home price hovering north of $433,000 and no signs of mortgage rates dropping anytime soon, many Americans may have to put off their dream of buying a house.
Many of those who do buy homes may have begun their search on Zillow, a popular real estate website. Some might even take advantage of a Zillow Home Loan, conveniently available on the same site as the listings.
Zillow says its home loans are &#8220;competitive.&#8221; And while they were slightly cheaper than competitors in 2022, they&#8217;ve grown steadily more expensive in subsequent years — and a <a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=5951355">new study</a> funded by CoStar suggests that Zillow is overcharging borrowers.
Steven C. Salop of the Georgetown University Law Center reports that borrowers who used Zillow Home Loans paid higher mortgage costs than those who borrowed from other lenders. On average, consumers who chose Zillow paid 10 to 15% more in annual percentage rate.
In 2024, Zillow’s mortgages carried an average cost of about $4,600 more than competitors on a typical loan size of $337,000. That difference amounts to roughly $21 more per month over a 30-year mortgage — assuming the loan is held full-term.
The study concludes that lower-income borrowers were hardest hit. For borrowers making $60,000 or less in 2024, Zillow loans cost an added 3% of the loan’s value over time, according to the analysis. The study also found racial disparities in pricing, alleging in 2024 that white non-Hispanic and Asian borrowers saw a 1.5% surcharge while black borrowers faced a 2.9% surcharge, compared with similar borrowers at other lenders.
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Salop analyzed federal mortgage data from 2022 through 2024, comparing Zillow Home Loans with all other lenders. The sample focused on 30-year fixed-rate purchase mortgages and sought to compare nearly identical loans by controlling for borrower characteristics, loan type, geography, and market conditions.
Zillow has pushed back on the report, <a href="https://www.onlinemarketplaces.com/articles/zillow-challenges-inaccurate-study-as-author-defends-findings/?referrer=grok.com">saying</a> it draws on inaccurate information and that the study was funded by a competitor.
“Zillow Home Loans is committed to both fair lending and pro-consumer practices,&#8221; the company said in a statement. &#8220;We have a robust fair lending compliance program.&#8221;
Zillow is currently <a href="https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/zillow-hit-with-class-action-over-alleged-mortgage-steering-scheme-2025-11-10/">facing</a> two class-action lawsuits alleging the company “operates programs in which its affiliate real estate agents receive high-value sales leads only if they meet internal quotas for securing pre-approved mortgages from Zillow Home Loans.”

Home For Sale Real Estate Sign and House

Zillow Overcharges For Home Loans, Poor Borrowers Hardest Hit: Report

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Matt Walsh

A coalition of officials from 20 states and the District of Columbia sued the Trump administration on Tuesday over the government’s plan to overhaul an Obama-era approach to homelessness.
Nineteen state attorneys general and two governors joined the <a href="https://ag.ny.gov/sites/default/files/court-filings/washington-et-al-v-united-states-department-of-housing-and-urban-development-et-al-complaint-2025.pdf">lawsuit</a>, <a href="https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2025/attorney-general-james-sues-trump-administration-protect-billions-dollars-fight">led</a> by New York Democratic Attorney General Letitia James. The lawsuit seeks to stop reforms to the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s &#8220;Continuum of Care&#8221; program funding, which provides grants to groups that provide housing to homeless people and families.
The Trump administration plans to significantly reduce funds allocated to so-called “Housing First” providers. Under the department’s current homelessness grant structure, nearly all funding goes to providers that offer housing without requiring tenants to stay sober, pursue job training, or participate in other support services.
“HUD has adopted new policies, without any meaningful public input, that reverse the agency’s longstanding support for Housing First policies and fundamentally undermine the goal of providing dependable housing,” the lawsuit states. “A Housing First model provides stable housing to individuals without preconditions like sobriety or minimum income. It is a model that Congress, experts, and, until recently, HUD itself, have agreed improves housing stability and health while reducing costs.”
The lawsuit argues that the Trump administration’s proposed changes to the Continuum of Care program “are unlawful several times over.”
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The Housing First strategy was introduced to federal programs under the administration of former President George W. Bush. Housing First was massively expanded under former President Barack Obama, who <a href="https://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/nation-world/national/economy/article24585973.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">promised</a> in 2010 to eliminate homelessness within a decade with major reforms to the federal approach to homelessness.
Critics of Housing First say the strategy has led to a backsliding in efforts to combat homelessness in the United States. Critics argue that the approach falls short by failing to address the root causes of homelessness, such as economic insecurity, mental illness, and drug addiction.
A 2022 <a href="https://ciceroinstitute.org/research/housing-first-is-a-failure/">report</a> by the Cicero Institute shows that, contrary to the Obama administration’s 2010 aims, homelessness in the United States has significantly worsened in areas that rely on a Housing First approach. The study found that homelessness increased by nearly 25% in areas that exclusively rely on the Housing First model.
Rep. Andy Barr, a Kentucky Republican, is <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/this-republican-congressman-wants-to-end-the-progressive-policy-hurting-the-homeless">leading</a> an effort in Congress to address the federal government’s reliance on the housing first model. Barr, who is running to replace outgoing Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), has introduced legislation to cut funding for housing providers that use the Housing First approach.
“Housing First policy shuts out providers who offer critical wraparound services that are often essential for helping individuals break the cycle of homelessness,” Barr said. “We need to abandon HUD’s exclusive reliance on Housing First in favor of an all-hands-on-deck approach to equip the best and most effective providers with the federal funds needed to end homelessness.”
The states suing include Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin, along with the commonwealths of Kentucky and Pennsylvania.

Barack Obama

20 States Sue To Block Trump’s Cuts To Failed Obama Homelessness Policy

20 States Sue After Trump Makes Cuts To Failed Obama-Era Approach To Homelessness

Courts

Homelessness

Letitia James

Negotiations continue as a deal for peace in Ukraine takes shape, the surge of new Turning Point USA chapter requests hits a surprising stonewall, and the Trump administration reverses a longstanding approach to handling homelessness.
It’s Tuesday, November 25, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below, and the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/mrn-251125">video version can be seen on The Daily Wire</a>:
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">Trump Pushes Peace In Ukraine </h2>
Topline: American and Ukrainian diplomats continue to meet in Europe this week as they negotiate the details of a peace plan with Russia. 
The White House presented both sides with a 28-point peace plan that included significant concessions from Ukraine. Initially, it appeared the plan was a final offer—Trump went so far as to set a Thanksgiving deadline —and there were even reports that the Trump administration would cut off all military and financial aid if Ukraine turned it down, which it did. But now it appears that all-or-nothing language was more of a negotiating tactic from Trump.
After strong pushback from Ukraine and the European Union, the White House now says the plan is meant as a starting point. As Secretary of State Marco Rubio put it, “just because it’s printed on a piece of paper doesn’t indicate finality … you get input and you make adjustments.”
President Donald Trump displayed some cautious optimism, writing on Truth Social Monday, “Is it really possible that big progress is being made in Peace Talks between Russia and Ukraine??? Don’t believe it until you see it, but something good just may be happening.”
What’s in the way: The main issue for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is that the current plan would require Ukraine to surrender large portions of land in the East that would then be recognized as Russian territory. He pushed back publicly on that demand Monday, saying, “It is crucial to support the principles on which Europe stands, that borders cannot be changed by force.”
Kyiv also wants to see more concrete security guarantees that would put on paper assurances of European and U.S. military support if Russia were to relaunch its invasion.
But the big problem now is that if Ukraine succeeds in amending the plan to its liking, there’s a good chance Russian President Vladimir Putin won’t sign on. After the initial plan was released, he said it “could form the basis of a final peace settlement.” But that could well change if significant changes are made.
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">Christian Colleges Reject TPUSA</h2>
Topline: TPUSA chapters are exploding across college campuses in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, with 44,000 new applications. But a surprising number of Christian colleges and universities have rejected the organization, telling students they aren’t allowed to start new clubs.
Which schools? It’s a surprisingly long list of schools that have rejected TPUSA chapters. Point Loma Nazarene in California rejected students’ requests for a TPUSA chapter at least three times. At Biola, one of the largest evangelical universities in the country, students’ first request for a chapter was denied in 2023. In September, after Charlie’s assassination, they tried again and aren’t getting an answer.
Another Christian school, Concordia University in Wisconsin, initially rejected TPUSA, but after a student&#8217;s post about it went viral last month, they reversed course.
All told, about 20 Christian colleges and universities have said TPUSA isn’t welcome on their campuses. That includes well-known schools like Bob Jones University, Asbury, Oral Roberts, and Loyola University New Orleans. 
Why? The reasons for rejection vary by school. The students and alumni who want to see new TPUSA chapters at the schools don’t always buy the reasons they’re being given.
Point Loma said its board of directors rejected TPUSA largely because of a professor watchlist that “exposes and documents&#8221; professors who allegedly discriminate against conservative students. Even though Point Loma students agreed not to use or contribute to that list, the board still felt TPUSA doesn’t represent the kind of “constructive communication” they require from official clubs.
However, the school has approved left-leaning clubs like BREAK that focus on issues like “gender equality” and &#8220;gender justice,&#8221; and the &#8220;Center for Justice and Reconciliation,&#8221; which focuses on &#8220;immigration and racial justice.” The administration also removed a Charlie Kirk memorial that had been put up on campus after his death.
A similar situation has played out at Biola. Biola approved the left-leaning club, Students for Justice and Liberation, which says it stands for “progressive values,” the same semester they applied. Yet the verdict on TPUSA is being dragged out.
In the first rejection, the decision once again went all the way to the board of directors, and they said they took issue with TPUSA’s “narrative” and “tactics.”
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Trump’s Turn On Homelessness</h2>
Topline: The Trump administration has recently announced major changes to how the federal government funds housing for the homeless. The administration says the changes will encourage more self-sufficiency and reduce drug abuse, while opponents say it could lead to almost 200,000 people being kicked out of their homes. 
Morning Wire spoke to Judge Glock, director of research at the Manhattan Institute, about the administration’s announcement. (The following interview has been edited for clarity.)
Morning Wire: This all revolves around federal funding for homelessness. First, how does the federal government actually distribute money for this issue?  
Glock: Every year, the feds announce how nonprofits and other groups can apply for what are known as Continuum of Care or CoC grants. The CoC grants a total of about three-and-a-half billion dollars a year and mainly goes to nonprofits that provide housing. And I should just say that homeless nonprofits read this yearly announcement like it’s the Talmud or the Bible or something, because it says what they have to do to compete for the federal money and what sort of programs they can fund and what sort of things are forbidden.
Morning Wire: Got it. The administration’s announcement this year said the federal government would no longer support what it calls “the failed ‘Housing First’ ideology.” Can you explain a little bit about what “Housing First” means? 
Glock: The “Housing First” idea is that the only way to “solve” homelessness is to give the homeless subsidized and permanent housing without any conditions before entering the housing or strings attached afterwards. The basic idea is that you provide both housing and services, but it’s all voluntary. A nonprofit couldn’t force a person in one of these Housing First apartments to, say, take a drug test or even get a mental health screening. And for a little over a decade–including, I might add, through the first Trump administration–these annual funding announcements said federal money would be given almost exclusively to groups that practiced the “Housing First” philosophy. Because in most of the country, the federal money is the main source of funding for the homeless, the Housing First idea became something of a nationwide mandate.
Morning Wire: Right – so that made it a nationwide policy. What does this announcement actually change?
Glock: The biggest change is that there is no more Housing First mandate. Instead, the administration says nonprofits must provide treatment for underlying issues instead of just focusing on housing. The Housing First program was supposed to provide treatment, but it said people just kind of had to come to the treatment on their own. The problem was it’s often impossible for people in the midst of, say, a heroin addiction or schizophrenic episode to really pursue treatment. This new policy will mandate some treatment services for those in the housing units and will require more housing to be “transitional,” meaning for a limited time period until people can get back on their feet, instead of the old permanent housing model.

MRN_251125_V1

Morning Brief: Ukraine’s New Deal, TPUSA Vs. Christian Schools, & Trump’s Homeless Policy

Morning Brief: New Ukraine Peace Plan, TPUSA Rejected, And Trump’s Turn On Homelessness

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