Housing is an important issue for both Vice President Harris and Governor Walz. While they were both on Capitol Hill, they had strong records on housing. As Governor, Walz even signed into law a comprehensive housing $1 billion omnibus that not only invested $46 million in Minnesota’s rental assistance program, but more than half of it went to beefing up the affordable housing options in the state. Thus, it should surprise no one that the Harris-Walz campaign released a comprehensive economic agenda, which includes many policy prescriptions to solve the housing crisis.
Some of the Harris-Walz campaign’s ideas include building three million new homes, stopping investment firms from buying homes in bulk, and prohibiting companies like RealPage and corporate landlords from fixing rent prices. Tenant organizers are supportive of such policies that confront corporate power. But even so, groups like the Tenant Union Federation are also hopeful that Harris and Walz would take even further steps to protect tenants by regulating rents.
What is clear is that both the Vice President and Governor have solid footing to reach Americans with their plan to make housing more affordable. They should be taking every opportunity to get that message out—particularly Walz, who is uniquely qualified to talk about housing as an issue.
During a September campaign stop in Michigan, Gov Walz touted the campaign’s housing plans citing the fact that venture capitalists shouldn’t be buying up homes and “jacking up the prices.” He made the case that big Wall Street firms are playing a role in exacerbating the housing crisis. In the Vice Presidential debate, Walz elevated his record showing how the state government could come in and aid in solving the housing crisis.
Walz’s record of helping Minnesotans struggling with housing aside, he personally understands and clearly communicates the affordable housing crisis millions of Americans face. He does not own a home, and as a member of Congress, he struggled to find affordable housing in Washington, DC. On a national level, Walz has been elevated as this figure by the media who can expound on these issues that affect the working and middle class. So why doesn’t he take this as an opportunity in the final days of the campaign to really hammer home why housing is so important?
While he has been touting bits and pieces in his remarks, Walz should more emphatically talk about the Harris-Walz campaign’s economic priorities, specifically on housing. States like Nevada, North Carolina, Georgia, and Michigan each have unique state and local issues, yet all have a shortage in available affordable housing.
The moment for a populist campaign built on the concerns of actual tenants is now. Walz has a real opportunity to use his rare credibility on this issue to get the message across to Americans on what a motivated White House can do for their most core struggles. It will be interesting to see if a campaign run by David Plouffe can focus on such tangible economic issues.