Housing

Governor Dunleavy highlighted AHFC's work building senior housing in Fairbanks and family housing in Valdez, acquiring 600 acres from the University of Alaska for future development, and completing 592 rural professional housing units through a public-private partnership. He announced a new initiative partnering the State, AHFC, and willing municipalities to increase housing supply, offering buildable land, competitive mortgage rates, lower down payments, and technical expertise, with partner municipalities providing long-term tax breaks for first-time buyers.

Governor Ivey briefly referenced supporting Alabama families and noted AHFC-equivalent housing work but did not make housing a central focus of her address. Her emphasis was more on education and economic development.

Governor Hobbs made housing affordability a central theme, noting that Maricopa County led the nation in housing construction in 2024 and that housing prices are declining. She announced a new Housing Acceleration Fund that leverages public and private dollars to generate up to ten dollars for every dollar invested, kickstarted with a $2.5 million investment. She also highlighted the Arizona is Home program providing down payment assistance, approval of over 60,000 single-family homes in the West Valley, and actions to allow more housing construction without government red tape.

Governor Newsom called housing "California's original sin" and noted signing 61 housing reform bills in the past year alone, clearing regulatory thickets and modernizing environmental review. He targeted institutional investors buying homes by the thousands, calling it "shameful that we allow private equity firms in Manhattan to become the biggest landlords in many of our cities," and pledged to work with the Legislature to combat monopolistic behavior and potentially change the state tax code. He also proposed updating environmental review processes that haven't changed in 50 years.

Governor Polis devoted significant attention to housing, citing the HOME Act to open doors to more housing by partnering with higher education, nonprofits, transit agencies, and housing authorities to build on underutilized land. He highlighted ADU expansion, single-stair home reforms, construction defects liability reform for condos, the Educator First Housing initiative helping 3,000 teachers buy homes, and over 10,000 new homes built through Proposition 123. He proposed making it easier to subdivide and sell property and called for funding the senior homestead exemption.

Governor Lamont focused on housing as a key affordability strategy, noting Hartford was named one of the hottest housing markets by Zillow. He highlighted transit-oriented development in the Naugatuck Valley, retrofitting underused parking lots, empty mills, and suburban shopping malls for housing, and prioritizing mortgage and Time to Own subsidies for workers. He emphasized the need for more housing for seniors, nurses, teachers, and young people.

Governor Meyer identified a shortage of nearly 20,000 affordable units statewide and noted that one-third of housing costs have nothing to do with construction but are due to red tape. He pledged to implement reforms making Delaware's permitting systems the most streamlined and efficient in the country, working with counties and municipalities on smart growth that fills housing needs while protecting farmland. He referenced collaboration with nine local jurisdictions on zoning reforms and plans for new HOPE Centers in Kent and Sussex Counties.

Governor Kemp did not make housing a central focus of his address, instead emphasizing economic development, education investments, and public safety.

Governor Green made housing one of his top priorities, reporting dramatic progress since taking office. He cited emergency housing proclamations that approved over 10,000 new low-income housing units, entitled over 5,500 affordable units, and brought more than 6,500 affordable units online. He announced tracking over 62,000 housing units across 250+ projects statewide including 46,000 affordable homes. DHHL granted more than 2,500 homestead leases in 2025 — the most in its 100-year history — growing to 7,000 in 2026. He also pledged to return more short-term rentals to local families, targeting at least 10,000 additional homes.

Governor Reynolds proposed creating a tax-deductible savings account for first-time homebuyers modeled on Iowa's 529 program, allowing families to contribute years in advance to help children and grandchildren prepare for homeownership.

Governor Little did not make housing a significant focus of his address, instead concentrating on budget management, education, and workforce development.

Governor Braun highlighted that home prices have surged because of insufficient building and unnecessary regulations. He expressed support for Rep. Doug Miller's bill to reduce government barriers and make it easier for Hoosiers to buy homes, stating "I support it 100%."

Governor Kelly did not make housing a central theme but mentioned it in the context of workforce challenges, noting that every business considering moving to Kansas asks about workforce housing.

Governor Beshear highlighted Kentucky's recognition as one of the best states for home affordability. He noted 254 homes being built for tornado survivors in Western Kentucky and announced the single largest affordable housing investment in Kentucky history with $223 million going toward 953 rental units. He proposed a game-changing $150 million investment in Kentucky's Affordable Housing Trust Fund, which combined with private funding would create $1 billion in new housing.

Governor Healey made housing a centerpiece of her affordability agenda, noting the state hasn't been building enough homes since the 1990s. She outlined accelerating environmental approvals from over a year to 30 days, converting empty state properties and downtown offices into homes, promoting ADUs with free designs and low-cost financing, and expanding programs giving families $25,000 toward down payments and lower interest rates. She stated the goal of 220,000 new homes by 2035, with 100,000 already in progress.

Governor Moore highlighted the Maryland Transit and Housing Opportunity Act of 2026, emphasizing building more housing near transit and investing in transportation connecting people with opportunity. He reported providing funding to build 4,000 new rental housing units in the last fiscal year — the highest level since the COVID pandemic — and stated Maryland's population is growing faster than it has in a decade.

Governor Mills proposed a $70 million "American Dream" housing package including $17.5 million for two pilot programs to build 530 new homes and apartments for middle-class families, plus $52.5 million to increase investments in housing programs that would trigger $15 million in federal matching funds, totaling 825 new homes. She highlighted $315 million authorized for housing during her administration — nearly five times more than 2000-2018 — and the Mobile Home Preservation fund protecting mobile home parks from out-of-state corporate purchases.

Governor Kehoe did not make housing a significant focus of his State of the State address.

Governor Armstrong's address focused specifically on the Rural Health Transformation Program and did not significantly address housing.

Governor Pillen did not make housing a central focus, instead emphasizing tax reform, public safety, and workforce development.

Governor Ayotte identified housing as "the number one area we need to succeed" and noted 2025 saw the highest housing production total in 20 years. She highlighted new laws for a 60-day permitting process, expanded ADUs, business-to-housing conversions, and energy-efficient housing development financing. She emphasized housing for seniors wanting to downsize, workers wanting to live where they work, and young people seeking their first homes.

Governor Sherrill identified the affordability crisis as central to her agenda, though her inaugural address focused more broadly on affordability rather than detailing specific housing proposals.

Governor Lujan Grisham proposed $110 million for new housing units and homelessness initiatives, along with zoning reform to expedite and increase housing production. She also called for an interest-rate buydown program to make mortgage payments more manageable for homeowners, noting New Mexico ranks among the top dozen most affordable states for housing.

Governor Hochul called housing a major priority, highlighting the most significant housing deal in half a century that saved 71,000 homes at risk and opened the door for 800,000 more over the next decade. She announced an additional $250 million for affordable housing, $100 million for manufactured housing, and proposals to update tax incentives for rent-regulated buildings. She also proposed updating environmental review processes unchanged for 50 years, stating "When communities say yes to housing, infrastructure, or clean energy, we're going to LET THEM BUILD!"

Governor Stitt addressed housing primarily through the lens of property taxes, proposing a state question to freeze property tax growth to protect the American Dream of homeownership. He framed rising property values as both positive (growing state) and concerning (pricing out veterans, seniors, and young families).

Governor Shapiro did not make housing a major standalone topic in his budget address but referenced it within the broader context of economic development and affordability.

Governor McKee highlighted Housing 2030, Rhode Island's first statewide housing plan in almost two decades targeting 15,000 new homes by 2030. He proposed another $120 million housing bond with $25 million dedicated to homeownership, plus a separate $20 million homeownership program for hundreds of low-cost homes. He noted the state made the largest investment in housing in Rhode Island history and praised Treasurer Diossa's AnchorHome program for first-time homebuyers.

Governor McMaster addressed housing indirectly by raising concerns about whether infrastructure and government services can keep pace with unrestrained out-of-state population growth, noting South Carolina was ranked number one by U-Haul for destination moves.

Governor Rhoden did not make housing a significant focus of his address, instead concentrating on property tax relief, healthcare, and public safety.

Governor Lee did not make housing a central focus of his address, instead emphasizing education, public safety in Memphis, nuclear energy, and rural healthcare.

Governor Cox identified housing as a key priority, urging action to increase housing supply and keep homeownership within reach for working families. He called for zoning and permitting reform, infrastructure support, and policies that reduce barriers to building, declaring "Utah will not become a state of renters."

Governor Cameron pledged to tackle the high cost of housing comprehensively, stating: "We will work to cut red tape, increase housing supply, and help communities keep housing affordable" whether residents are renting, buying, or trying to stay in their homes.

Governor Scott referenced housing within his broader discussion of education reform's impact on affordability, noting that education transformation is essential to making Vermont more affordable and providing more housing in communities left behind.

Governor Ferguson proposed a historic $244 million housing investment — the largest-ever supplemental budget investment in housing — to build and protect thousands of affordable housing units, help first-time homebuyers enter the market, and accelerate building processes. He emphasized continuing momentum from housing legislation passed in the previous session.

Governor Evers highlighted that his administration supported over 30,000 new housing units and passed the largest state investment in workforce housing in Wisconsin history. He connected housing to workforce development, noting that expanding access to affordable housing is an issue he hears about almost everywhere he goes in Wisconsin.

Governor Morrisey addressed housing indirectly through infrastructure investments, noting $74 million directed toward water and sewer infrastructure projects and emphasizing that clean water and functional infrastructure propel economic growth. He also discussed tourism-related investments including $20 million for state park improvements.

Governor Gordon did not make housing a central focus of his address, instead emphasizing energy development, education, natural resources, and government efficiency.