A Message from Congressman George Whitesides

Owning a home has never been more expensive – the median age of a first-time homebuyer in the U.S. has reached a high of 40 years old. Families making the median state income can afford fewer than ten percent of the houses on the market, and the average cost of a home in California is 2.5 times the national average.
Those statistics translate to real stress felt by so many hardworking families – no one should have to worry about affording rent or a mortgage to keep a roof over their children’s heads, but that is where many parents currently find themselves.
This problem demands action. Today, I’m happy to say Congress has begun to make progress on the issue.
To solve the housing crisis, we need to make housing easier to build, while also lowering the cost of rent and home ownership.
Our newly-passed “Housing for the 21st Century Act” is the largest federal housing investment in over a decade. The bill makes the construction process easier, which will help us build homes faster while keeping quality standards strong.
It also provides support for our veterans, who should not be penalized for their earned benefits, and should be made aware of federal housing programs available to them.
Finally, it expands eligibility for the largest national program for housing, ensuring more Americans can get a headstart of homeownership. Not only are more families able to access the program, but the minimum grant given out by the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development will increase by hundreds of thousands of dollars.
It is the first step in a much longer process that we must work on to bring down the cost of housing for the Santa Clarita Valley.
This is why I came to Congress: to tackle problems people are facing right now. You’ve made it clear that affordable, accessible housing is a priority, and I hear you. I’ll always put the needs of our community’s families first and work to find ways to make their lives more affordable.
I’ll continue to fight to make sure owning a home and finding an affordable place to live is achievable for more Americans.
Congressman George Whitesides is a former NASA leader, job creator, problem solver, and father who represents California’s 27th District in Congress.
You can follow his work @RepWhitesides on Instagram and Facebook and @Rep_Whitesides on X.

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