SEEC Building Resilient Housing Task Force Hosts Roundtable to Address America’s Housing Affordability and Climate Resilience Challenges
Washington, D.C. – Today, the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC) Building Resilient Housing Task Force, led by Rep. Dave Min (CA-47) and Rep. Johnny Olszewski (MD-02), hosted a roundtable with experts working at the nexus of housing affordability and the climate crisis. The roundtable highlighted key issues and opportunities to address how climate change and extreme weather events are raising home energy and insurance costs, alongside the solutions that can address the dual crises of housing affordability and climate change that are being felt across the nation.
“Housing affordability, utility costs, and climate resilience are not separate challenges for American families — they are deeply interrelated. Building and retrofitting homes to be safer, more efficient, and more resilient is one of the clearest ways we can lower costs, protect families, and confront the climate crisis at the same time," said Congressman Min. "The Building Resilient Housing Task Force is focused on practical federal solutions that make homes more affordable to live in and better prepared for wildfires, storms, heat, and other extreme weather. I’m grateful to SEEC, American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), Insurance for Good, and Rep. Olszewski for their partnership in this work.”
"The cost-of-living crisis begins and ends with housing — because if you don't have a safe, affordable roof over your head, little else matters," said Congressman Olszewski. "I was proud to join Representative Min in bringing together experts to explore how climate-resilient housing can lower the costs of insurance, energy, and weatherization, making housing more affordable for families. By tackling our housing and climate challenges together, we can build stronger, more resilient communities while lowering costs."
Background
SEEC’s Building Resilient Housing Task Force focuses on building out our housing stock in a way that addresses the dual crises of housing affordability and climate change. Access to safe, high-quality, and attainable housing should be a fundamental right, which is why we need to support market-based, mixed-income approaches that can meet the needs of families at all income levels. At the same time, our nation's housing stock is one of the largest sources of carbon emissions, presenting a transformative opportunity to fight climate change while promoting housing that is more resilient and sustainable. The Task Force will therefore focus on multifaceted solutions that meet the urgency of our housing crisis—addressing ballooning insurance rates due to extreme weather events; investing in energy-efficient upgrades and renewables to lower utility bills; and building new housing that helps connect Americans to essential services like reliable transportation and workforce opportunities.