Meetings took place during the 2025 REALTORS® Legislative Meetings

During the 2025 National Association of REALTORS® Legislative Meetings (May 31-June 5, 2025), 46 members of Hawai‘i REALTORS®, the state association, and local boards and associations met with members of Congress in Washington, D.C. to advocate for policies that will increase the housing supply and improve access to homeownership. NAR and state and local associations organized the meetings on Capitol Hill as a part of their advocacy efforts on behalf of the real estate industry. “With an estimated 4.7-million-unit shortage, the U.S. is facing a housing inventory crisis. Here in Hawai‘i, we are at least 64,000 units short, threatening middle-class prosperity,” said Hawai‘i REALTORS® President Lance Owens. “We must unlock supply, ease market constraints, and make it easier for Hawai‘i residents to find homes they can afford. Hawai‘i REALTORS® is deeply committed to finding solutions on local, state, and federal levels.” Increased housing supply helps stabilize prices, revitalize communities, and support the dream of homeownership. Updating the U.S. tax law is a key pathway to more supply. REALTORS® also strongly support fair housing laws and are active leaders in opening housing opportunities for people of all backgrounds. “Real estate, rental, and leasing represented 17.3 percent of Hawai‘i’s GDP in 2024,” Owens said. “The meetings on Capitol Hill were an opportunity to speak with lawmakers from all states about the positive impact REALTORS® have in local communities and for the broader economy.” Among the other issues members and staff of Hawai‘i REALTORS® discussed with Sen. Mazie Hirono, Sen. Brian Schatz, Rep. Jill Tokuda, and Rep. Ed Case were private property rights, support for self-employed professionals, how NAR research shows the impact of real estate on the economy, and the importance of home ownership in building safe, resilient communities. REALTOR® legislative priorities included support for the following bills:
  • More Homes on the Market Act (H.R. 1340) to decrease the equity penalty and incentivize more long-term owners to sell their homes
  • Housing Supply Framework Act (H.R. 2840/ S. 1299) to create a national strategy for boosting housing production and affordability by reducing barriers to new housing development
  • Revitalizing Downtowns and Main Streets Act (H.R. 2410) to convert underused commercial properties into residential and mixed-use housing
  • Uplifting First-Time Homebuyers Act (H.R. 3526) to increase the amount that can be withdrawn penalty-free from IRAs for a down payment on a first home
  • Fair and Equal Housing Act to add sexual orientation and gender identity as protected classes under the Fair Housing Act, codifying the application of the Supreme Court’s Bostock v. Clayton County decision to the Fair Housing Act, to help ensure equal housing protections for all Americans