Congressman Lynch Discusses Housing and Workforce Challenges in New England
Housing affordability has become one of the defining economic challenges facing New England. As home prices and rents continue to rise, employers across the region are confronting a difficult reality: their ability to attract and retain workers increasingly depends on whether those workers can afford to live near their jobs.
On June 16, 2026, the New England Council hosted a special program, “Housing and the Workforce in New England: A Conversation with U.S. Representative Stephen F. Lynch.” The forum, sponsored by Liberty Bay Credit Union and moderated by President & CEO John Baron, brought together business leaders, housing advocates, developers, lenders, and policymakers to discuss the link between housing availability, workforce retention, and regional economic competitiveness.
Congressman Lynch, a member of the House Financial Services Committee, described what he called a “dual housing crisis.” While housing affordability has traditionally been viewed as an issue affecting low-income households and vulnerable populations, he said, rising costs are increasingly affecting the broader workforce. Employers across New England are struggling to recruit and retain workers, including teachers, nurses, first responders, construction workers, and young professionals who are being priced out of the communities they serve.
Rep. Lynch noted that the United States faces a housing shortage of roughly seven million units and emphasized that increasing supply must be central to any long-term solution. He advocated an “all-of-the-above” approach that includes affordable housing, workforce housing, and market-rate development, arguing that expanding housing opportunities across income levels is essential to improving affordability and supporting economic growth.
The conversation also examined barriers to new housing production. Rep. Lynch cited rising construction costs, elevated interest rates, tariffs on building materials, restrictive zoning policies, and local opposition to development as contributors to the shortage. He also emphasized the importance of transit-oriented development, arguing that investments in public transportation can expand housing opportunities while reducing commuting burdens for workers.
Federal policy solutions were another focus of the discussion. Rep.Lynch highlighted ongoing congressional efforts to advance a broad bipartisan housing package, the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which aims to modernize housing policy, reduce barriers to development, and increase housing production. At the time of the forum, the legislation’s path to final passage remained uncertain. Since that discussion, however, Congress has approved the bill with overwhelming bipartisan support, sending it to President Trump for consideration. Supporters view the measure as the most significant federal housing legislation in decades and a meaningful step toward addressing the nation’s housing supply shortage. Congressman Lynch also discussed opportunities to redevelop underutilized public land, including federal properties, to create additional housing without acquiring new land.
The event concluded with a discussion of policy proposals under debate in Massachusetts, including rent control. The Congressman expressed concern that rent control could discourage investment and reduce housing production, arguing that increasing supply remains the most effective long-term strategy to improve affordability.
Throughout the discussion, one theme remained constant: housing is no longer simply a housing issue. It is a workforce, economic development, and competitiveness issue. The bipartisan passage of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act since the forum underscores the growing recognition in Washington that housing affordability has become a national economic challenge. As New England continues to confront rising housing costs and workforce shortages, expanding the housing supply will be critical to ensuring the region can attract workers, support employers, and sustain long-term economic growth.
A recording of this discussion is available here.