Trump Issues Orders on Mortgage Credit and Construction

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On March 13, 2026, President Trump signed a pair of executive orders for the housing market.

The first aims at increasing consumer access to home lending by expanding “quality mortgages” and potentially revamping the TRID rule. The second loosens the environmental and permitting regulations around construction.

Both, in theory, would remove obstacles that lead to raised costs of building homes.

This executive order looks to increase community bank mortgage lending — something that’s declined since the 2008 housing crisis — claiming rural and low-to-moderate-income households have been especially impacted.

To proceed, the order calls on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to tailor mortgage regulations to allow for more affordable lending by reducing capital and liquidity rules, streamlining underwriting, and modernizing both the appraisal process and Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) reporting.

“We agree with the Administration’s focus on addressing costly mortgage regulations that have increased costs and limited access to credit,” said Bob Broeksmit, CEO at the Mortgage Bankers Association. “We support efforts to increase bank participation in mortgage lending and servicing, and the goal should be to revise overly burdensome rules for lenders of all sizes and business models.”

Additionally, the CFPB is to revise the TRID timing rules for faster loan closings, increase “quality mortgage” or “QM” lending access for creditworthy borrowers, and update appraisal rules to cut costs and time.

“Notably, the order signals a substantial rulemaking agenda ahead for the CFPB, suggesting that the Bureau will remain an active regulatory presence, albeit one redirected toward eliminating barriers to credit rather than erecting them,” said Peter Idziak, senior associate at Polunsky Beitel Green.

Removing Regulatory Barriers to Affordable Home Construction

This executive order aims to increase the construction of new homes by jettisoning or adjusting the regulations that stifle development and raise costs.

In the order, the president calls on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Department of Agriculture, and Department of Energy to assess the rules and make the changes they see fit.

It targets zoning rules that drive up builder costs and environmental permitting that can get in the way of development projects.

The order states the heads of the named federal departments “consider eliminating unduly burdensome rules and reforming programs that constrain residential development and impede housing affordability” by revising the “requirements related to stormwater, wetlands, lakes, rivers, and other bodies of water to reduce housing construction and ownership costs, streamline regulatory and agency decision-making processes, reduce property tax burdens, and increase insurability, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law.”

“The Administration’s executive order is a meaningful step toward recalibrating a regulatory framework that has, for over a decade, imposed disproportionate compliance costs on mortgage lenders without corresponding consumer protection benefits,” Idziak said. “The order’s emphasis directly addresses several operational friction points that have directly resulted in increased costs to borrowers.”

HUD has 60 days to develop state and local best practices for streamlined permitting, reduced green energy guidelines, and lowered manufactured housing restrictions.

The bottom line on Trump’s executive orders

While these two executive orders could boost housing inventory and lending access for more borrowers, it’ll take time before any impacts can be made.

If you’re looking for more immediate affordability help, down payment assistance programs can alleviate upfront financial barriers, negotiating with lenders can get you a lower interest rate, and some loan types have lenient requirements.

If you’re ready to take the next step, reach out to a local mortgage professional to see what you can qualify for.