Over the past several months, we’ve all seen how quickly policymakers are moving to support AI infrastructure. Federal regulators, including the EPA, are even considering ways to let certain construction activities begin before all permits are fully approved. The goal is simple: reduce delays while still keeping oversight in place. Why? Because AI is being treated as a national priority.
That raises an important question: if we can streamline the process to build data centers and server farms, why aren’t we applying the same urgency to one of the most basic needs in America—housing?
Cutting Costs by Tackling Delays
Every extra month in the permitting process drives up costs for developers, lenders, and ultimately families. Land sits idle, financing charges pile up, and material costs escalate. Those costs are eventually baked into the price of the home or rental unit.
By reordering approvals—allowing site work, utility prep, or even modular construction to move forward while more complex reviews are finalized—we could cut months, even years, off the timeline. Oversight would remain, but the process would be smarter and more predictable. Faster delivery means lower costs, which is exactly what the market needs.
Shrinking the Development Cycle
Housing projects often take three to seven years from concept to completion. That timeline does not work when millions of families are struggling with affordability today. Local and state governments could create fast-track lanes for projects that meet regional housing goals, pre-approve common building types, or standardize environmental reviews.
This is the same kind of urgency regulators are showing for AI infrastructure. Housing should be treated as essential infrastructure too—because it is.
Strengthening the Workforce
The labor shortage in construction is real, and it’s one of the biggest challenges our industry faces. Long, unpredictable project cycles only make things worse. Contractors lose workers in the downtime between projects, and young people see an unstable career path.
Smarter permitting and shorter development cycles would help create steadier, more reliable pipelines of work. That stability makes it easier to recruit, train, and retain the next generation of skilled workers.
NHCA’s Role: Build the Builder
At NHCA, we believe part of the solution lies in working directly with communities to identify the barriers on the ground. Through our Build the Builder initiative, we are focused on uncovering the local challenges that slow down housing development and offering practical recommendations for improvement. Whether it’s zoning delays, financing hurdles, or workforce bottlenecks, we are committed to bringing forward real solutions that position Hispanics—and the broader construction workforce—for long-term success.
Moving Forward
The housing crisis isn’t going to be solved with business-as-usual thinking. If policymakers can cut red tape to support data centers, they can do the same to support housing.
At the end of the day, data centers power technology, but housing powers people. It’s time to bring that same urgency to the places where families live, work, and build their futures.