The rollout came the same day that Trump announced his administration was “immediately” taking steps to bar large institutional investors from buying additional single-family homes, a proposal he framed as a defense of homeownership against Wall Street. 

In a post on Truth Social, Trump called homeownership the “pinnacle” of the American dream and said he would ask Congress to codify a ban on corporate purchases of single-family homes. “People live in homes, not corporations,” Trump wrote, adding that he plans to outline additional housing proposals during a speech in Davos later this month. 

The proposal quickly drew interest from Republicans on Capitol Hill. Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH) said he would introduce legislation to lock in the policy, and Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) suggested he might do the same.

Trump leaned heavily on voter frustration over affordability during the 2024 campaign, promising swift relief from rising living costs. One year into his return to office, prices remain a persistent concern, with inflation still running above historical norms.

Housing has been a particular pressure point. Home prices surged to record highs during the pandemic before easing slightly, but they remain elevated, with the median U.S. home sale price reaching $410,800 last year, according to Census Bureau data.

Warren said she supports limiting corporate ownership of housing, but argued Trump’s announcement came without follow-through and ignores steps Democrats say could lower costs immediately.

“Good for him,” Warren said of the proposal. But she pointed to the bipartisan Renewing Opportunity in the American Dream to Housing Act, which passed the Senate unanimously last year and is now stalled in the House. The bill aims to expand housing supply through a range of provisions, including support for new construction and alternative building methods.

.@SenWarren: “We want to stop corporations from purchasing individual homes. Donald Trump says he wants to do that. I’ve been advocating for that for years.” pic.twitter.com/JHEbg2NB2r

— Samantha-Jo Roth (@SamanthaJoRoth) January 7, 2026

“If Donald Trump wants to help, get the Republicans in the House to turn loose of the ROAD to Housing bill,” Warren said.

Warren and Schumer also accused the administration of undercutting its own message on the same day Trump made the announcement, pointing to the approval of a major real estate merger between Compass and Anywhere Real Estate. The companies said that shareholders have approved the deal and expect it to close on Jan. 9, pending customary conditions. Warren argued the consolidation would drive up costs for buyers and sellers.

Schumer argued that Trump’s tariffs are adding to the affordability crunch by raising construction costs.

“Trump’s tariffs raise the cost of buying a home, building a home, or expanding a home,” he said, adding that the higher costs are shutting younger families out of homeownership.

The White House was contacted for comment on Democrats’ criticism of the administration’s housing record.

Democrats also circulated a new memo highlighting what they say are deepening affordability pressures, pointing to a median first-time homebuyer age of 40, rising foreclosures, and the lack of any county where a full-time minimum-wage worker can afford a typical two-bedroom apartment.

At the roundtable, outside policy experts urged Democrats to pair supply-side solutions with a sharper focus on corporate power in housing markets, particularly Wall Street-backed landlords and large investors buying up single-family homes.

Lindsay Owens, executive director of Groundwork Collaborative, told lawmakers that voters consistently rank housing among their top financial concerns, and that calls to crack down on corporate landlords, hidden fees, and investor-owned housing resonate more strongly than technical debates over zoning and permitting.

Other panelists pushed for a mix of approaches, including tougher antitrust enforcement, limits on junk fees and algorithmic rent-setting, expanded rental assistance, down payment support for first-time buyers, and increased financing for smaller builders to boost supply. 

Schumer said housing is the opening issue in what Democrats intend to make a sustained focus on affordability through the midterm elections, alongside groceries, healthcare, child care, energy, and utility costs.

“If you can’t afford housing, everything else gets harder,” Schumer said. “That’s why we’re starting here.”

TRUMP MOVES TO BAN INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS LIKE BLACKSTONE FROM BUYING SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES

Democrats are betting that contrast will define the 2026 campaign, casting themselves as focused on lowering costs while arguing that Trump and Republicans have failed to deliver. 

The emphasis mirrors a broader recalibration underway inside the party, as leaders increasingly acknowledge that warnings about democracy, while still part of the conversation, are being eclipsed by voter frustration over housing, inflation, and affordability.