Three in Four Voters Back Federal Housing Aid: NAHB

Americans from both political parties overwhelmingly value a role for the federal government in housing and oppose any efforts by lawmakers to eliminate traditional home buying incentives, according to a recent survey.

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The ""National Association of Home Builders"":http://www.nahb.com/ (NAHB) polled more than 1,500 likely voters from swing states across the country in early January, with help from conservative-leaning Public Opinion Strategies and left-leaning Lake Research Partners.

The results?

Three out of four voters, including owners and renters, agreed that it is ""appropriate and reasonable"" for the federal government to support homeownership with tax incentives.

Their ranks included 84 percent of respondents identifying as Democrats; 71 percent, as Republicans; and 71 percent, as independents.

While the electoral environment remains a highly polarizing one in 2012, ""the one place where there are shared values is homeownership,"" NAHB CEO Jerry Howard said during a webinar held earlier Wednesday.

Two-thirds of respondents backed notions that the federal government should assist homebuyers with their 30-year fixed-rate loans, while a full 73 percent of voters lined up against any endeavor to eliminate the mortgage interest rate deduction.

Sixty-eight percent said they would oppose any congressional candidate who proposes abolishing the interest rate deduction.

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The numbers translated into 69 percent of independents and 68 percent of respondents identifying with either of the two political parties.

Respondents identifying as Tea Party supporters also lent their responses to the survey, with 67 percent of those polled saying they would likewise oppose any lawmaker in support of eliminating the mortgage interest rate deduction.

Asked why supporters of the Tea Party ├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├óÔé¼┼ô a movement known for its belief in limited government ├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├óÔé¼┼ô would back a federal role favorable to housing, Neil Newhouse, partner and co-founder of Public Opinion Strategies, said during the webinar that the poll did not ask for ""consistency"" from respondents.

""Are they in favor of smaller government? Spending less? Yes. Are they also in favor of homeownership? Yes, absolutely,"" he said.

Spokespeople for the firms said during the webinar that neither presented respondents with questions about federal conservatorship for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

The poll suggested that the goal of homeownership remains an important one for the majority of Americans.

Ninety-six percent of homeowners said they were happy with their decision to buy a home, and 79 percent of respondents said they would recommend homeownership to a family member or close friend.

Seventy-four percent of respondents said that homes still make the best long-term investments, even in a rollercoaster market, just below personal savings accounts and 401Ks.

In the same vein, 78 percent of respondents agreed with the idea that homeownership is very important, and labeled job certainty, down payments, and closing costs as the biggest impediments.

""With the 2012 election season in full swing, candidates running for the White House and Congress would be wise to heed the will of the American voters, who have expressed broad support for government policies that encourage homeownership and oppose efforts to make it more difficult to get a home loan and to tamper with the mortgage interest deduction,"" Celinda Lake, president of Lake Research Partners, said in a statement.