Privatizing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac the Wrong Way Risks a Second Great Recession

America’s homebuyers are facing mounting challenges. Too few homes are being built, construction costs are rising, and insurance is becoming more unaffordable as climate risks grow. Rather than addressing permitting barriers, inflationary tariffs on building materials, or climate resilience, the Trump Administration has focused its housing agenda on privatizing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. 

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are government-sponsored enterprises that play a central role in America’s housing market. They buy qualifying mortgages from lenders, bundle them into mortgage-backed securities, and sell them to investors. This frees main street lenders to make new loans, keeping credit flowing and rates lower for homebuyers.