Key facts
- 370,000 new homes are at risk of completion due to labor shortages.
- 256,000 homes are currently under construction, with 114,000 permitted or not yet started.
- Immigrants comprise 35% of the US construction trades workforce.
- Foreign-born workers made up 57% of drywall installers and 53% of roofers and painters.
US homebuilders are facing significant challenges in completing new homes due to a growing shortage of skilled labor, exacerbated by immigration enforcement. Approximately 370,000 homes are at risk, with 256,000 currently under construction and 114,000 permitted or not yet started. The reliance on immigrant workers, who constitute 35% of the construction trades workforce, is a key factor. Research indicates that foreign-born workers have accounted for all net growth in the construction trades workforce between 2013 and 2024. Delays in completing homes increase carrying costs and pressure builder margins, especially in a slowing housing market where competition for trades from other sectors like data centers further tightens labor availability.