As fertility rates have declined across the US, national and state leaders continue to consider policy options that can help reverse this decline. Glenn Stanton, director of Global Family Formation Studies at Focus on the Family, explains that public policy can’t change how people feel about family formation, but it can help couples who already want families to have more children. Stanton suggests that policymakers start with affordable, family-friendly, housing initiatives to create environments where large families can thrive.

Access to affordable, family-friendly housing is one of the key factors married couples consider when deciding if they have children and how many children they want to have. With this fact in mind, policymakers should heed Stanton’s advice and prioritize policies that encourage the availability of family-friendly housing options.