An Appreciation of Housing Policy Expert John C. Weicher

Former Assistant Secretary for Housing and Federal Housing Commissioner John C. Weicher passed away Dec. 10, 2024.

Dr. Weicher earned an A.B. from the University of Michigan and a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Chicago and served as federal housing commissioner from 2001 to 2005. He also served as assistant secretary for policy development and research at HUD from 1989 to 1993 and as chief economist at HUD from 1975 to 1977.

Most recently, Weicher served as senior fellow emeritus at the Hudson Institute in Washington, D.C. Hudson Institute President and CEO John P. Walters called him a public servant whose work in government and policy research shaped the country’s housing policy.

“His thoughtful approach to complex issues and his unwavering commitment to affordable housing and urban homeownership cemented his legacy of promoting American prosperity and lifting communities across the country,” Walters said. “We will miss his wisdom, dedication, and friendship.”

Weicher wrote or edited fourteen books and numerous articles about housing policy during his career. In addition to his work at HUD, he served on several commissions including the Millennial Housing Commission in 2000 and the President’s Commission on Housing in 1981. He testified before Congress more than 40 times.

Mortgage Bankers Association Senior Vice President and Chief Economist Mike Fratantoni noted he knew Weicher for more than 20 years and called him a truly fantastic person. “He had such an interesting career, serving in senior roles at HUD multiple times, but also conducting significant, impactful research over the years that influenced multiple housing debates,” Fratantoni said.

Edward Seiler, Executive Director of the Research Institute for Housing America and Associate Vice President of Housing Economics with the Mortgage Bankers Association, said he worked with Weicher on two RIHA papers. “I was always happy to learn from his vast experience and knowledge,” he said. “He was a soft-spoken and very kind gentleman.”

Seiler noted Weicher was an expert on the Survey of Community Finances, a survey published every three years by the Fed. “He used the data through 2016 in the first RIHA paper, The Distribution of Wealth Since the Great Recession. An important aspect that John emphasized was the wealth-building aspect of homeownership for typical household in America. Home equity represents the largest asset class for middle-America,” Seiler said.

“John kindly updated the results in 2021 and tried to tease out the early effects of the pandemic,” Seiler said. “That paper, The Distribution of Wealth in America Since 2016, was a nice summary of wealth and inequality in the decade after the Great Recession.”

Fratantoni said Weicher was always a calm and thoughtful presence in discussions. “Without a doubt, he had strong opinions, but he just had a certain way of letting you know with a smile and a nod that you were missing the boat,” he added.