The Trump administration’s tariffs are increasing the prices of upholstered furniture and other key housing inputs. From the living room of a new townhouse in North Haven, the president of a Connecticut-based homebuilder criticized the Trump administration’s tariffs on lumber, steel, and aluminum for adding an average of $10,900 to the price of a new house. Greg Ugalde, the president of TM Homes, presented that statistic on Monday during a press conference about the negative impacts of tariffs on the housing market. Hosted by U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the presser took place at 139 Mulholland Way, a North Haven townhome built by TM Homes. DeLauro has hosted similar “tariff tour” events in recent months at a Grand Avenue pasta shop and a Ninth Square games store. The Trump administration’s tariffs on steel, aluminum, lumber, upholstered furniture, and kitchen cabinets “threaten the viability of new construction,” DeLauro said on Monday. That leaves “fewer options for renters and buyers.” The Supreme Court struck down the Trump administration’s country-specific tariffs on Feb. 20. The White House then announced a global rate of 10 percent and may increase the tariff to 15 percent. The decision did not affect tariffs on goods. On the basis of national security grounds, the current import taxes on steel and aluminum is 50 percent, and 25 percent on upholstered furniture.  Meanwhile, in Connecticut, housing permits issued in 2025 increased by 18 percent relative to 2024. However, nationwide single-family housing starts — which mark the beginning of construction — were down 12 percent in April 2025 compared to the rate in April 2024, according to DeLauro. “The unpredictability that [tariffs] force on our industry is tough to overcome,” said Ugalde. Because tariffs are fluctuating rapidly, he said cost estimates for new houses have been rising over the course of construction. As a result, homebuyers might not be able to afford the appliances, furniture, and other amenities that they had come to expect. Developers face a similar form of uncertainty, Ugalde told the Independent, deterring them from buying parcels of land or beginning new projects. Separate from tariffs, high interest rates and rising gas prices are also increasing costs, said DeLauro. Already, Connecticut has seen the price of gas rise by $0.30 since the U.S. and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran. The Trump administration has argued that tariffs will encourage more domestic manufacturing. However, “economists on both sides of the aisle don’t like these tariffs,” said Ugalde. Walking around the kitchen, Ugalde pointed out the items that have grown more expensive, ranging from the countertops and wooden cabinets to the stainless steel fridge. Lorrie Maiorano, a realtor for Calcagni Real Estate, said tariffs increase maintenance costs on older homes as well. Already, appliances are “one price when you buy and another when you sell,” she said, and tariffs have doubled or even tripled the cost of some items. The three-bedroom townhome in North Haven is priced at $605,000, according to Maiorano. The home, which is located in the Pierpoint Hills community, was listed a few weeks ago. “Whether you rent or want to buy a home, it’s part of the American dream,” DeLauro said on Monday. Ugalde nodded in agreement. Your home represents “your roots in the community,” he said. The Pierpoint Hills community in North Haven. At the window on Monday. The post “Tariff Tour” Targets High Home Prices appeared first on New Haven Independent. ...read more read less