Treasury's Bessent says fixing housing affordability crisis will be one of his 'big projects' this fall

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Thursday that one of his top priorities is addressing the U.S. housing affordability crisis.

"We are really going to work on this housing affordability crisis. That's one of my big projects for the fall," Bessent told FOX Business' Maria Bartiromo during an interview on "Mornings with Maria."

Bessent said that the White House is exploring how to monetize Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which could involve selling all or part of the government's stake in the enterprises. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac play a critical role in the home financing industry and have been under federal conservatorship since the 2008 financial crisis.

Bessent said the administration is looking at how to get the best value for taxpayers when it comes to Fannie Mae and Freddie