3 ms·
Building more housing in existing urban areas as a practical matter just means increasing the real wealth and income of the landlord class. If we _really_ wante
by User23 7y ago
Building more housing in existing urban areas as a practical matter just means increasing the real wealth and income of the landlord class. If we _really_ wanted to solve the housing crisis, it would be through a homesteading program where new cities were created in empty land and people were encouraged to move there by being offered a plot of land for a filing fee and the promise to actually live there.
- erik_seaberg 7y agoDon't small towns have plenty of cheap housing already? The shortages are in commuting distance of strong labor markets.
- User23 7y agoIt's all about creating an economy of scale. Nobody wants to be the first one to spend $100k+ to live in a meth addled opium pit with no future. On the other hand, if you offer thousands of people a fresh start it could work. Imagine for example if Amazon built a warehouse, err I mean "fulfillment center" in the middle of nowhere on federal land with highway access and at a reasonable distance from existing markets and offered their standard wage, and then in addition there were a homestead opportunity. No, think bigger and don't just limit it to Amazon or any other single company. There really is room for a public/private partnership here to grow the middle class and free workers from having all their marginal wage increases (and then some) go to rent increases. If there are existing small towns where the local landowners would be willing to participate in a homestead program then sure that would be great.