I think the biggest problem is that solutions we've used to subsidize middle class homeownership in the 20th century don't work anymore. Think mortgage interest

I think the biggest problem is that solutions we've used to subsidize middle class homeownership in the 20th century don't work anymore. Think mortgage interest rate deductions, things of that sort. In cities surrounded by cheap farmland waiting to be developed, this money can be funneled into housing development. In the modern city that's already at "peak suburb", homeowner subsidies just contribute to bidding wars, driving up prices. What we need is better utilization of land in desirable location. Also, we need transit to connect neighborhoods to city centers. Hellish driving commutes could be pleasant train commutes with modern infrastructure. The options have always been build up, build closer together, or build further out. The first two have been illegal in most places for decades, and at peak suburb we've reached the limits of the third one in terms of car infrastructure