3 ms·
I am NOT an expert, and this is just my OPINION. From my perspective the root cause of inflation is a lack of housing (near where people need / really want it)
by mjevans 4y ago
I am NOT an expert, and this is just my OPINION.
From my perspective the root cause of inflation is a lack of housing (near where people need / really want it). Compared to my parents it is a herculean task for someone younger than 40-50 to get a starter house, near a stable job, that actually has a career path where settling down makes sense. Particularly where I grew up / currently live (near Seattle, WA).
Maybe houses are cheap in some places in the country, but those places are not where I am or need to be.
We need an overhaul on building policies. I'd like to see tougher building CODE (better built houses) and much simpler zoning with less red tape. Sustainable, tax base vs maintenance expenditure positive, already environmentally impact ready interface packages on the shelf for areas that can be built to provide the features an area needs. More like simulated city planner games.
As a deflationary measure, tax the rich for real. Instead of handing out more stimulus that will be priced into the inflation of goods; a hidden tax on the non land-owning middle class; increase buying power and quality of live for all by decreasing the wealthy's advantage and increasing the commons and public works.
- pbourke 4y agoTougher building codes and lower prices are opposing demands. Tougher codes mean it’s more expensive to build or retrofit. Zoning is to land as codes are to structures - tougher zoning = higher prices.
- xboxnolifes 4y agoIts possible that tougher buildings codes but with also much less restricted zoning could lead to lower prices. I'm not familiar enough with housing to know how much each affects the current market.
- mjevans 4y agoBuilding takes time, so this would be 2+ year market... but we've gotta start some time since for the last ~50 years 'enough' housing has not been built, there's a lot of unmet demand, which is why the market is so inelastic.