2 ms·

I don't see how they made the connection to poverty and mortality. I'm sure there is one, but the fact the article didn't point out the specific cause and effec

I don't see how they made the connection to poverty and mortality. I'm sure there is one, but the fact the article didn't point out the specific cause and effect is disappointing. The onset of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 brought about a sharp increase in U.S. poverty as millions of people got sick, were thrown out of work, and lost health insurance. Are they trying to say that people died during Covid because an increase in poverty and that poverty was the reason for the increase in deaths? What about Covid? But federal aid initiatives enacted in response to the public health and economic crisis—from stimulus checks to boosted unemployment benefits to enhanced nutrition assistance—ultimately led to a significant drop in poverty, further bolstering the case that "poverty is a policy choice." Poverty is certainly policy choice to a degree.

dmix 3y ago
> Poverty is certainly policy choice to a degree. Housing is probably the biggest cause of poverty directly influenced by (existing) policy. Zoning alone could result in plenty of reduction in inequality among other stuff like reducing NIMBY power. I'm curious if now that we have a mountain of half empty offices which don't freely compete with residential development if the implications of zoning is even worse than before. Previously the primary argument was low-density suburban zoning acts in conflict to the free market (https://www.amazon.com/Zoned-Out-Jonathan-Levine/dp/1933115157/ https://www.amazon.com/Zoned-Out-Jonathan-Levine/dp/19331151...) which besides giant skyscrapers was the only openly tolerated housing development for the past n* decades.
- Clubber 3y ago
  It would be nice to have a social safety net in regards to rent/mortgage. I'm not sure how to implement it though. The eviction moratorium played a big part in lack of homelessness during covid. The only problem is the government made property owners financially responsible for it. I'm not sure if they ever got compensated.
  - dmix 3y ago
    Meh we need supply not bandaid'ing high rent costs. The housing crisis goes well beyond the homeless (which get the bulk of the attention, if not adequate solutions), which only ever results in half-baked subsidies or forcing skyscrapers to add a small amount of low income options. While the drumbeat of ever increasing housing costs continues. Housing needs radical reform. There isn't a lack of capital to build this stuff. We don't need government to put up a bunch of money. The second they make building possible, in the places/ways the market demands, there will be a flood of new development which will directly benefit the low end of the market by not making tiny houses cost $1M and low-density suburban housing the only alternative.

dmix 3y ago

> Poverty is certainly policy choice to a degree. Housing is probably the biggest cause of poverty directly influenced by (existing) policy. Zoning alone could result in plenty of reduction in inequality among other stuff like reducing NIMBY power. I'm curious if now that we have a mountain of half empty offices which don't freely compete with residential development if the implications of zoning is even worse than before. Previously the primary argument was low-density suburban zoning acts in conflict to the free market (https://www.amazon.com/Zoned-Out-Jonathan-Levine/dp/1933115157/ https://www.amazon.com/Zoned-Out-Jonathan-Levine/dp/19331151...) which besides giant skyscrapers was the only openly tolerated housing development for the past n* decades.

Clubber 3y ago
It would be nice to have a social safety net in regards to rent/mortgage. I'm not sure how to implement it though. The eviction moratorium played a big part in lack of homelessness during covid. The only problem is the government made property owners financially responsible for it. I'm not sure if they ever got compensated.
- dmix 3y ago
  Meh we need supply not bandaid'ing high rent costs. The housing crisis goes well beyond the homeless (which get the bulk of the attention, if not adequate solutions), which only ever results in half-baked subsidies or forcing skyscrapers to add a small amount of low income options. While the drumbeat of ever increasing housing costs continues. Housing needs radical reform. There isn't a lack of capital to build this stuff. We don't need government to put up a bunch of money. The second they make building possible, in the places/ways the market demands, there will be a flood of new development which will directly benefit the low end of the market by not making tiny houses cost $1M and low-density suburban housing the only alternative.