3 ms·

I'm as capitalist as they come, but I don't see how it's tenable that we created a system in which if you were in a good position to buy in 2020, then you got a

I'm as capitalist as they come, but I don't see how it's tenable that we created a system in which if you were in a good position to buy in 2020, then you got a huge windfall, but if you weren't, then you're probably locked out of the housing market for at least a decade -- especially since this outcome is largely the result of government intervention. I guess the obvious counter is that sticker prices would be even higher today, anyway, if not for higher interest rates, so it all comes out in the wash.

syndicatedjelly 3y ago
How would an ideal housing market function, in your view?
- dionidium 3y ago
  I'd dramatically increase by-right permitting while at the same time assuring people that whatever gets created will be market-rate. The government shouldn't be in the social engineering business, one way or the other. In my perfect world there'd be a Supreme Court case overturning Euclid such that it's impossible for government to block most new housing, but also impossible for them to demand affordable housing subsidies, etc. We've been under-building for decades. Let's give not doing that a shot and then we can talk about other approaches if that fails.
  - syndicatedjelly 3y ago
    Could this all be summarized as a typical Yes-In-My-Backyard (YIMBY) philosophy? - Remove (or greatly reduce) zoning restrictions to permit things like ADUs or re-development of single-family plats - Enforce rent-control via legal means (which is what your guaranteed market-rate solution sounds like - although I don't understand how this solution would work with your stipulation that it be "impossible for the [government] to demand affordable housing subsidies") Or is there something different/more that you're envisioning?
    - dionidium 3y ago
      It’s a pretty typical YIMBY prescription. I’m just careful to emphasize the market-rate nature of it, since some YIMBYs are sensitive to attacks from the left and quick to assure people that they also support public housing, etc. My view is that it’s pretty silly to talk about other solutions so long as it’s literally illegal to build housing. We should just try making it legal for a couple decades and then see where we are. This is not a problem that demands creative approaches.

syndicatedjelly 3y ago

How would an ideal housing market function, in your view?

dionidium 3y ago
I'd dramatically increase by-right permitting while at the same time assuring people that whatever gets created will be market-rate. The government shouldn't be in the social engineering business, one way or the other. In my perfect world there'd be a Supreme Court case overturning Euclid such that it's impossible for government to block most new housing, but also impossible for them to demand affordable housing subsidies, etc. We've been under-building for decades. Let's give not doing that a shot and then we can talk about other approaches if that fails.
- syndicatedjelly 3y ago
  Could this all be summarized as a typical Yes-In-My-Backyard (YIMBY) philosophy? - Remove (or greatly reduce) zoning restrictions to permit things like ADUs or re-development of single-family plats - Enforce rent-control via legal means (which is what your guaranteed market-rate solution sounds like - although I don't understand how this solution would work with your stipulation that it be "impossible for the [government] to demand affordable housing subsidies") Or is there something different/more that you're envisioning?
  - dionidium 3y ago
    It’s a pretty typical YIMBY prescription. I’m just careful to emphasize the market-rate nature of it, since some YIMBYs are sensitive to attacks from the left and quick to assure people that they also support public housing, etc. My view is that it’s pretty silly to talk about other solutions so long as it’s literally illegal to build housing. We should just try making it legal for a couple decades and then see where we are. This is not a problem that demands creative approaches.