The United States has experienced a 12% increase in homelessness, to its highest reported level. Federal officials Friday said soaring rents and a winding down of coronavirus pandemic assistance combined to put housing out of reach for more Americans.
Homeowners pulling the ladder up after them is the single largest driver of our housing crisis. You literally cannot build more housing in the areas we most need it, due to regulations pushed for, and at times written by, local homeowners.
Would we need more homes if private companies didn’t buy so many single family homes?
Yes. They didn’t even start doing that until the investment became worth it.
NIMBYism is the cause of this problem. We need to build for density, change property tax laws where they’ve been rigged, and encourage building wherever possible.