r/PoliticalDiscussion • u/Comfortable-Wrap-493 • 4d ago
International Politics Is there no solution to housing crisis?
I feel like we are completely stuck.
I know the government can't just snap its fingers and force real estate prices to drop. Property is treated as a huge investment. It's not just the massive corporations and wealthy investors; even regular, lower-income people have their entire life savings tied up in the value of their homes. Crashing the market hurts them, too.
But if we don't find a solution, we are heading toward a future where only the rich will ever be able to afford buying land or a house.
Even renting is getting completely out of control. At the rate prices are increasing, soon only people with high-paying corporate jobs will be able to afford a basic apartment.
So what happens to everyone else? What about the working class, the people who actually sweat and break their backs to keep this country running? If the main workforce is priced out of both buying and renting, how does society even function? What about artistic jobs? What about creativity? Should all just join high paying collar jobs?
Does anyone see a realistic way out of this mess?
1
u/unfortunately2nd 4d ago
End homeownership as an investment viechle (bring back pensions).
End almost all zoning laws and adopt more flexible zoning.
Legalize single stair case multi units up to at least 5 stories.
End parking minimums.
Use existing lines to suburbs from major cities as nodes and build densely.
Allow live/work units for non disruptive industroes such as running a small hair salon out of your house.
Allow ADU units everywhere.
Stop giving endless tax breaks to vacant store fronts so they can't just sit and wait for a national big chain lease.
Expand transit and rapid bus transit.