The affordable rental shortage crisis: Solutions that can be implemented in the mean time.

The issue isn't just with supply of housing. It is with supply of types of housing. Expensive gated communities offer no refuge to most people. So, while we have more vacant houses than homeless people, as another poster aptly pointed out, much of the excessive housing exists in the form of large single family homes in suburban housing developments built near or just before the housing market crash. Many of these ticky tacky, sprawled, craftsman homes are destined to become relics of a dying age, as do the plats and plans for many more developments that will never be built.

We need to zone more mixed use and higher density housing tailored to middle class consumers. Increasing inequality is exacerbating trends towards a reduction in availability of affordable homes as neighborhoods become increasingly segregated by income. New housing developments need to incorporate elements of design tailored to attract economically diverse residents.

Cities could reduce regulations and permit fees, to allow housing to be built faster and more cheaply.

Reducing building standards is a short term solution with the potential for major negative long-term consequences. It's better to build high quality homes in well planned communities and to provide solid infrastructure than to incentivize the rapid production of low quality housing.

They could reduce property taxes on rental property.

This quality also requires funding and infrastructure improvements. The cost of which justifiably falls on developers in the form of impact fees, permit fees and property taxes. Otherwise, the expense has to be absorbed by existing residents and property owners.

/r/PoliticalDiscussion Thread Parent