The Urban Institute released a new report last week, aptly titled “Place the Blame Where It Belongs.” Two things make this report stand out: (1) the speed with which it gets to the point and (2) the systematic way in which it debunks myths about housing affordability in America. READ MORE
Wealthy New Yorkers with multi-million-dollar homes in the Hamptons are snagging rent-controlled apartments in New York City, paying rents far below market rate. READ MORE
The Washington State legislature convened this week and housing affordability continues to be a priority for lawmakers. While some lawmakers have raised rent control in previous years, Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig (D-Spokane) signaled his intent to pursue other solutions. According to the Spokesman-Review, Billig “suggested this session might be a good time to push […] READ MORE
Greg Vasil, CEO of the Greater Boston Real Estate Board, highlights the steps taken in Brookline, Newton and other local jurisdictions to reform zoning laws to create much-needed housing. Vasil also offered a series of recommendations for state lawmakers to consider, including strengthening a local option law that allows communities to raise funds for affordable […] READ MORE
The Las Vegas Review-Journal editorial board urged lawmakers to resist the temptation to impose rent control and instead focus on removing the zoning and regulatory barriers that make it more costly and difficult to address housing shortages. On rent control, the editorial board noted, “After St. Paul, Minnesota, voters approved a rent control law in […] READ MORE
Several new laws designed to address California’s severe housing shortage went into effect on January 1. These include a measure to speed up the approval of apartment buildings with some set-asides for lower income renters. Other laws give developers permission to build denser buildings if they set aside additional units for middle-income renters and the […] READ MORE
