Proposals for dealing with the housing crisis invariably invoke a framework that pigeonholes legislators. This framework pits one group against another group, with each vying to influence legislators. With this framework legislators must provide favors to one group at the expense of others. For example, many proposals seek to protect tenants by controlling and restricting…
Ann Arbor, Michigan recently became the third jurisdiction in the nation to create a tenants’ commission to “amplify the voices of renters.” Unlike similar commissions in Seattle and King County, Washington, landlords will be a part of the commission. However, they will not be allowed to vote on any issues before the commission. Some council…
Last week, a reader asked me to expand on a remark made in a post about those who are anti-authority: Many of those opposed to getting vaccinated call those who are getting vaccinated “sheeple”—mindless individuals who do as they are told by public authorities. The underlying attitude is one of anti-authority and pseudo-independence. In principle,…
A good salesman seeks to empower his customer to make a wise purchasing decision. He does this by asking questions to determine the customer’s needs and desires. He can then direct the customer to the products and features that will be most satisfying. Bad salesmen, on the other hand, show no concern for what the…
The Justice Department has announced that it is investigating instances of “digital redlining”—the use of algorithms to determine which loans to approve and which to reject. The department also announced that it has settled a case against Trustmark Bank for its treatment of blacks and Hispanics in Memphis. The bank will “contribute” $3.85 million to…
As more employers are requiring employees to get vaccinated for COVID-19 or submit to regular testing, employees are fighting back with lawsuits. Among the most frequent reasons given is: “It’s my right to not get vaccinated.” On the surface, these individuals may seem to be altruism’s “rebels.” It is true that individuals have a right…
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer recently denounced a real estate company for its “predatory” practices in buying more than one-hundred apartment buildings in Brooklyn. Speaking to a group of tenants and other disgruntled rabblerousers, Schumer said, There is nothing more despicable than these predatory real estate equity firms trying to make billions of dollars on…
Background: Sen. Bernie Sanders has stated the fundamental position of the housing justice movement when he said, “I believe that every American should have a fundamental right to safe, decent, and affordable housing.” Providing every American with safe, decent, and affordable housing is what the movement means by housing justice. If justice means treating individuals…
Housing activists frequently demand that long-time residents of a community have a voice in new development within a neighborhood, particularly when gentrification threatens to change the character of the area. In many instances, they lobby government officials to force a developer to “negotiate” with community representatives. But these “negotiations” are simply a cover for extortion….
In 2019, California legalized accessory dwelling units (ADU), commonly called a granny flat or mother-in-law apartment. When a resident of Malibu wanted to build an ADU for her ailing mother, the city denied a permit. The daughter wanted her mother nearby, but there wasn’t space in her house for her mother. For her and her…
Political pundit Adam Johnson takes issue with a trend among landlords to “rebrand” themselves as “housing providers” because “landlord” is a feudal term. He writes, But landlords do not comprise a vulnerable or protected class; they are not dispossessed, historically marginalized, or a minority group in urgent need of reclaiming their humanity. Conveniently, Johnson ignores…