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Friday Roundup 12-17-21
New York City is considering a law that would prohibit landlords from considering most criminal convictions while screening prospective tenants. One ex-convict told a reporter, “Just think of the worst thing you’ve ever done, and suppose someone held that against you for the rest of your life.” Context matters. There is a huge difference between…
My Life is Your Responsibility
“In a democracy,” Aristotle wrote, “the poor will have more power than the rich, because there are more of them, and the will of the majority is supreme.” In a democracy, the poor and their supporters can vote for politicians who promise to provide free food, education, health care, and housing. In a democracy, the…
The Tool Cities won’t Use to Lower Housing Costs
Reform Austin recently published a story chiding state officials for interfering to “delay, postpone or outright stop the construction” of affordable housing by local governments. The article goes on to claim that “cities all across the Lone Star State are using every tool in the toolbox to crack the housing problem.” Interestingly, the article makes…
Home Equity Theft
In 2015, Hennepin County, Minnesota, seized a condominium for $15,000 in unpaid property taxes. A year later, the condominium was sold for $40,000. The county kept all of the money in an act that many call home equity theft. The condo owner sued and the US Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit ruled for…
Calling the Kettle Black
A recent story in the Texas Tribune details the difficulties that the holders of Section 8 vouchers have in locating landlords who will accept the federal housing subsidies. (The federal government pays a portion of the monthly rent for those with a Section 8 voucher.) Under Texas law, landlords are not required to accept the…
The Wrong Incentive
Legislators across the country are scrambling to develop policies that will lead to more affordable housing. (Affordable housing means that a family is paying 30 percent or less of its income on housing.) One of the most popular schemes is to provide tax credits for developers who agree to set aside a percentage of their…