On November 2, voters in St. Paul sent city officials into a frenzy. On that day, voters approved a referendum to impose the most stringent rent control law in the nation upon the city’s landlords. It will be illegal to increase rents by more than 3 percent. And unlike other cities with rent control, St….
The Swedish economist Assar Lindbeck once noted, “Next to bombing, rent control seems in many cases to be the most efficient technique so far known for destroying cities.” On November 2, voters in both Minneapolis and St. Paul approved measures that will ultimately lead to the destruction of those cities. In Minneapolis, voters gave the…
The city council in Ithaca, New York is considering a “good cause” (often called “just cause”) eviction ordinance. The bill lists nine “good causes” for landlords to evict a tenant. One is failure to pay rent. However, if the landlord imposes an “unconscionable” rent increase, the tenant will be able to legally withhold the rent….
A recent article on The Conversation asserts that “building more homes won’t solve the affordable housing problem for the millions of people who need it most.” While the authors acknowledge that we need more housing, they don’t believe that this is a sufficient solution. The authors present numerous facts to bolster their argument, but these…
A recent article on The Conversation asserts that “building more homes won’t solve the affordable housing problem for the millions of people who need it most.” While the authors acknowledge that we need more housing, they don’t believe that this is a sufficient solution. The authors present numerous facts to bolster their argument, but these…
A recent article on The Conversation asserts that “building more homes won’t solve the affordable housing problem for the millions of people who need it most.” While the authors acknowledge that we need more housing, they don’t believe that this is a sufficient solution. The authors present numerous facts to bolster their argument, but these…
One of the increasingly popular tactics that cities are using to address America’s housing shortage is to relax or eliminate single-family zoning (SFZ), also known as exclusionary zoning. Some of those same cities are also starting to use a different form of zoning—inclusionary zoning—to address the housing shortage. In short, this means shifting from mandatory…
When California legislators were considering two bills to allow for “upzoning” throughout the state, local government officials lobbied to defeat the bills. Though both bills passed, opponents haven’t given up. They have launched an initiative to repeal the laws and return mob rule to California. The primary argument being used by opponents of “upzoning” is…
An essay in the Houston Chronicle argues that the best way to stop displacement while revitalizing impoverished neighborhoods is through cooperative ownership of a community’s assets: All of the programs that now lace through a distressed neighborhood like Third Ward should be controlled by the low-income people who live there, and all the assets should…
Cindy Tucker runs a nonprofit in Calhoun, Georgia, called Tiny House Up. She wants to build tiny houses—about 600 square feet—to help address the city’s housing shortage. But the city won’t let her because its regulations require a minimum lot size of about 11,000 square feet and houses must be at least 1,150 square feet….
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…