A neighborhood association in Boise is fighting a proposal to develop a 226-unit subdivision. The Northwest Neighborhood Association (NWNA) contends that the development would prejudice its “substantial rights to ‘open space and rural character.’” Rights pertain to freedom of action. If one desires to live in a neighborhood with open space and a rural character,…
For more than 100 years, discussions of housing and related policies have been dominated by a flawed method. It is a method that disdains principles and long-term thinking. The result has been an ongoing attempt to address an issue in isolation with no consideration to how a policy will impact other areas of life. The…
The Ford Foundation and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation recently committed $1.6 million to the HouseUS Fund. The fund, according to one of the co-directors, is not about building housing or building homes, it’s about building power. We are looking at the broader definition of housing and approaching it as a right rather than a commodity….
Virtually every proposal to address the housing crisis starts with the same flawed premise, namely, the solution must come from government. The city of Boise illustrates this flawed premise. The city is currently testing three different ideas to address the housing shortage: incentives and assistance for homeowners to build an accessory dwelling unit (ADU), allowing…
Many great innovations begin with an idea that others dismiss as absurd. The electric light bulb is one example. When Thomas Edison announced that he was working to invent an electric light bulb, he was mocked as a fool with no understanding of electricity. But he trusted his own judgment, and when he succeeded, he…
It is said that politics makes strange bedfellows. Individuals who normally disagree politically sometimes find themselves working for a common cause. As an example, consider the conservative response to Joe Biden’s infrastructure plan and the Leftist response to the Cedar Point ruling. Though these are two very different issues, both conservatives and Leftists are supporting…
Housing advocates frequently talk about the imbalance of power between landlords and renters. Their solution is to use brute force to provide a more “equitable” balance. This policy is founded on the premise that individuals should experience the same results, regardless of their actions or character. As an example, a growing number of jurisdictions are…
In May, a federal district court ruled that the eviction moratorium imposed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is unconstitutional. The judge stayed her injunction, which would have ended the moratorium, pending appeal. The case reached the Supreme Court in June. In late June, four justices voted to vacate the stay. Justice…
When we have a disagreement with another person, we have two options. We can attempt to change his mind by offering facts and explanations, or we can use force. We can appeal to reason, or we can threaten harm. Unfortunately, a growing number of policy discussions resort to the latter. Consider housing policies as an…
A group of New York City landlords is challenging the city’s rent control laws. They contend that such laws constitute an unconstitutional taking of private property. In an OpEd piece, two legal scholars argue that rent control does not physically take the landlord’s property, and therefore, rent control is not a taking. The authors go…
California lawmakers are considering legislation that would effectively abolish single-family zoning across the state. This isn’t sitting well with local government officials, and they have formed a coalition to lobby against the legislation. In an OpEd in the Los Angeles Times, three leaders of the coalition argue against the proposed zoning changes. These changes in…
Freedom enables innovators to find new values to create and new ways to create values. Airbnb found a new way to provide vacation housing. Uber found a new way to provide transportation. And PadSplit is attempting to bring innovation to affordable housing. Founded in 2017, PadSplit acts as a broker between property owners and individuals…