In previous posts we have seen how the “right” to choose asserted by housing advocates leads to the destruction of freedom of choice and how the “right” to stay is an assault on voluntary action. In this post we will examine the third “right” asserted by housing advocates: the right to equal treatment. We will…
As the destruction caused by lock downs continues to grow, housing advocates have called for numerous measures to protect tenants, including rent control. And while economists have long agreed that rent control is destructive to the housing market, that hasn’t stopped politicians from catering to “tenants’ rights” groups. As an example, in Spain, a law…
In 2015, The Texas Legislature passed a bill that prohibits local governments from forcing landlords to accept housing vouchers. Sen. Royce West has submitted a bill that would repeal that prohibition and make it illegal to refuse to rent to an individual on the basis of his source of income. West’s proposal would apply across…
In Part 2, we examined how the alleged right to choose advocated by housing advocates actually destroys the freedom to choose. In this post, we will look at the second “right” asserted by advocates: the “right” to stay. We will see how, if put into practice, this guarantee against involuntary displacement will reduce voluntary action….
In Part 1, we saw that housing advocates are advocating four “rights” pertaining to housing. In this post, we will examine the first of these alleged rights, the “right” to choose. We will see that, if put into practice, this “right” will eliminate the freedom of choice. Housing advocates state that, The right to choose…
A growing movement across the nation claims that housing is a human right. Indeed, in March 2020, Representative Pramila Jayapal introduced the Housing is a Human Right Act of 2020. The bill aims to “address and end root causes of homelessness; transition communities towards providing housing for all; and ensure full democratic participation of persons…
When cases of COVID-19 began to rise in March, governments responded to the crisis by ordering businesses to close. When millions lost their job and were unable to pay the rent, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) responded to that crisis by imposing a moratorium on evictions for non-payment of rent. But the…
On September 4, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an order halting residential evictions until the end of the year for the purpose of slowing the spread of SARS-CoV-2. In practical terms, this order will be economically devastating to countless landlords and property owners. In moral terms, it represents an attack on…
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…