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Top U.S. Politics Topics

Toronto Budget 2024 (Olivia's Version) drops next week

City Hall Watcher • 78 implied HN points • 26 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Government Policy Economy Infrastructure Housing
  1. Toronto City is seeing a trend where a few large corporations dominate the employment landscape, which could lead to political challenges.
  2. Toronto is working on improving housing development timelines and affordable housing projects to address the growing housing crisis.
  3. City Hall in Toronto is considering implementing new measures like a foreign buyer tax, revamping subsidy programs, and investing in dedicated bus lanes to improve transit infrastructure.

2023 Was the Year 3D Printed Homes Hit the Mainstream

The New Urban Order • 99 implied HN points • 05 Dec 23
🕹 Technology 3D Printing Construction Sustainability Housing Innovation
  1. 3D printed homes have become mainstream in 2023, with various projects and collaborations showcasing their potential.
  2. There is optimism that 3D printed homes could help solve the affordable housing crisis due to potential cost reduction, sustainability, and efficiency benefits.
  3. However, skepticism exists around whether the popularity of 3D printed homes will be lasting, similar to the limited uptake of traditional 3D printing technology for everyday use.

The Math of the Housing Crunch

The Sunday Morning Post • 58 implied HN points • 11 Feb 24
💰 Finance Housing Market Interest Rates Construction Economy
  1. The housing crisis has worsened in recent years due to factors like increased rents and higher home prices, impacting policymakers and individuals alike.
  2. The root of the housing crunch dates back to the Great Recession in 2007, leading to a significant drop in new home construction that never fully recovered.
  3. To ease the housing crunch, there is a need for an increase in the construction of various types of housing units, which has already shown some promise in the rental market.
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One Big Way to Boost Housing Supply and Reduce Investor-Owned Housing

The New Urban Order • 119 implied HN points • 12 Jun 23
💰 Finance Housing Investing Taxation Government programs Real Estate
  1. The housing market is facing challenges with low supply and high demand, keeping housing prices inflated despite high mortgage rates.
  2. Creating a time-sensitive incentive program can push real estate investors to sell to homeowners, potentially boosting housing supply and lowering prices.
  3. Offering a one-year tax amnesty on capital gains taxes for investors who sell to homeowners could help unlock housing stock, shift ownership, and improve market dynamics.

Another Follow-Up Against Agglomeration

Erdmann Housing Tracker • 105 implied HN points • 14 Mar 24
💰 Finance Economics Housing Income Construction Mortgage
  1. The mortgage crackdown post-2008 led to a housing shortage, impacting construction of single-family homes in different cities.
  2. There is a correlation between the drop in construction activity after 2008 and metro area incomes, where lower income areas experienced a greater decline.
  3. Trends suggest housing constraints may lead to higher incomes, impacting new single-family home construction and mortgage lending standards across different cities.

The Outlook for Home Sales

Home Economics • 98 implied HN points • 11 Jul 23
💰 Finance Housing Economics Real Estate
  1. Mortgage rates are high and home prices have not dropped, leading to decreased affordability and a decline in home sales.
  2. This post discusses the impact of economic factors on the housing market.
  3. The newsletter focuses on using data visualization to analyze economic news, particularly in the housing sector.

Has LA cracked the code for building affordable housing?

Urben Field Notes • 84 HN points • 08 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Housing Affordable Housing Housing policy
  1. Los Angeles has a successful program for building middle-income affordable housing without public subsidies.
  2. Building codes can hinder affordable housing construction by adding unnecessary costs and delays.
  3. Existing restrictive housing policies in cities like LA can limit the effectiveness of new affordable housing initiatives.

95% of Bay Area Cities Lost Zoning Authority

The Discourse Lounge • 257 HN points • 14 Feb 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Housing Zoning California
  1. 95% of Bay Area Cities lost zoning authority, allowing for more flexible residential construction rules.
  2. Bay Area cities need to have their housing elements checked on specific deadlines to avoid zoning restrictions being lifted.
  3. The Builder's Remedy eliminates discretionary subjective approval processes, allowing for more streamlined approval based on objective standards.

Why We Rent

Something to Consider • 19 implied HN points • 18 Apr 24
💼 Business Real Estate Economics Investment Housing Market Dynamics
  1. Renting offers flexibility, letting people move easily without the stress of selling a house, but this can be managed by real estate agents too. It's not just about wanting to change homes quickly.
  2. People often rent because of capital constraints or fear of debt, but owning a home can be stable and safer in the long run. The real financial barriers might not be as strong as they seem.
  3. Renting can help solve problems related to property management, as landlords often specialize in repairs and maintenance. This can create a better living environment for tenants without the hassle of homeownership.

Housing Inventory and Demographics: The Next Big Shift

CalculatedRisk Newsletter • 157 implied HN points • 03 Jul 23
💼 Business Housing Demographics Inventory
  1. Existing home inventory trends are not following predictions based on baby boomers downsizing.
  2. Some experts predicted a surge in housing inventory from 2015 to 2025 due to baby boomers downsizing, but that did not happen.
  3. It's important to stay informed about trends in housing inventory and demographics to understand the market shifts.

The Best Way to Build Affordable Housing is to Buy It

The New Urban Order • 59 implied HN points • 31 Aug 23
💼 Business Housing Government Affordable Housing Real Estate
  1. The cost of building affordable housing can be extremely high due to labor, land, materials, and debt, making it unaffordable to produce housing units.
  2. Buying existing housing may be a more cost-effective solution than building from scratch, especially when considering the high costs associated with new construction in major cities.
  3. An emerging trend in the housing sector is for governments and nonprofits to consider purchasing housing rather than solely relying on building new construction, as the current model centered on tax credits may not be sustainable in the long run.

Two different ways to build housing

The New Urban Order • 59 implied HN points • 24 May 23
💼 Business Housing Affordability Public Sector Private sector
  1. There are two main approaches to addressing the housing crisis: ADUs and public housing. ADUs are mostly private-sector driven, while public housing is paid for and administered by the public sector.
  2. Both ADUs and public housing are necessary to tackle the housing issue, but there are challenges like costs, time delays, and community opposition for public housing, and concerns about whether ADUs can truly benefit those most in need of affordable housing.
  3. Exploring both ADUs and public housing could provide a more holistic solution to the housing crisis by leveraging the strengths of each approach.

Chapter 8: Think And Talk About Opponents As Little As Possible | Building YIMBYs of NoVA

Cornerstone • 59 implied HN points • 16 Jun 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Advocacy Housing Coalition building Public Discourse
  1. Think and talk about opponents as little as possible to avoid validating them and looking threatened.
  2. Focus on staying positive and productive despite attacks or intimidation. Do not take the bait.
  3. Respect opponents by understanding their motivations and where they are coming from, aiming to outmaneuver rather than dehumanize them.

Forecast: Multifamily Starts will Decline Sharply

CalculatedRisk Newsletter • 105 implied HN points • 25 Aug 23
💰 Finance Real Estate Economics Housing
  1. Due to household formation slowing down, multifamily starts are expected to decrease significantly.
  2. Freddie Mac reports that multifamily delinquencies have tripled year-over-year, indicating a potential decline in multifamily construction.
  3. Data points show that factors like softening asking rents, increased vacancy rates, tighter lending, and higher interest rates are contributing to the decline in multifamily starts.

Dub Housing

Kneeling Bus • 156 implied HN points • 17 Feb 23
🎭️ Culture Housing Urbanization Luxury goods Globalization
  1. Housing shortages are common in desirable areas like Lake Tahoe due to a surplus of people and limited housing supply.
  2. The demand for housing in luxury tourist destinations can outstrip supply, turning basic human needs into luxury goods.
  3. There is a growing need to balance market forces with regulatory incentives to ensure fair resource allocation in areas like Lake Tahoe.

"We need 'affordable' housing, not market rate housing" is much worse than it seems.

Erdmann Housing Tracker • 105 implied HN points • 03 May 23
💼 Business Housing Affordability Displacement Urban Development
  1. The cost of housing in a city with ample supply is determined by resident incomes and allows for comfortable spending.
  2. In cities with housing shortages, the cost of housing is determined by other residents' incomes, leading to displacement and competition.
  3. Constructing new market rate housing can help flatten the cost of housing for all income levels and break the chain of displacement.

Dereliction of Duty

The Radar • 39 implied HN points • 01 Apr 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Military Housing Leadership Veterans Legislation
  1. Privatized military housing has led to neglect and substandard living conditions for military families, with reports of black mold, sewage, and pest infestations.
  2. The use of non-disclosure agreements by private landlords to silence complaints from military families about poor living conditions is unethical and unjust.
  3. The decision to privatize military housing has resulted in a lack of accountability and oversight, leaving servicemembers and their families vulnerable to exploitation.

Think the city is a museum? Wait until you hear about the suburbs

Urben Field Notes • 43 implied HN points • 04 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Urbanism Architecture Housing Historic Preservation
  1. The housing crisis is not just in cities, but also in suburbs where banal cityscapes are treated as architectural gems.
  2. Historic preservation policies in expensive cities like New York often benefit elite areas while ignoring the suburbs and banal neighborhoods.
  3. Efforts to address housing shortages in major cities like New York require redeveloping existing structures and involving suburbs in housing solutions.

Lawler: Rent Trends at some Large Holders of Multifamily Properties

CalculatedRisk Newsletter • 28 implied HN points • 11 Mar 24
💼 Business Real Estate Economics Finance Market Analysis Housing
  1. Rent growth has slowed sharply at large holders of multifamily properties like MAA, Equity Residential, and Avalon Bay Communities in the past year.
  2. Despite overall rent growth slowdown, year-over-year growth in rent renewals remained in the 4.5% - 5% range in January, showing a different trend.
  3. There is a lesson to be learned from the 1994-1995 Fed tightening episode where the Federal Reserve raised the policy rate significantly without triggering a recession, providing valuable insights for current monetary policymaking.