Tag: Housing Policy
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Momentum Builds: A New Wave of Pressure on States to Build Affordable Homes
Looking to acquire the deed to a home? A new federal administration could factor into the amount you’ll need to pay. For one thing, the incoming administration is talking about tariffs that would raise the cost of materials and construction work. On the other hand, actual housing policy falls to the states. Under their…
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Workforce Deed Restrictions: How Are They Monitored?
With housing costs up (and wages not so much), some cities need to give working people a hand. As financial barriers to homeownership continue to frustrate so many wage earners, workforce housing is one way to make deeds attainable. It’s for households earning too much to qualify for standard government subsidies, but who can’t pay…
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We All Deserve a Home, But Corporations Outbid Some of Our Friends.
Corporate buyers are snapping up residential properties in Massachusetts and pushing out long-time residents, according to a report by the news outlet 25 Investigates. These investment companies form a complex network, making it nearly impossible for individuals and towns to hold them accountable.
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Affordability Update: Costa Mesa’s Epic Struggle
The commissioners of Costa Mesa, California have agreed to a new affordable housing law. The city of Irvine, also in Orange County, passed one more than two decades ago. And nearby Santa Ana is a serious supporter of affordability. Now, Costa Mesa is trying to follow suit. Friction is inevitable. Regulating for affordability means pitting…
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Fannie Mae Was Going to Save Mortgage Borrowers Thousands by Dropping Its Title Insurance Requirement. Never Mind.
The Biden administration was working with loan backers to delete title insurance charges from closing costs. The move would have saved quite a few home buyers hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Noting that the plan had been silently scuttled, the Wall Street Journal said pressure against it came from “an obscure industry.” The obscure…
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Locked Out: Less Than 5% of U.S. Housing Is Accessible to Older, Disabled Residents
Tens of millions of U.S. residents have a problem. There aren’t enough homes for the elderly and disabled population. One in four of us — more than 60 million people — have a disability. And our older adult population is rapidly growing. As a general matter, the United States needs something between 3 million and…
