Here’s a couple ideas for dealing with the housing crisis situation, one of the primary causes of the homeless issues in the first place. Since all we ever seem to do is fail at handling symptoms instead of of causes.
Foreign companies cannot own private housing.
Domestic companies cannot own more than say 2-3 private homes, this includes any companies that can be connected through another business or individual. This allows individuals to have second homes or a rental property but means rental businesses are dead, they handle larger condos and apartments. Separate homes are meant for families and individual households.
Tax vacant housing at high rates to facilitate homes actually being loved in. We have largely enough housing for everyone to have a place, but a lot of it sits unused as bullshit real estate holdings.
For larger cities, tax vacant retail and office space at a high rate and give incentives to remodel it for more housing. Have maximum vacancy time-frames to incentivize utilizing the spaces instead of just setting bullshit pricing no one will ever pay while “looking” for tenants year after year.
But none of this will happen. Because the oligarchs have their money invested in real estate holdings that don’t move or get and use, so they require little to no maintenance. It’s a large reason why half of NYC looks like a shit hole with boarded up retail spots for decades while a cupboard under the stars costs $1800/mo to rent.
I think a lot of cities with truly good public transit developed as walking cities. The population was first, and the transit came after. Not always true - look at Barcelona - but my city (Melbourne Australia) is pretty cleanly defined into the part that developed before everyone had a car (radiating train lines serviced by trams), and areas that came after (radiating train lines serviced by buses, or not serviced at all).
“Just build” only helps the developers who get to build and thus profit more. They’ll just build luxury condos and “investment properties” since that’s the most profitable.
There’s more expensive housing units sitting empty than there are unhoused people. The problem isn’t a lack of housing, it’s a lack of AFFORDABLE housing. That and it’s WAY too easy for landlords to evict people.
Yep, but still need new protections such as rent control and better enforcement of the ones currently in place.
“Just build public housing” is better than “just build housing”, but stil woefully inadequate to tackle a problem much more complex and insidious than simple supply and demand.
Here’s a couple ideas for dealing with the housing crisis situation, one of the primary causes of the homeless issues in the first place. Since all we ever seem to do is fail at handling symptoms instead of of causes.
But none of this will happen. Because the oligarchs have their money invested in real estate holdings that don’t move or get and use, so they require little to no maintenance. It’s a large reason why half of NYC looks like a shit hole with boarded up retail spots for decades while a cupboard under the stars costs $1800/mo to rent.
How about we just build apartments?
Would really like more rail. It’s the only reason I’m a bit nimby about apartments, too many cars on the road.
Is there not a strong correlation between apartments and rail? I.e. China, Spain, Korea?
Good point, but is it chicken or egg?
I think a lot of cities with truly good public transit developed as walking cities. The population was first, and the transit came after. Not always true - look at Barcelona - but my city (Melbourne Australia) is pretty cleanly defined into the part that developed before everyone had a car (radiating train lines serviced by trams), and areas that came after (radiating train lines serviced by buses, or not serviced at all).
“Just build” only helps the developers who get to build and thus profit more. They’ll just build luxury condos and “investment properties” since that’s the most profitable.
There’s more expensive housing units sitting empty than there are unhoused people. The problem isn’t a lack of housing, it’s a lack of AFFORDABLE housing. That and it’s WAY too easy for landlords to evict people.
Right, let’s build … public housing!
Yep, but still need new protections such as rent control and better enforcement of the ones currently in place.
“Just build public housing” is better than “just build housing”, but stil woefully inadequate to tackle a problem much more complex and insidious than simple supply and demand.
There’s already enough living space. No need for more infrastructure.
Depends where. Not generally true.