Housing

MY STANCE

Every single person in this country deserves to have access to affordable, clean, and safe housing. We need wholesale change to the way that we build and develop housing in this country. In cities and densely populated areas, we need to allow easy changes to local zoning laws to promote multi-family developments in lieu of single-family homes. We need to build communities that are not just accessible by car but by whatever mode of transit people choose from public transportation, walking, biking, etc.

We need states and local municipalities to offer financing programs to developers that incentive mixed-use developments.

THE FACTS

  • As of January 2024, it’s estimated that there are over 771,000 homeless people living in the United States. This is an 18% increase from January 2023. To make matters worse, over 32,000 of our homeless population are veterans. These are individuals who have fought and defended our country.

  • Since 2010, the median rent has gone up 80% and the median home price has gone up 133%, while wages have only risen 50%

  • Currently, 49.7% of renters and 27.1% of homeowners have more than 30% of the income go towards the cost of housing.

  • New home construction isn’t any better. As of September 2024, there were 1.35 million units under construction, down from 2.07 million ahead of the Great Recession in 2009.

  • Estimates state that The United States is short anywhere from 4.5 to 7.4 million homes

POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS TO THE NATION’S HOUSING PROBLEM

  • Remove the red-tape that act as a barrier for development, preventing housing from being built.

  • Provide additional HUD funding to developments that no reduce parking spaces in lieu of housing, or cities that remove parking minimums

  • Change existing zoning laws, allowing more multi-family properties, mixed-use zoning, etc.

  • Offer first-time homebuyer incentives up to $50,000

  • Automatically up-zone all single family residential lots in cities with a population of 250,000 or more, that are within 1/2 mile of rapid transit (either rail, subway, or bus).

    • This would allow lots that were traditionally for single-family homes to have up to 6 units on the property. Increasing density will help create more housing available, thus lowering rents and prices in the area.

    • In addition to this, the cities would now have more taxpayers living in their city, shopping at local businesses, and helping the city’s tax base grow.

  • Offer incentives and grant funding for converting vacant commercial space into residential housing. In 2024, it was estimated that 20% of all commercial space in the United States is vacant. That is expected to hit an all time high of 24% in 2024. As our workforce evolves, and as employers downsize their commercial space due to remote work capability, we need to put this space to use and providing more housing is an excellent alternatives.

  • Ban Hedge Funds from purchasing homes, which has made many housing market unaffordable for many Americans.