Suppose there were a way to pump up the economy, reduce inequality and put an end to destructive housing bubbles like the one that contributed to the Great Recession. The idea would be simple, but not easy, requiring a wholesale reframing of the United States economy and housing market.
The solution: Americans, together and all at once, would have to stop thinking about their homes as an investment.
— New York Times
it's parking, stupid.
We can't have any kind of reasonable discussion about housing cost in the US if we aren't talking about transportation access. Right now our over-reliance on cars is what is driving up housing prices. There is such a high premium on locations where you have easy access to trains and good bus service and even bike paths - simply because these places are far and few between. Just shifting street design standards toward prioritizing walking and biking over car movement can have a huge impact - which would then start to justify relaxing of zoning rules this article advocates for... at least in places a little further out from transit hubs. There's no point in increasing density if you still expect people to drive everywhere.
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I don't get it... Vague conclusions, circle talking... I dont see how not considering your house as an investment does anything to reduce housing costs or land costs. It does not address, convenience, amenities, schools, artistry, views...in other words, location, location, location. I would say that your house is not an asset and if you use it as an ATM you're setting yourself up for trouble. But even then, how does that reduce housing costs?
it's parking, stupid.
We can't have any kind of reasonable discussion about housing cost in the US if we aren't talking about transportation access. Right now our over-reliance on cars is what is driving up housing prices. There is such a high premium on locations where you have easy access to trains and good bus service and even bike paths - simply because these places are far and few between. Just shifting street design standards toward prioritizing walking and biking over car movement can have a huge impact - which would then start to justify relaxing of zoning rules this article advocates for... at least in places a little further out from transit hubs. There's no point in increasing density if you still expect people to drive everywhere.
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