Letter: History Shows Free Market Won't Provide Affordable Housing

  • 📰 sdut
  • ⏱ Reading Time:
  • 38 sec. here
  • 7 min. at publisher
  • 📊 Quality Score:
  • News: 35%
  • Publisher: 95%

Opinion Notícia

Affordable Housing,Free Market,Government Responsibility

A letter writer argues that relying on the free market to provide affordable housing in California is a flawed approach, citing historical evidence and comparing shelter to essential public utilities like water and fire protection.

A letter writer argues that history shows no reason to expect the free market to provide Californians with affordable shelter. Re “Getting real on adding affordable housing” : Robert Freund’s persuasive letter spoke to the rarely raised point that you can’t build your way out of the housing shortfall. He suggests requiring all new residential developments to include 20-25 percent affordable housing.

This is a call to reorganize how housing is distributed. It makes good sense, because shelter is a basic human need, not a discretionary product. Shelter is really a quasi-public utility, like drinking water, wastewater treatment, police and fire protection, and other basic services. It is the government’s job to provide for basic infrastructure needs. The marketplace is best suited to deliver discretionary wants.

Of course, separating shelter from its marketplace distribution model would mean higher taxes, but that is an appropriate tax, and many people would likely be happy to pay it. Since some people in society cannot afford to house themselves, they need the additional assistance of a robust public shelter model.

 

Obrigado pelo seu comentário. Seu comentário será publicado após ser revisado.
Resumimos esta notícia para que você possa lê-la rapidamente. Se você se interessou pela notícia, pode ler o texto completo aqui. Consulte Mais informação:

 /  🏆 5. in BR

Brasil Últimas Notícias, Brasil Manchetes

Similar News:Você também pode ler notícias semelhantes a esta que coletamos de outras fontes de notícias.

Big returns before Fed rate cut doesn't mean stocks can't keep rising, history shows'Concerns that equities have 'front-run' the Fed are ill founded, in our view,' Bank of America strategist Savita Subramanian said.
Fonte: CNBC - 🏆 12. / 72 Consulte Mais informação »