A series of seemingly intractable obstacles stand in the way of transforming the housing and mortgage markets to reduce government involvement. Peter Eavis asks if a second term president is exactly the force needed to overcome such obstacles.
"Mr. Obama's economic team has consistently said it wants the housing
market to work without significant government support," notes Eavis. But with 92 percent of all new residential mortgages established in the latest quarter "backstopped by various government entities," it's clear the administration hasn't made much progress on that front.
One reason for the lack of movement may be that the obstacles are so intractable. "Housing policy is hard to tackle because so many people have benefited
from the status quo." writes Eavis. "The entire real estate system - the banks, the
agents, the home buyers - all depend on a market that provides
fixed-rate, 30-year mortgages that can be easily refinanced when
interest rates drop. That sort of loan is rare outside of the United
States. And any effort to overhaul housing and the mortgage market could
eventually reduce the amount of such mortgages in the country, angering
many and creating a political firestorm."
Eavis believes a second term president may be the right force to take on these challenges, and that the housing market may be ready to deal with a government pullback. He outlines several steps that the administration could take to get the private sector more involved in the mortgage market, and allowing the government to focus on lower-income borrowers.
FULL STORY: For Obama, Housing Policy Presents Second-Term Headaches

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

Adaptive Reuse Will Create Housing in a Suburban Texas Strip Mall
A developer is reimagining a strip mall property as a mixed-use complex with housing and retail.

Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work
Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.

In U.S., Urban Gondolas Face Uphill Battle
Cities in Latin America and Europe have embraced aerial transitways — AKA gondolas — as sustainable, convenient urban transport, especially in tricky geographies. American cities have yet to catch up.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont