A set of proposed policies would give tax relief to homebuyers and owners, but experts say a mismatch between supply and demand remains at the root of the crisis.

The Biden administration is proposing several actions to improve housing affordability, including a pair of new tax credits, report Bryan Mena and Anna Bahney for CNN. The credits would include a $10,000 credit for middle-class home buyers and a $10,000 credit for existing homeowners who sell their ‘starter homes’ at a price below the local median.
“Rent is 30% higher today than it was before the pandemic, and home prices are now more than 40% higher.” Meanwhile, the nation faces a shortage of between 1.5 million and 7.2 million homes, signaling that policies that address demand do little to impact the low supply of housing.
According to a report from the Federal Reserve, “In the long term, despite a surge in construction in late 2020 and 2021, it appears that a variety of factors — including zoning and other regulatory hurdles — have prevented construction from keeping up with underlying demand, resulting in a gross housing vacancy rate that is at a historical low.”
FULL STORY: Biden says he can fix America’s housing affordability crisis. Will it work?

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

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

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

BLM To Rescind Public Lands Rule
The change will downgrade conservation, once again putting federal land at risk for mining and other extractive uses.

Indy Neighborhood Group Builds Temporary Multi-Use Path
Community members, aided in part by funding from the city, repurposed a vehicle lane to create a protected bike and pedestrian path for the summer season.
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