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?
Minnesota Seeks State Support for Office Conversions
The 30% “CUB credit” would support the conversion of buildings 15 years or older into any use that “will return that vacant area to an income-producing, habitable condition.”
Fannie Mae Economists Predict Slow Housing Market in 2025
A December report forecasts a continued “lock-in effect” due to high mortgage rates and a low production of multifamily housing.
Report: How Billionaire Buyers Are Making the Housing Crisis Worse
The financialization of the housing sector is driving up costs for ordinary families and keeping available units off the market.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?
As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?
The Five Most-Changed American Cities
A ranking of population change, home values, and jobs highlights the nation’s most dynamic and most stagnant regions.
San Diego Adopts First Mobility Master Plan
The plan provides a comprehensive framework for making San Diego’s transportation network more multimodal, accessible, and sustainable.
Housing, Supportive Service Providers Brace for Federal Cuts
Organizations that provide housing assistance are tightening their purse strings and making plans for maintaining operations if federal funding dries up.
Op-Ed: Why an Effective Passenger Rail Network Needs Government Involvement
An outdated rail network that privileges freight won’t be fixed by privatizing Amtrak.
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.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions