A "Structural Shift" Away From Suburban Model

Christopher Leinberger argues that the fundamental cause of the mortgage meltdown was a "structural shift in market demand" from low-density suburbs to walkable urban housing.

1 minute read

February 16, 2011, 1:00 PM PST

By Victor Negrete


As the federal government prepares to release a series of recommendations to restrucuture Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, Leinberger believes many people still do not understand the fundamental cause of the meltdown.

"If you do not know the cause of the meltdown, how can you know what to fix to avoid it from happening again?"

Leinberger also discusses the need for reform of the mortgage market to include attention to what he calls "location effiecient mortgages," which take both housing and transportation costs into consideration when underwriting.

Thursday, February 10, 2011 in Urban Land Magazine

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