Housing Affordability

This publication by the Cato Institute reveals that federal and state policies are primarily to blame for the housing crisis not only in zoning but in myriad ways from tax laws to land holdings. For example, current law requires multifamily developers to write off construction costs for new buildings over decades, increasing the burden and making it less attractive to build lower-priced units. Also, the U.S. government is basically hoarding land in desirable Western states that could be developed. The report delves into solutions such as zoning reform, changes to trade policy, removing regulatory burdens and opening up more land.

Source: https://www.cato.org/publications/housing-affordability