Who came up with the phrase “affordable housing”? It suggests there’s such a thing as “unaffordable housing”, but people are still buying that housing, they’re just quite wealthy. The issue is “housing”, pure and simple, whether people have it or not. Let’s start there. 🧵 - ThreadSky

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cudney4ma.bsky.social • 562 days ago

Who came up with the phrase “affordable housing”? It suggests there’s such a thing as “unaffordable housing”, but people are still buying that housing, they’re just quite wealthy. The issue is “housing”, pure and simple, whether people have it or not. Let’s start there. 🧵

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cudney4ma.bsky.social•562 days ago

On the flip side, obviously housing cost is at the problem’s root. But it’s also why supply-and-demand economics is useful. Because demand for housing will likely remain high, & supply is artificially kept low by keeping prices high. Do we lower prices or increase supply?

cudney4ma.bsky.social•562 days ago

Obviously the answer to the housing crisis is partially *both* finding ways to rein in the cost of housing *and* increasing its supply. So what’s the problem then if we’re full of answers? As is so often the case, it’s really just about greed, from homeowners and developers.

cudney4ma.bsky.social•562 days ago

It’s not entirely homeowners’ or developers’ fault. Our market makes it clear how valuable an asset it is to have a house. And developers are just part of the cycle of endlessly seeking profit maximization. So we inevitably get to the point that it’s the system that needs change.

cudney4ma.bsky.social•562 days ago

And that brings us back to the initial point. The problem with the system is not strictly an “affordable housing” problem; it’s that not everyone has housing. Let’s say it again: The issue is “housing”, pure and simple, whether people have it or not. So let’s start there. /🧵

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