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J.K. Lund's avatar

Great article. The universal loans sound a lot like government student loan subsidies. Hmm…

Add in the effect of rent-seeking zoning laws, it is no wonder why real estate is a relatively easy path to wealth. I recently updated Risk & Progress’s “Housing Theory of Everything,” essay you may be interested in this.

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Michael Magoon's avatar

You make some good points, but this analysis is missing the major cause of housing affordability. That is the cost of the land underneath the house, not the house itself.

Government policies before 1970 encouraged new housing construction on the outskirts of metro areas where land is cheap. Since 1970 government policies have tried to stop or at least slow such construction.

https://frompovertytoprogress.substack.com/p/how-housing-became-unaffordable

https://frompovertytoprogress.substack.com/p/why-yimbys-are-only-50-correct

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