Vacant Homes Aren't Making Cities Expensive
And vacancy taxes won't make them affordable.
Housing Policy
California Enacts Two Important New Zoning Reform Laws
Senate Bill 9 and Senate Bill 10 would make it easier to build new housing in much of the state.
House Democrats' Housing Bill Includes a $20 Billion Bailout of Federal Flood Insurance
A bill intended to make America's housing stock more climate-resilient also includes a big effective subsidy for the properties most exposed to the risks of climate change.
When We Reject Immigrants, We Reject Trillions of Dollars in Wealth
Growing evidence confirms that barriers to immigration make us all worse off.
California's Land-use Reforms Promote Freedom and Property Rights
Apparently, some conservatives support freedom and property rights, but not when it affects their neighborhoods or intrudes on their personal preferences.
The Federal Government Cautions Incoming Afghan Refugees Against Moving To California
Both liberals and conservatives could take some lessons from the U.S. State Department's list of cities that it recommends Afghan refugees relocate to.
Would the Mother of All NIMBY Ballot Initiatives Accidentally Allow More Development?
California activists have proposed a ballot initiative that would effectively strip the state government of the ability to regulate land use.
California Takes a Big Step Toward Legalizing 'Missing Middle' Housing
Legislators advance bills that would allow duplexes statewide and make it easier for local governments to legalize small apartment buildings.
The Number of 'Super Commuters' Explodes in America's Housing-Starved Metros
The number of people spending more than 90 minutes getting to work has grown 45 percent over the past decade, according to a new study.
Supreme Court Says Private Property Rights and Separation of Powers Do Still Exist in U.S.
Plus: Biden won't budge on Afghanistan, bad news for psychedelics measure in California, and more...
Supreme Court Rules Against the Revised CDC Eviction Moratorium
This outcome was widely expected by legal commentators.
Candyman Is a Sharp Deconstruction of Political Horror Movies
Horror filmmaking has always been political, but the new Candyman takes it to a different level.
Rashida Tlaib Supports Legislation Canceling Rent. She Also Made Up to $50,000 as Landlord Last Year.
The Michigan congresswoman is a co-sponsor of a bill that would suspend all tenants' obligation to pay rent through April 2022.
Pioneer Institute Podcast on the Revised Federal Eviction Moratorium
Interviewer Joe Selvaggi and I explore the constitutional and policy issues at stake.
The Cuomo Pandemic Scandal No One Is Talking About
Setting aside the harassment claims and the nursing home debacle, the Cuomo administration’s inability to run a minimally functional rent relief program should forever end his reputation as a competent executive.
After Claiming It Didn't Have the Power To Impose A New Eviction Moratorium, the Biden Administration Imposes a New Eviction Moratorium
The new eviction moratorium applies to the 90 percent of counties in the U.S. where the spread of COVID-19 is "substantial" or "high."
A Takings Clause Lawsuit Against the CDC Eviction Moratorium
Thanks to the Supreme Court's decision in the Cedar Point case, this suit has much better odds of success than previous takings challenges to eviction moratoria.
The CDC's New Eviction Moratorium Has Virtually all the Same Flaws as the Old
It still covers some 90% of the country, and still rests on a theory of virtually limitless CDC authority. Even President Biden acknowledges the order is legally dubious.
Should Taxpayers Be on the Hook for All Rental Debt Accrued During the Pandemic?
A new lawsuit from landlords argues that the CDC's eviction moratorium was a taking, and that they're entitled to compensation.
Federal Appeals Court Sneaks in One Final Ruling Against the CDC's Expiring Eviction Moratorium
Circuit Judge John K. Bush accuses the federal government of laying claim to "near-dictatorial powers."
Thoughts on the Sixth Circuit Ruling Against the CDC Eviction Moratorium
The ruling is unsurprising. But it does further strengthen the case against the moratorium, and increases the odds the issue might eventually make it to the Supreme Court.
Sixth Circuit Concludes CDC Eviction Moratorium Is Unlawful
The Sixth Circuit's decision is at odds with that of the D.C. Circuit, and features a Judge Thapar concurrence on delegation.
Housing-Starved San Francisco Fines Developer $1.2 Million For Building Too Many Units
The city approved developers' plans for a 10-unit complex. They built 29 homes instead. Now some of those illegal units could have to be dismantled.
11th Circuit Refuses to Issue Injunction Against CDC Eviction Moratorium - but Doesn't Rule on the Moratorium's Legality
The decision is based on the conclusion that the landlords failed to prove they suffered an "irreparable" injury. It upholds a trial court ruling denying a preliminary injunction to landlords challenging the moratorium.
Antiquated Zoning Laws Are Worsening the Housing Crisis
Ending single-family zoning doesn't ban single-family homes from neighborhoods. It merely allows more freedom for people to build what they want.
The U.S. Has Strayed Far From Its Founding Ideals
Governments at the state, local, and federal levels can obstruct our pursuit of happiness and at times even jeopardize our safety.
Los Angeles Is Squandering $1.2 Billion While Homeless Face a 'Spiral of Death'
Federal Judge David O. Carter says Los Angeles' “inaction" is "so egregious, and the state so nonfunctional" that it's likely "in violation of the Equal Protection Clause."
New Treasury Data Shows That the Rollout of Emergency Rent Relief Continues to Be a Hot Mess
Congress approved $25 Billion in emergency rental assistance in December. Only 6 percent of that money has been spent so far.
The Deeply Flawed Studies Behind the Eviction Moratoriums
The government and media relied on studies plagued by shoddy statistics to make the case for blocking evictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
At Least 5 Justices Seem To Think the CDC's Eviction Moratorium Is Illegal. SCOTUS Left It in Place Anyway.
Brett Kavanaugh, who provided a crucial fifth vote, said he agrees that the CDC does not have the authority to override rental contracts.
Did Congress Give the CDC More Authority Than the President?
The agency’s legal defense of its eviction moratorium implies that it has vast powers to order Americans around.
Supreme Court Refuses to Block CDC Eviction Moratorium - But also Signals Majority of Justices Believe the Moratorium is Illegal
A majority refused to lift a stay of a district court injunction against the order, but five justices indicated they believe the order is illegal.
Seattle Is Proposing to Get Rid of Single-Family Zoning In Name Only. Literally.
More and more cities have taken preliminary steps toward allowing "missing middle" housing options in once exclusive single-family neighborhoods, but the devil is in the details.
Critics Warned the Largest Tax Increase in San Francisco History Would Be Ill-Spent. It's Now Funding $60,000 Tents for the Homeless.
San Francisco politicians are raising eyebrows at the high costs of an emergency program that provides secure camping sites to the city's homeless.
The CDC Eviction Moratorium Is Extended for a 4th Time
The federal government's ban on the removal of non-paying tenants was supposed to expire on June 30. It'll now run through July 31.
Harvard Housing Researchers Confirm That Supply and Demand Are Real
Plus: Hong Kong police raid a pro-democracy newspaper, Fed officials change their tune on inflation, and more...
The Federal Government Has Spent $46 Billion on Emergency Rental Assistance. The Rollout Has Been a Hot Mess.
Crashing website and impenetrable government bureaucracy greet the tenants and landlords trying to access billions in federally funded rent relief.
California Politicians Craft Nifty New Idea To Increase Housing Costs
Lawmakers are proposing to create a "California Dream Fund" that would subsidize up to 45 percent of the costs of a new home.
A Badly Flawed DC Circuit Ruling in Favor of the CDC Eviction Moratorium
The dubious decision breaks a streak of wins for plaintiffs challenging the legality of the CDC order.
Neighbors Won't Let Decaying L.A. French Restaurant Die, Despite Owner's Wishes
Cruel NIMBYism hides in call for historic preservation.
The White House Offers More Money, Less Detail on Its Idea for 'YIMBY Grants'
The Biden administration wants to give $5 billion to jurisdictions that deregulate their housing markets.
A Town in New Jersey Tried To Seize This Property To Block a Housing Development, Which Has Still Not Been Built
If politicians want lower housing prices, they need to let people build more housing.
Land-Use Restrictions Cause Housing Shortages in Britain, too
As in the US, they often block the building of new housing in response to demand.
Is 2021 the YIMBY Movement's Time to Shine on Capitol Hill?
A crop of bipartisan bills in Congress aims to reduce local and state regulations on new housing.
San Francisco Honors Early Lesbian Activists by Preventing Redevelopment of Their Home
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted to landmark the longtime home of gay rights activists Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin.
