Kosh's Shadow 8/17/2024 6:30:40 PM

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buzzsawmonkey 8/18/2024 12:35:42 PM

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I see some yammering on Instapundit and elsewhere about the "lack of affordable housing," the price of mortgages, etc., etc., and the Harris campaign gasbaggery about building a million billion skillion housing units (ooh!  Public housing!  Who could [not] resist?) should it, God forbid, be elected this fall.

Some years ago I suggested that what this country needs is an urban revival of the 19th-century Homestead Act.  We need "wagon trains" of youngsters---preferably married---to re-settle the inner city areas devastated by prior mismanagement.  

To explain:  Cities like Chicago and Detroit have large swaths---blocks---of formerly-inhabited housing that was destroyed in the rioting and arson of decades ago.  These cities have also been engaging in programs where the city will sell would-be homeowners the surviving, but now-abandoned, homes in such neighborhoods that have been escheated to the city, for as little as $1---provided the suckers hopefuls doing so agree to make renovations and live there.

A far better plan would be to have these cities, with their devastated swaths, make a deal with some people getting up modern-day "settler wagon trains" of people who are willing to create a community in one or two or more of these devastated inner-city blocks.  They can build modern-day "log cabins" out of old container-freight boxes at low cost, and make for themselves a "fort" against the "Indians" of the surrounding hostile neighborhood, with a safe, fenced-in, interior play-space for future young-uns.  Freight containers can be easily re-purposed to home and commercial spaces at relatively low cost; the young-married types, who often work remotely (especially since covid) should be able to make a thriving little commercial hub out of their block or two of "homesteaded" property.  

The city sells the land to the homesteaders cheap, with an X-year moratorium on property taxes and a guarantee that the cavalry (police) will arrive speedily if the natives get restless.  

That would make sense.

Kosh's Shadow 8/18/2024 2:35:34 PM

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Reply to buzzsawmonkey in 2:

Good idea, but the gubmit wants more control. 

I note Massachusetts at least is trying to increase the supply of affordable housing near transportation. The problem is, the rich suburbs don't want the poorer people in (except for gardeners, builders, etc.)

The town I live in has less of a problem and has room for the housing - but a monthly commuter rail pass is over $450 and takes 90 minutes each way. Not easy to make housing cheap enough and still have left over money for the pass. And I don't think that even includes subway once you get to Boston any more.

Of course, Camelass Hamas' plans would just make things worse.

As would rent control. That was ended something like 40 years ago here because it resulted in rental property converted to condos, reducing the supply of rental housing.

Politicians think they can repeal the law of supply and demand, but it isn't a law they made and so cannot repeal it.

buzzsawmonkey 8/18/2024 3:31:45 PM

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I was talking about how to actually solve---or at least address---the problem.  Of course, that is different from, and in no way related to, what the Left proposes. 

My suggestion would, potentially, rebuild and revitalize cities.  Theirs would merely steal and waste vast quantities of dollars.  I need not tell you which is being pursued.

Kosh's Shadow 8/18/2024 3:35:19 PM

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Reply to buzzsawmonkey in 4:

Of course. If the government actually solved problems, they would not be needed forever.