We’re making it happen! Go to The Center for Housing Economics website.

I have been getting the sense that if I wandered into the woods, cut off from all communication, spending my days just surviving for five or even ten years, I’d return to find the housing conversation stuck in the same place it is today; one group vigorously opposing increased housing supply to solve price issues, another using the word “supply” but espousing a bunch of really bad policies like Mandatory Inclusionary Zoning, and, well, people like me, those that aren’t willing to comprise the basic notion of the price system. So if I had my way, I’d start an institute kind of like the Institute of Economic Affairs in the United Kingdom to build a strong base for intellectually principled supply side housing economics. I’ll post my draft proposal. It is sort of pie in the sky, something someone may discover someday like a message in a bottle. Here’s the first part. 

The Center for Housing Economics

The Center for Housing Economics conducts research, communications, and creates projects that support policies and investment to create an abundance of housing options for everyone.

Spontaneity, Government, and Markets

People are at their best and most successful when they are able to be spontaneous, creative and realize new opportunity. Good government encourages and supports this by providing an ordered and predictable commons through laws, policies, regulations and taxes that allow everyone to be free to exchange ideas and values openly and without restriction in a mutually beneficial way. Individuals and communities achieve their full potential when they are free to share and exchange value with each other. Everyone benefits from a common experience of life with limits but limitless potential.

A market is a place where people bring their own unmet needs and their ability to meet other’s unmet needs; seeking and satisfying each other’s needs begins with ideas, and therefore to restrict or limit the ability of people to find each other and to satisfy one another’s needs spontaneously and creatively must not be taken lightly. People naturally seek each other out to offer their own potential and find the potential of others to meet their own needs; limiting this can alienate people from each other and themselves.

Housing

The need for housing and shelter are best met when housing providers can meet with those who need housing with as few barriers between them as possible. The role of government is to protect health and safety and, when possible, provide incentives to ensure that housing supply meets or exceeds demand for housing. When housing is scarce because there are too many rules and restrictions limiting its production, then prices go up. Housing inflation harms poor people the most and benefits those who already own property and housing since the value of their asset goes up with inflation. But when housing is abundant tenants and buyers are empowered with more choices and freedom to live where and how they want, regardless of their race, class, or economic status.