Ed Glaeser gives three compelling reasons why the government should end their infatuation with high housing prices. (Nonetheless, some of the same politicians speak through the other side of their mouths about promoting housing affordability): Why We Should Let Housing Prices Keep FallingThere … [Read more...]
Sun Sets on Culture of Congestion
The New York Sun has decided to close up shop. To Market Urbanists, the greatest casualties are Sandy Ikeda's blog, Culture of Congestion and Ed Glaeser's articles. Sandy's work has inspired me to read Jane Jacobs' books (starting with The Death and Life of Great American Cities), and I plan to post … [Read more...]
Russell Roberts on Government Intervention in Housing
Russell Roberts of George Mason University, CafeHayek, and Econtalk wrote of series of Cafe Hayek posts on the various federal interventions in the housing market:Housing markets without the benefit of hindsightFannie reaches its goals--sort ofZero Down!Fannie and Freddie's other … [Read more...]
Portland Ideas??
I'm visiting Portland, Oregon for 5 days through next weekend for a wedding. It's my first time there and I hear it's a great city. What are the must-does to get the genuine urban experience?What are Portland's specialty foods?What neighborhoods should I make sure I visit?Any new … [Read more...]
Parking Minimums Hamper Development and Affordability
Thanks to Dan and Benjamin for separately tipping me off to this link: AP: Cities rethink wisdom of 50s-era parking standardsLike nearly all U.S. cities, D.C. has requirements for off-street parking. Whenever anything new is built — be it a single-family home, an apartment building, a store … [Read more...]
Happy Park(ing) Day 2008
I guess I must not be hip enough to have known about this beforehand, but there's a very interesting citywide event happening here in New York today called Park(ing) Day. All throughout New York City, people are reclaiming parking spaces for their street-side enjoyment. It's a very novel idea that … [Read more...]
WSJ: Rent Control Is the Real New York Scandal
In case you didn't catch it last weekend, Eileen Norcross wrote an excellent piece on rent control in New York. She touches on Charlie Rangel's four rent control apartments scandal, some history of rent control in New York, the destructive results of rent control, vast inefficiencies caused by rent … [Read more...]
The Market, Zoning, and Freedom.
J. Brian Phillips wrote a great post at Houston Property Rights about liberal property rights in Houston, but what Brian had to say applies to every place. Here's a snippet, but the entire post deserves a reading:when developers and builders see a need for greater density, they respond … [Read more...]