Who can build what kinds of housing, and where can they they build it? Housing policies and zoning regulations have long been a municipal affair. However, managing the growing affordable housing crisis is proving to be well beyond the capabilities of communities. Now more and more American states are scrambling to insert themselves into the process.
Why does this matter everywhere? Municipalities and regions are the lowest level of community government in virtually every country. Their funds and powers are limited, which in turn limits the impacts of their initiatives. Just as important, their loyalties are divided, with a responsibility for the welfare of their existing homeowners and landlords, not just today’s and tomorrow’s prospective renters and buyers.
These limitations hamstring local government attempts to provide much needed leadership. Ideally, a crisis of this magnitude ought to trigger leadership at the national level. Failing a national response, individual U.S. states are intervening to deal with the crisis. These actions can provide inspiration (or cautions) for intermediate levels of government in other countries.
What kinds of solutions are being considered? Leadership in the affordable housing crisis requires balancing the demands of community property owners with the basic human need for affordable shelter. Read more about the ways that U.S. states are attempting to address these oft-competing interests in The Pew Charitable Trusts: In Shift, States Step in on Affordable Housing
In Retrospect: The past century has seen major national housing challenges in many nations. Massive housing initiatives were mounted to support industry and put countries such as the U.S. on a war footing. Recovery from the devastation of war required even greater feats of homebuilding, once again led at national level.
There are many who now believe that the conflict between a right to free market profit on one hand, and the need for human shelter on the other, has created a conflict of national interests tantamount to a civil war — a war in which victory can only be achieved by sacrifices on both sides — a war that demands inspirational national leadership. If so, that war is so far being fought not only in the United States, but in a great many other countries, in a manner best described as foot-dragging, not inspirational leadership.
