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Why Can't We Build an Affordable House?

wilsoncenter.org

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Re: Why Can't We Build an Affordable House?

#3

Post by kaens »

We can, there's just a lot of factors making it hard to gain market acceptance (is that the appropriate term here?)

I would jump at the chance to live in something like a Dymaxion house* in a walkable community.

*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dymaxion_House

EDIT: For more awesome houses, have a look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autonomous_building

Re: Why Can't We Build an Affordable House?

#4

Post by josefresco »

People didn't "buy houses they couldn't afford". They bought houses who's value was 40-50% inflated and then had that value disappear, almost overnight.

I love how this 'crisis' is blamed on over-reaching Americans, but only one side of the transaction. It takes two to tango, but don't forget the millions of Americans who made billions selling homes at grossly inflated values.

Re: Why Can't We Build an Affordable House?

#5

Post by LogicHoleFlaw »

kaens wrote: post #3

We can, there's just a lot of factors making it hard to gain market acceptance (is that the appropriate term here?) I would jump at the chance to live in something like a Dymaxion house* in a walkable community. * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dymaxion_House EDIT: For more awesome houses, have a look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autonomous_building

I think a lot of the market-acceptance factor is that many people, when they hear the term "affordable housing", immediately think "double-wide."

Re: Why Can't We Build an Affordable House?

#7

Post by kaens »

LogicHoleFlaw wrote: post #5
kaens wrote: post #3

We can, there's just a lot of factors making it hard to gain market acceptance (is that the appropriate term here?) I would jump at the chance to live in something like a Dymaxion house* in a walkable community. * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dymaxion_House EDIT: For more awesome houses, have a look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autonomous_building

I think a lot of the market-acceptance factor is that many people, when they hear the term "affordable housing", immediately think "double-wide."

I agree.

That, and when a lot of people think "I'm going to buy a house," they are thinking of that one house that's in every single suburb. That one that is functionally the same but might have a different room layout.

I think the trend may be shifting (part of me thinks that the trend will have to shift), and that would be good. I know that I, and most of the people I know, would like to be living in a walkable community in housing that is as sustainable as possible.

I mean, if I had the capital for it, I'd get on building an awesome little town. I don't though, and probably won't for a while - maybe someday though.

Re: Why Can't We Build an Affordable House?

#8

Post by hugh »

teej wrote: post #2

Land.

Well yes, that's what the article says, eventually, except you have to wade through a whole bunch of BS about construction costs to get there.

It seems to be mostly wrong about _why_ land is more expensive than it's ever been, blaming it on various policy initiatives. Really though, land is more expensive than ever before because there are more people than ever before. Also, because we're richer than ever before (in terms of the amount we have left over after paying for groceries etc) and hence are willing to spend a higher portion of our income to secure one of the limited number of blocks of land which are in a convenient location.

Re: Why Can't We Build an Affordable House?

#9

Post by eru »

josefresco wrote: post #4

People didn't "buy houses they couldn't afford". They bought houses who's value was 40-50% inflated and then had that value disappear, almost overnight. I love how this 'crisis' is blamed on over-reaching Americans, but only one side of the transaction. It takes two to tango, but don't forget the millions of Americans who made billions selling homes at grossly inflated values.

You can't blame the sellers. They took whatever price they got away with. That's what they are supposed to do in a market.
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