The Strong Towns Podcast Broken Incentives Made the Housing Crisis. How Do We Fix Them?
Nov 3, 2025
Laura Foote, the Executive Director of YIMBY Action, joins to tackle America’s housing crisis. They discuss the implications of zoning laws and how broken incentives have stifled housing production. Laura argues for bolder reforms at all levels and shares insights on the challenges of fluctuating local and state policies. They also explore misconceptions surrounding transit accessibility and parking, emphasizing the need for walkable communities. The conversation highlights strategies to rally support and tackle the political dynamics influencing housing issues.
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Walkability Expands Accessibility
- Walkable neighborhoods dramatically expand mobility for non-drivers and those with disabilities.
- Foote argues cars and parking often worsen mobility for many people compared with good transit and walkability.
College Dorm Ban Creates Dangerous Drives
- Foote describes a Maine college blocked from building dorms, forcing students to drive dangerously home.
- She uses this to illustrate how housing shortages create wider safety and transportation harms.
Federal Incentives Created Zoning Net
- Federal incentives historically pushed restrictive local zoning and created a nationwide 'net' that blocks housing production.
- Laura Foote says state and federal action plus local organizing are needed to break that net.