The Political Orphanage How Godzilla Beat the Housing Crisis
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May 28, 2025 Explore the fascinating dynamics of global housing policies, comparing America's struggles with affordability to Japan's streamlined zoning processes. Delve into Cuba's housing dilemma, where idealism clashes with reality. Discover how American regulations distort the market and create unnecessary challenges, contrasting them with Tokyo's compact living advantages. The discussion also critiques local governance and seeks innovative solutions for a more equitable housing landscape, blending market forces with effective government intervention.
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Toilets as Housing Metaphor
- Andrew Heaton uses the metaphor of toilets to explain housing policies.
- He illustrates how tax incentives and local restrictions inflate housing prices like they did toilets.
Supply-Demand Mismatch Raises Prices
- American housing policy subsidizes demand federally but restricts supply locally.
- This mismatch inflates prices, making houses artificially expensive.
Cuba’s Socialist Housing Failure
- Cuba's socialist housing abolished private ownership and renting.
- This led to poor maintenance, housing shortages, and a quasi-hereditary housing class system.