On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti The Jackpod: Gimme shelter!
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Jan 31, 2026 Jack Beatty, a historian and commentator who links history, literature, and politics, explores how restrictive zoning shaped housing scarcity. He traces racist roots of zoning, explains how homeowners block new construction, and discusses the economic and inequality effects of limited housing supply. Short takes on reform prospects and why NIMBY feelings endure.
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Housing Dominates Young People's Worries
- Young Americans now worry about affordable housing more than retirement, health care, bills, education, cars, and food combined.
- The average age of first-time homebuyers rose from 28 (1992) to about 40 and could approach 50 by 2050.
Host's Personal Homebuying Experience
- Meghna Chakrabarti shares she bought her first home at 40 and needed parental help for the down payment.
- She frames that purchase as likely her last home purchase, illustrating the difficulty for younger buyers.
Zoning And Incumbents Keep Prices High
- Restrictive zoning and incumbent homeowner resistance keep housing scarce and prices high.
- Political rhetoric (e.g., protecting current homeowners' wealth) reflects and reinforces that resistance.
