• @[email protected]
    link
    fedilink
    English
    41 year ago

    IDK, the student loans program in the US didn’t work out very well, and a lot of people just ended up with a ton of debt they couldn’t handle. I’m worried the same would happen with a federal housing loan.

    What we need instead is better housing density. Right now, if you want to buy a property (at least in the US), you need to also buy a car and commute long distances because that’s the only way you’re going to be able to afford a place at all. If we instead built more mixed housing near transit lines (e.g. business at ground level and a purchasable apartment above it), you could own something and not need a car to get around. That would work for the first few years, and if you decide to grow your family, you could use your equity as a down payment on a larger place.

    But we really don’t have much in the way of a starter home. In my area, $300k is “cheap,” and with loans now around 7%, you’re going to need a larger down payment to keep mortgage payments reasonable. Most new construction around here is either luxury apartments or high end housing.

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      English
      21 year ago

      If we instead built more mixed housing near transit lines (e.g. business at ground level and a purchasable apartment above it), you could own something and not need a car to get around.

      Unfortunately, zoning laws don’t allow this in most US cities

      • @[email protected]
        link
        fedilink
        English
        21 year ago

        Right, so the focus should be on fixing zoning laws, not on trying to get people into needlessly expensive homes.

    • Chetzemoka
      link
      fedilink
      1
      edit-2
      1 year ago

      Not a loan. A cash grant for a down payment. Government money if you don’t have wealthy parents like mine.

      But also mixed use housing.