They keep raising prices, stating that it’s due to inflation, but then they keep having record profits.

Meanwhile, the average American can barely afford rent or food nowadays.

What are we to do? Vote? I have been but that doesn’t seem to do much since I’m just voting for a representative that makes the actual decisions.

  • @TheIllustrativeMan
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    111 months ago

    1: change zoning laws to allow more multifamily construction

    Our city did this and it hasn’t helped at all, because banks won’t finance it. No minimum parking, no height limit, no maximum FAR, no maximum unit count.

    • @SCB
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      11 months ago

      No minimum parking, no height limit, no maximum FAR, no maximum unit count.

      yeah get rid of these next and you’re set.

      It’s gonna take a lot of work, man. The regulatory capture here is extreme.

      Everyone wants to point to capitalism for this, but this is what happens when you kneecap any economic system. That’s why it’s all over the world.

      • @TheIllustrativeMan
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        11 months ago

        That’s what I’m saying though, we got rid of those regulations, and it still doesn’t matter. Banks want parking. Banks limit height. Banks limit unit counts. Developers routinely propose some pretty decent housing products, where they’ve run the numbers and they work, then go to get it financed and it very rapidly gets cut in half and turned to shit.

        The only solution is for the city to finance and build themselves.

        • @SCB
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          111 months ago

          Cool. I’m down with that.

          • @TheIllustrativeMan
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            111 months ago

            It’ll never happen, even if there was the will to do it the city doesn’t have the money (or the tax base to bring in that kind of money).