How to Change the Politics Blocking the Housing We Need

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Key takeaways

  • Housing costs rise fast; supply fixes matter. Rents have surged ~35% since the pandemic, with some metros up to 50%.
  • Policy is political. Local zoning and permitting are controlled by councils and boards dominated by incumbents, often opposing new development.
  • Two-part plan. Rent relief payments tied to meeting housing production targets can mobilize renters to engage in hearings, while elected officials gain broader representation.
  • Speed matters. ARPA-Home could accelerate construction via factory-built housing and other innovations to cut build time.

The political reality that blocks housing

Zoning, land-use rules, and permitting are controlled by city councils, planning commissions, and neighborhood boards. Participation is dominated by a relatively small group of incumbent homeowners, often opposed to new development. Renters—over a third of American households—stand to benefit most from more housing supply but are underrepresented in these forums.

The result is a system that overrepresents the strongest blockers of change. And there’s the time problem: housing planning and building take years, while families need relief now. Federal, state, and local actors often chase quick fixes that don’t address the root constraints.

A renters-centered plan: rent relief and political rebalancing

To rebalance power, the plan proposes rent relief payments to renters when a city hits production targets, providing relief immediately and empowering renters to participate in hearings and votes that affect their wallets. Elected officials would respond to a broader, more representative constituency, gradually reshaping local incentives toward building.

This approach doesn’t stop there. A second pillar focuses on speed: make policy move at the speed of elections. It argues for big bets on new ways to build and scale what works, mirroring histories of breakthroughs like the Internet and clean energy.

Speed: ARPA-Home and the acceleration of construction

The plan champions launching ARPA-Home, modeled after ARPA-style agencies that fund high-risk, high-reward projects. Government would back innovative construction methods—such as expanded factory-built housing that meets high standards—and quickly scale what proves effective, reducing the long lag between policy and palpable relief.

With these shifts, the housing shortage becomes addressable: rents could stabilize, and the political system could credibly claim progress that benefits renters and homeowners alike.

Conclusion: building progress by confronting political realities

The good news is that the solutions are visible: how we design incentives, how fast we build, and how we engage renters in decisions matter more than slogans. By aligning policy with political realities, we can begin to build our way out of the shortage and bring relief to millions.

Chad Maisel is a senior fellow for economic policy at the Center for American Progress.

Source: https://www.governing.com/urban/how-to-change-the-politics-blocking-the-housing-we-need

Source: https://www.governing.com/urban/how-to-change-the-politics-blocking-the-housing-we-need