Jeff Carroll’s Post

To help create more inclusive communities, Karp Strategies supported The Century Foundation in identifying proactive ways to talk to voters across New York State about the intricate connections between public education,housing policy and exclusionary zoning. Fear of school overcrowding and the competition for resources were found to be the leading point in opposition to housing reform. Read more insights by Halley Potter  & Alex Edwards from The Century Foundation, elucidating ties between zoning & school quality: https://lnkd.in/efbNHrZv #CommunityDevelopment #EducationEquity #ExclusionaryZoning #FairHousing #HousingReform #Housing #ResearchInsights #UrbanEquity #ZoningPolicy

Affordable Housing & Social Engineering in San Antonio - The liberal San Antonio city government is planning to use "affordable housing" to do social engineering. However, it will spread crime and poverty in the name of fair and affordable housing. Mixing people and families of different incomes is a Marxist approach to racial equality. It assumes that low-income minorities can lifted out of poverty by associating with middle and high-income people. They entirely ignore social norms and personal behavior. Typical of all liberal policies and politics, it does not work. It only spreads poverty and social discord. The liberal leaders of San Antonio have a plan, encouraged by former SA mayor and HUD secretary Julian Castro, to spread affordable housing into middle and high-income neighborhoods. The city will also have the legal support of the liberal Biden administration. Any resistance to their affordable housing plans will be met with federal advocacy. The city's latest plan will build an affordable housing complex on the northwest corner of North 281 and Borgfeld Drive. Homeowners in the area have come together to express their concerns. San Antonio citizens must protect their homes, businesses, and neighborhoods from liberal government social engineering. Crime and other antisocial behavior affect property values. The San Antonio city government must be allowed to control society. A free society and local economy will allow everyone to live and work where they can and progress. The defense of freedom starts locally. #conservatives, #republicans, https://lnkd.in/g2C3eAtM

The need for more suburban housing is a rare issue where both Democrats and Republicans are agreeing right now. That means something could get done. If so, and we really have a chance to do something about housing, let's make sure we do it right. A recent New York Times piece detailed how conservatives and liberals are attending the same conferences on housing supply issues — and even organizing joint events on the topic. “Some issues become a horseshoe,” said Cody Vasut, a Republican member of the House of Representatives from Texas. “We have different views of government but sometimes we arrive at the same conclusion.”     It’s encouraging to see this bipartisan agreement. But let’s not stop there. If legislation is being drafted to increase housing supply, I would urge our leaders to seize the opportunity to look at housing development through a longevity lens. That means planning to build units that are age-friendly, with the amenities that make life easier and safer for families with small children, older adults and everyone in between. It also means designing common areas in new housing that foster connection among the residents. Good design subtly facilitates neighbor-to-neighbor contact, and gyms, game rooms and lobbies can become gathering spots, increasing social capital. Finally, if leaders and planners develop housing with longevity in mind, they’ll also make it easier for “third places” to sprout alongside them. Parks, restaurants, libraries, community centers — they make a place happier and healthier.  If done right, increased housing supply developed with an emphasis on longevity has the potential for great benefits. It can offer more people the opportunity to live longer, healthier, more socially-connected lives.    NY Times piece: https://lnkd.in/gyUqH3wA

2024 and this is still a theme locally, regionally, and nationwide. The language is so similar now there are memes. There are avenues for legitimate debate - is safe and affordable housing a fundamental human right? Is LIHTC the absolute best and most efficient method to create affordable housing? Philosophers and economists can weigh in with lengthy tomes in their journals. But for those with boots on the ground, we use the tools and means at our disposal, try to advance new and creative ways, and pave a path forward. Housing helps communities. Full stop. It creates vibrancy, fiscal resiliency, allows our seniors dignity, allows a strong workforce, and promotes educational achievement for children. https://lnkd.in/evT-Esf7

The stability provided by affordable housing is a cornerstone for educational success. Children in stable housing conditions exhibit higher school attendance rates and improved academic performance. This stability fosters an environment conducive to learning and personal development, setting the stage for future success. Read more about the impact of affordable housing on the community: https://lnkd.in/eftV8ERG #education #affordablehousing #greenvillesc #upstatesc #investing

What is the role of government in addressing our housing challenges? Professor Lily Geismer encourages a turn toward European-style social housing, saying in her article: "This vision of social housing has a chance to undo the mistakes of the postwar era, which stigmatized public housing, and produced substandard and segregated residences for only the poorest of Americans. But for such programs to truly solve the affordable housing crisis, the federal government needs to be involved. The scope of the problem is simply too large for states and localities to tackle. Imaging and designing a federal initiative will take policymakers who can think big, while learning from the mistakes of the post-WWII housing projects. Crucially, they should follow the lead of local housing activists who see housing as a right, not a commodity."

Toronto's housing landscape is evolving, with surplus school lands entering the conversation as potential solutions to the housing crisis. Budget Chief Shelley Carroll highlights challenges posed by the "fair market value" rule, prompting Mayor Olivia Chow's committee to advocate for changes to make these lands more viable for housing projects. Given Toronto's housing crisis, using public land for housing seems like a logical step. Remember that project at Davisville Junior Public School? They turned it into a community center. It's a good example of what's possible. And as Toronto navigates these discussions, it's evident that innovative solutions are needed to address housing challenges effectively. #TorontoHousing #AffordableHousing #CommunityDevelopment #Innovation https://lnkd.in/gmZdMw5H

California's call for a dramatic increase in more housing is out of step with Alameda County's significant population decline. County-wide, we've had a net loss of about 40,000 people since 2020. That's as if the populations of Albany, Emeryville and Piedmont got up and walked out. What has happened to that housing? We have an affordability crisis to be sure. However our public policy has viewed this as supply and demand problem and insists on a supply side fix. After a decade of pursuing this solution we have not moved the needle on housing costs. At the same time, we've been increasing density without adjusting our vital infrastructure such as sidewalks, parks, and schools actually destroys mobility and livability. Alameda County's urban unincorporated areas, including Castro Valley, Ashland, Cherryland, San Lorenzo, Fairview, and Hayward Acres have abysmal walking scores, significant food deserts, few safe routes to schools, and many areas are far out of compliance with the state's Quimby Act standard for access to sufficient park space. Concentrating poverty in areas with poor air quality and lack of access to basic amenities has resulted in low life expectancy, high calls for service, and no safe routes to schools. All of this effort around density has been aimed at reducing residential property costs. Without investing in commensurate amenities the county has only decreased quality of life, and at the same time has not had the desired impact on affordability. Addressing the affordability crisis requires us to understand that residents are competing for residential property with limitless global financial capital. Our regulatory policies have prioritized housing as an investment tool rather than as healthy stable dwellings for human beings. Unless and until we decide to implement vacancy taxes, and formidably punitive foreign and corporate transfer taxes on residential property, home ownership will be an unrealistic dream for most of our population. Laws of supply and demand do not apply when there is limitless demand from global capital markets on a finite resource. The middle class cannot compete with unlimited corporate and international investment. Solutions to the affordability crisis are out there, but we must make the conscious effort to understand the root causes. Yes, we must ensure we have sufficient housing stock for our population, but we have seen that building our way out is not a realistic or effective solution for impacting affordability on a timescale that will help those who need to buy a house now. What are your thoughts on the affordability crisis?

This article covers so many concepts my head was spinning...affordable housing, cooperation between many local entities to get it up and running, equity building for cottage residents, truly affordable apartment rent, Ignite students involved in the construction, special allocation for Bentonville school employees, the list goes on and on. This will be interesting to watch evolve. #tobuyorsellcallmichelle

“A lot has changed in American life over the past 50 years, but the hostility to affordable housing has remained surprisingly durable,” said Justin Steil, a professor of urban planning and law at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Affordable housing is an equity issue. This isn't new or revelatory, but it is a constant battle. This #NewYorkTimes article explores the coded reactions to affordable housing and how power reinforces systemic inequities. During a time where we see companies, organizations and foundations backpaddle from supporting equity, it is important to focus on everything that is at stake. The question is what are you doing to push progress forward? How are you creating a world that is just, and creates opportunity for everyone? #housing #housingcrisis #equity