11 Radical Housing Solutions: How to Address Our Housing Crisis Head-On (ePub)

The United States is ten million homes short—and counting. The homeless crisis in America is one of the most pressing issues of our time for a variety of reasons, and it's not going away unless we do something about it. More housing for all income levels is necessary to put a roof over every person's head regardless of his or her income level. And because this is a massive challenge that is not likely to be addressed with conventional solutions, we need to embrace radical ideas and radical action.

If you are at the heart of this crisis, personally or professionally, then you'll find this book a timely, critical source of inspiration. But even if the housing crisis isn't yet affecting you, its long-term consequences are far-reaching and will leave no one unscathed—so this book is a must-read.

In this book, I propose eleven radical solutions to bring the American dream within every single person's grasp. These solutions are wide-ranging and comprehensive, and they cover the gamut from individual decisions about buying, selling, and renting, to public policies and investments at all levels of government. Many of these solutions require your participation, including coordinated action as communities and as a nation.

As you read, I encourage you to keep an open mind. Several of the ideas I propose may not seem to link directly to your circumstances—whether buying your first home, upgrading, or downsizing—but ultimately, they all do. Each solution is intended as a stepping stone to kickstart the housing market and lead you to your goal of owning an affordable home, no matter what your current situation may be.

In this book, you will discover:

• How and why our nation's housing is in crisis
• Why entrenched attitudes and expectations about housing need to give way to new solutions
• An introduction to the radical ideas that can solve this massive problem and benefit all generations of Americans
• How the government can help, not hinder, the effort to achieve affordable housing for all