Thread by @damienISgoodmon

Going thru Dem presidential candidate housing platforms

Does anyone seek 2 severely regulate/ban big investors (private equity/foreign wealth) or small (flippers) that are manipulating the housing market?

Do they even provide lip-service?

Let’s see...

#ItsTheSpeculationStupid

Let’s start w/the currently considered gold standard: @BernieSanders #HomesForAll

Sum talk a/b Wall Street investors but is his proposed solution strong enuf?

Also, he’s unfortunately in the blanket upzoning camp so w/flipper tax isn’t that 1 step fwd but 2 steps back?

.#BernieSanders2020 calls for natl rent control & that will definitely curb some speculation, but it is without vacancy control. See Oakland, San Francisco, Berkeley & Santa Monica for the effects of strong rent control without vacancy control.

Next up @ewarren, who has a plan for housing.

Like Sanders: a lot of focus on not giving away foreclosed properties to big investors & some relief to currently distressed homeowners, but no strong proposed guardrails to speculators. No reference or taxes on flippers or vacancy.

Warren2020 says she’s gonna encourage blanket upzoning & discourage rent control bans. On upzoning she:
1) ties it to new competitive fed grant program
2) adds a critical qualifier missin n Sanders: limit 4 affordable housing & protection for tenants/eviction.

Fmr HUD Sec @JulianCastro

Lofty language but weak.

Like Warren & Sanders no more foreclosed properties goin2 investors, but only data collection on REITs & investigations on role of corps/banks driving up housing costs. No restrictions on speculators & nothing on rent control.

Like Warren, Castro calls 4 upzoning 4 affordable housing & uses language that seems 2 recognize the complexity. But he’s more broad when he talks a/b it 2 combat climate change.

He seems to recognize the tight-rope (understandable given his experience) much better than Sanders.

.@KamalaHarris senator from the state with half of America’s unsheltered population & worst housing affordability crisis, & the fmr AG during the #GreatRecession has no section on her website for housing.

Doesn’t consider it a big issue I guess. 🤷🏾‍♂️

kamalaharris.org/issues/

.@PeteButtigieg apparently thinks the problem is limited to abandoned houses. That’s his “big” housing policy proposal. Read his whole housing policy: it’ll take u all of 30 secs.

peteforamerica.com/issues/

.@joebiden similar to Kamala has no housing plan.

joebiden.com/joes-vision/

.@amyklobuchar nothin on reignin n speculators & instead wuld like 2 encourage investment activity n “distressed” hoods. Unlike Buttigieg she lacks language 2 ensure benefits go 2 ppl lookn 4 homes 4 living instead of flipping.

Running w/the line a/b prioritizing zoning updates.

Not a word from @CoryBooker on reign n speculators.

His upzoning seems 2 have the many conditions that reflect a fmr mayor who recognizes the complexity of zoning. Seems 2 say its just 4 affordable housing.

(@BernieSanders starting 2 look like an outlier 4 blanket upzoning.)

.@BetoORourke has no housing policy.

Rounding out the 10 @AndrewYang housing policy statement is silent on reigning in speculation & is solely focused on a strawman (NIMBYs r to blame!!!) but at least his upzoning is limited to a call for the explicit purpose of creating affordable housing.