It sounds like the simple solution, but because of the way our country is structured, building more housing, specifically affordable housing in buildings meant for more than one family, is very difficult in most of America. This is because of zoning.

Zoning has historically been used to protect property values and maintain socioeconomic and racial segregation. Early 20th-century zoning laws often excluded low-income and minority households from certain neighborhoods, a legacy that continues to affect housing equity today. Restrictive zoning contributes to higher housing costs, limits access to high-quality schools, and public services and exacerbates racial and economic disparities. We contemporaneously see many seas of single-family home suburbs with zoning that prohibits that land being used to house more people.

In my opinion, we don’t have a housing crisis, but rather a land usage crisis. What do you think?