Why is housing so expensive, and what can we do about it?
For decades, U.S. housing policy has quietly prioritized protecting existing homeowners over creating opportunities for future buyers. Zoning laws, tax incentives, mortgage structures, and even foreclosure practices have all contributed to driving up costs and limiting supply. Unaffordable by Design is a HousingWire exclusive dive into the roots of America’s housing affordability crisis — revealing how we got here and what it will take to chart a new path forward.
In this report, you’ll discover:
- Why affordability isn’t just a market failure — but the result of deliberate policy choices.
- How outdated zoning and tax systems keep supply tight and prices high.
- Which bold reforms, already underway in some cities, offer real hope for change?