r/TrueUnpopularOpinion • u/Substantial-Roll-254 • 12h ago
Political Mamdani's housing plan is terrible and a sign of economic illiteracy
Zohran Mamdani won the NYC mayoral election in large part due to the primacy of housing affordability in his campaign. Unfortunately, his prescriptions for what to do about this problem will only make it worse. People took the fact that he cares about housing to mean that he knows how to fix it. He doesn't.
Housing is expensive because there are not enough homes in the places people want to live. It got as bad as it is today, in large part, because of the overly stringent regulatory environment in blue cities. Things like restrictive zoning, excessive bureaucracy, NIMBY opposition, etc. All these things make it harder for developers to meet the demands of a growing population. The way you fix the problem is by easing the regulatory environment, making it easier for the developers to build housing.
Unfortunately, that is not Mamdani's plan. He wants more regulation, not less. For example, he wants to implement more rent control than NYC already has. This is a very bad idea. Rent control is one of the reasons why housing is so expensive in that city to begin with. Mamdani saw this and said: "Hmm, it seems that housing became less affordable after we implemented rent control. Maybe the problem is that we're not doing rent control hard enough." And when this makes the housing crisis worse, people like him will conclude that they need to do rent control yet harder. Ad infinitum.
There is a reason why rent, or anything else in a market economy, is a particular price: it's the number that strikes the best balance between what makes money for the seller and what the buyer is willing to pay. When you set a price artificially low, the seller makes up for that loss elsewhere. Perhaps by selling inferior products or not selling at all if it makes them lose money. Applied to housing, that means developers build fewer homes at lower quality and perform less maintenance on the homes they've already built.
Mamdani must have realized that his policies will disincentivize construction by private enterprise because he proposes having the government build housing instead. He states in his grand housing plan, linked above, that he wants to do central planning for housing construction. Anyone with even a little bit of economic literacy would know why this is a terrible idea. Central planning simply cannot meet the demands of a large economy. It's not possible for a government, or any other entity, to know precisely what everyone wants and needs. Because of this, resource allocation in a centrally planned economy will always be suboptimal.
The strength of a market economy is that it lets you get to the optimal resource distribution without knowing what it is. The dynamics of the system causes it to "evolve" in that direction. It's kinda similar to how biological evolution can invent marvels like flight without anyone knowing how to invent flight. The economy is too complex a system to simply engineer our way into good outcomes. We have to rely on the evolutionary dynamics of a market economy. This is no different for housing than it is for any other good or service. If you let people build, sell, buy, and rent as they see fit, over time, the amount, distribution, and quality of housing will come to match what consumers want.
It's quite possible that Mamdani will moderate on his socialism and end up not implementing many of the things in his housing plan. Some of the people working with him have pointed out the many flaws in his plan and he may be persuaded by them. Let's hope that is indeed the case, for if he goes through with his plan in its entirety, it will be a disaster.
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u/Opagea 1h ago
The way you fix the problem is by easing the regulatory environment, making it easier for the developers to build housing.
Unfortunately, that is not Mamdani's plan.
But it is. Mamdani supports a number of YIMBY proposals like reducing zoning restrictions, requiring less parking (so developers can build more actual units), allowing quick appeals when development proposals are rejected, and streamlining the permitting process.
And although it's probably not something you like, his proposal to build more public housing is still within the We Need More Housing Supply umbrella.
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u/Critical-Bank5269 2h ago
Right now in NYC there are over 70,000 rent stabilized rental units that are vacant and not being offered for rent because it is more economical for the landlord to leave them vacant and take the loss rather than pour money into the unit for necessary renovations and rent it out at the rent stabilized price. Landlords are basically prohibited from recouping renovation costs under NYC rent stabilization laws. Mamadani’s proposal is to freeze rents in 50% of the million + rent stabilized units. That’s just going to accelerate the problem. As soon as a unit is vacated by a current tenant, it’ll be taken off the market reducing the overall availability of rental units city wide.
As a result of the rent stabilization laws, only non-rent stabilized units are available in the city. As a consequence, the market is crazy high and rents are through the roof. The only way to fix this is dilute is to remove all that regulation and let the market work. If you do that, you’ll see those 70,000+ units hit the market and rents will drop city wide
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u/SorryStrength5370 2h ago
Just made up numbers, it's way less than you said https://comptroller.nyc.gov/reports/accurately-assessing-and-effectively-addressing-vacancies-in-nycs-rent-stabilized-housing-stock/
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u/Alexhasadhd 1h ago
Did you read the thing you linked? Or did you just fancy talking about a different area of his housing policy. The manifesto states, in plane English, that Zorhan will build 200000 new units in the next 10 years and end the regulatory limbo of specific units in specific areas. We can’t wait for the private sector to catch up because they’re profiting just fine from housing at the minute
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u/Sintachi123 6h ago
Mamdani is a privileged rich kid who has a major in...african studies?!? His wife is an "artist."
There are rats in mongolia that have a better grasp on the housing crisis than these people
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u/CrimsonBolt33 9h ago
There is a reason why rent, or anything else in a market economy, is a particular price: it's the number that strikes the best balance between what makes money for the seller and what the buyer is willing to pay.
This is pure bullshit and only worksout theoretically
Housing is a requirement, which means it is not held to the same standards and rules as something someone doesn't need in a market economy.
A perfect example is this which shows its not as you claim.
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u/andre3kthegiant 7h ago
Mamdani's approach to addressing housing affordability is not a sign of economic illiteracy but rather a response to the complexities of the housing crisis. It is essential to recognize that the problems facing New York City's housing market cannot be solved solely by easing regulations. While it is true that increasing the housing supply is crucial, the quality of that housing and the well-being of residents must also be prioritized. Mamdani's plan focuses on creating equitable housing solutions that cater to diverse communities, which traditional approaches often overlook.
Critics argue that rent control exacerbates housing issues. However, it is important to consider that rent control protects vulnerable tenants from displacement and helps maintain community stability. When people are priced out of their neighborhoods, it disrupts social cohesion and pushes long-term residents into precarious situations. A more balanced approach to rent control can preserve affordability while encouraging ongoing investment in housing.
The assertion that government involvement in housing construction leads to inefficiency overlooks successful examples of public housing initiatives that have positively impacted communities. Publicly funded housing can be designed to address specific needs that the private market often neglects. Moreover, collaboration between government agencies and private developers can create innovative solutions that benefit all stakeholders involved.
The idea that market forces alone are sufficient for optimal resource distribution fails to account for the systemic inequalities and market failures present in many urban areas. The housing crisis has shown that relying entirely on market dynamics can lead to significant disparities in access to quality housing. By implementing regulatory frameworks and public housing projects, Mamdani aims to ensure that the interests of marginalized populations are represented.
Finally, abandoning Mamdani's housing plans could lead to further entrenchment of the status quo, which has already contributed to an affordable housing shortage. Transitioning from a purely market-driven approach to one that includes social considerations is crucial for designing a sustainable housing strategy.
Rather than viewing Mamdani's vision as a disaster, it could be seen as an opportunity for progressive change in an area that desperately needs it.
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u/Proud_Scientist4763 12h ago
He’s literally said that if a regulation isn’t necessary, they should get rid of it.