May 2, 2024
As California tries to claw its way out of its housing affordability crisis, policymakers have been asking the wrong question, according to a new study from UC Berkeley.
The study, published Thursday by researchers at the Terner Center for Housing Innovation, argues the classic question — “Is a place affordable?” — should instead be supplanted with a new one: “Who can afford this place?”
That might seem like a subtle distinction, said Issi Romem, co-author and founder of economics research firm, MetroSight. But its implications are enormous.