Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Nick Erickson @nserickson.bsky.social · 16h

"It’s not contractors or builders slowing down construction. It’s government red tape and onerous restrictions."

housing-inst.bsky.social @housing-inst.bsky.social · 17h

Let the market solve Pennsylvania’s housing shortage - State Sen. Greg Rothman (R-PA 34)

www.pennlive.com/opinion/2025...

Let the market solve Pennsylvania’s housing shortage | Opinion

The vast majority of both Democratic and Republican economists oppose socialist rent control. Pennsylvania lawmakers should, too.

www.pennlive.com

Nick Erickson @nserickson.bsky.social · 1d

Talking with our multi-state members, I can tell you these barriers are far greater in Minnesota.

✅Restrictive zoning ignores the demand for smaller homes, townhomes

✅ Local politics that turn housing developments into battlegrounds.

housing-inst.bsky.social @housing-inst.bsky.social · 1d

New research from Reason Foundation looks at Florida housing data.

reason.org/commentary/n...

Nick Erickson @nserickson.bsky.social · 1d

Groundbreaking for the next @HFMNfoundation project: Hope House.

Service Orgs: Open Hands Foundation, Westwood Church, 180 Degrees

Build Partner: John Kraemer & Sons

This is our 2nd YIGBY project this year.

housingfirstmnfoundation.org/project/hope...

Nick Erickson @nserickson.bsky.social · 2d

Affordability is often mocked and dismissed by those seeking to increase housing costs to their own benefit.

Rory Stolzenberg @rorystolzenberg.bsky.social · 2d

NFPA responds to this Pew study showing modern multi-family housing is safer than detached houses with a column attacking single-stair reform.

Affordability arguments are "dubious" and pushed by "special interests" — citing high profits for… single-family homebuilders.

www.nfpa.org/news-blogs-a...

What some advocates and special interests in the building industry are now proposing around the country is an expansion of single-stair construction well beyond that threshold—in some cases allowing single-stair construction in buildings up to six stories tall. These changes are being pushed legislatively, some with literally no debate or input from safety officials, and outside the safeguards of an independent, consensus-driven code process.

...

In short, the fire safety record of newer buildings should not be used to justify shortcuts in the very process that made them safe. And, we should not rely on dubious estimates on affordability from the home building industry, which has posted record profits in recent years.

Housing affordability is a serious issue, but the solution can’t be sacrificing safety to protect developer profits. Everyone deserves a safe place to live, regardless of income, zip code, or building height.

NAHB’s New Study Provides Statistics and Data on Builder Financial Performance
...

The 2025 edition of The Cost of Doing Business Study reveals significant trends in the financial performance of builders:

On average, single-family builders reported higher gross and net profit margins in 2023 than in 2020. Their average 8.7% net profit margin was the highest in more than three decades and second only to the series peak of 10% in 1991.

The average gross profit margin increased from 18.2% in 2020 to 20.7% in 2023.
The average net profit margin rose from 7.0% to 8.7% during this period.

https://www.nahb.org/news-and-economics/press-releases/2025/04/nahbs-new-study-provides-statistics-and-data-on-builder-financial-performance?utm_source=chatgpt.com

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Nick Erickson @nserickson.bsky.social · 2d

America’s Housing Shortage Is Delaying Adulthood

studyfinds.org/americas-hou...

America’s Housing Shortage Is Delaying Adulthood

Young adults are moving home in record numbers as rents outpace wages and home prices soar. Policy—not attitudes—is driving the boomerang trend.

studyfinds.org

Nick Erickson @nserickson.bsky.social · 2d

Understanding the distinction between housing supply and housing inventory is critical for designing policies that actually improve affordability. Without long-term growth in housing supply, short-term inventory challenges will persist—and buyers and renters will continue to face higher prices.

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Nick Erickson @nserickson.bsky.social · 3d

New MN House Democrat Leader @zackstephenson.bsky.social cites housing as a top issue

minnesotareformer.com/2025/10/06/r...

Rep. Zack Stephenson on gun violence, Democratic priorities and leading after Hortman • Minnesota Reformer

“Our caucus is entirely constituted of survivors of gun violence,” Stephenson said.

minnesotareformer.com

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Nick Erickson @nserickson.bsky.social · 3d

Yet, this Zillow survey shows 73% of all renters say that buying a home in the next three years is important to them.

www.zillow.com/research/ren...

Reposted by Nick Erickson

housing-inst.bsky.social @housing-inst.bsky.social · 4d

Housing Affordability Crisis Deepening as Prices Soar 60% Since 2019, Harvard Report Warns

finance.yahoo.com/news/housing...

Housing Affordability Crisis Deepening as Prices Soar 60% Since 2019, Harvard Report Warns

Homeownership rates fell in 2024 for the first time in eight years as soaring home prices made ownership unattainable for many, Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies found. As of early...

finance.yahoo.com

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Nick Erickson @nserickson.bsky.social · 4d

What's going on with the housing market since the last rate cut?

I spoke with @minnpost.bsky.social about what we're seeing in Minnesota

www.minnpost.com/economy/2025...

Interest rate cut can’t spark uncertain housing market - MinnPost

Lack of consumer confidence has outweighed the effect of the Fed’s modest interest rate cut and kept would-be home buyers on the fence.

www.minnpost.com

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Nick Erickson @nserickson.bsky.social · 4d

I would argue it isn't so unusual, sadly

www.multifamilydive.com/news/nimby-c...

Nick Erickson @nserickson.bsky.social · 5d

Kicking the can down the road on housing has consequences — and we’re seeing them now. Years of underbuilding and policy delays have left an entire generation locked out of homeownership.

Via X @unusualwhales.bsky.social

x.com/unusual_whal...

unusual_whales on X: ""The housing market has become so unaffordable for Gen Z and millennials, the number of first-time home buyers shrank to a historic low," per FORTUNE" / X

"The housing market has become so unaffordable for Gen Z and millennials, the number of first-time home buyers shrank to a historic low," per FORTUNE

x.com

Nick Erickson @nserickson.bsky.social · 5d

KSTP TV takes a look inside the Artisan Home Tour

kstp.com/tcl/twin-cit...

Artisan Home Tour

Kelli Hanson gets a sneak peek inside a home in Edina on the Artisan Home Tour.

kstp.com

Nick Erickson @nserickson.bsky.social · 5d

KSTP TV takes a look inside the Artisan Home Tour

kstp.com/tcl/twin-cit...

Artisan Home Tour

Kelli Hanson gets a sneak peek inside a home in Edina on the Artisan Home Tour.

kstp.com

Nick Erickson @nserickson.bsky.social · 7d

Rent Control triggers at 100 units - the market response is not surprising.

This is see with IZ requirements as well. When a city requires IZ on a project with more than X units, projects X-1 or fewer units thrive.

housing-inst.bsky.social @housing-inst.bsky.social · 7d

There’s a boom of New York City rental buildings with exactly 99 units — why that may be bad news for the city’s housing plans

moneywise.com/real-estate/...

There’s a curious boom of New York City rental buildings with exactly 99 units — why that may be bad news for the city’s housing plans

As New Yorkers debate Zohran Mamdani’s proposed rent freeze, developers are finding workarounds for affordable housing rules.

moneywise.com

Nick Erickson @nserickson.bsky.social · 8d

Opposition Playbook:

State Legislatures: Taxpayer-funded lobbyists work to block legislation to improve access to homeownership.

State Courts: Taxpayer-funded lawsuits to fight new state laws.

Nick Erickson @nserickson.bsky.social · 8d

Another municipal challenge to state housing laws fails.

This time in New Jersey.

www.njspotlightnews.org/2025/10/affo...

Affordable housing process survives NJ court challenge | NJ Spotlight News

Judge dismisses claims by towns looking to avoid state plan for low-cost housing

www.njspotlightnews.org

Nick Erickson @nserickson.bsky.social · 8d

Another municipal challenge to state housing laws fails.

This time in New Jersey.

www.njspotlightnews.org/2025/10/affo...

Affordable housing process survives NJ court challenge | NJ Spotlight News

Judge dismisses claims by towns looking to avoid state plan for low-cost housing

www.njspotlightnews.org

Nick Erickson @nserickson.bsky.social · 8d

Great to see industry publications gravitating toward abundance and YIMBYism

housing-inst.bsky.social @housing-inst.bsky.social · 8d

Drive to boost housing construction by easing regulations gains momentum

www.bdcnetwork.com/home/news/55...

Drive to boost housing construction by easing regulations gains momentum

Three jurisdictions—Maryland, Chicago, and San Francisco—recently took steps to ease regulations on housing construction.

www.bdcnetwork.com

Nick Erickson @nserickson.bsky.social · 9d

You can add condo and HOA fees to areas in which housing is more expensive in MN

Reminder: There was legisaltion in multiple bills that would have prevented local government from mandating the creation of HOAs in Minnesota

www.axios.com/local/twin-c...

How Minnesota's condo and HOA fees compare to other states

State lawmakers have weighed major changes to the groups in recent sessions.

www.axios.com

Nick Erickson @nserickson.bsky.social · 9d

"The notion that new housing is somehow an impact that must be offset with fines to create more housing is absurd on its face, countering the basics of economics; more supply of new housing, even if its more expensive than older housing, means lower prices overall."

Nick Erickson @nserickson.bsky.social · 10d

As homeownership is pushed further out of reach, Maxwell House temporarily rebrands itself as Maxwell Apartment.

housing-inst.bsky.social @housing-inst.bsky.social · 10d

Maxwell Apartment?

Temporary name change reflects the rising costs of coffee—and housing.

www.fastcompany.com/91412570/max...

Why Maxwell House coffee just changed its name to Maxwell Apartment

The brand has temporarily changed its name to reflect rising costs of coffee—and housing.

www.fastcompany.com

Nick Erickson @nserickson.bsky.social · 11d

Duluth faces a severe housing crunch as the population inches up

Supply-Demand Imbalance: Home prices up 60% in 2018 - Wages have not grown at that pace.

www.mprnews.org/story/2025/0...

Duluth faces severe housing crunch as population inches up

A new study shows the city of Duluth needs to add about 9,000 housing units in the next decade, as the city’s population slowly grows for the first time in decades.

www.mprnews.org

Nick Erickson @nserickson.bsky.social · 11d

The @startribune.com gets it.
www.startribune.com/twin-cities-...

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Nick Erickson @nserickson.bsky.social · 11d

"fast-rising costs and lagging wages continue to push homeownership further out of reach"

Housing Inflation> Wage Growth

While this statement is about Miami, the same should be said for housing and homeownership across the U.S.

www.miamiherald.com/news/local/c...

Miami ranks low for homeownership among big U.S. cities. Here’s why

How does Miami stack up against the U.S.’s 75 largest metro areas?

www.miamiherald.com

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Nick Erickson @nserickson.bsky.social · 11d

Local Resistance Exacerbates US Housing Shortage

davisvanguard.org/2025/09/loca...

Local Resistance Exacerbates US Housing Shortage - Davis Vanguard

The fractured nature of American government has created a major obstacle to solving the nation's housing crisis, but the ROAD to Housing Act, which introduces a framework for federal incentives for zo...

davisvanguard.org

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