OPINION: Democrats Discuss — Biden’s plan for American housing crisis is a step in the right direction

Grant Perry is a sophomore double majoring in geography and political science. He is a member of the Ohio University College Democrats. The following article reflects the opinions and views of the author and does not represent the thoughts of the Ohio University College Democrats.

This is a submitted column. Please note that these views and opinions do not reflect those of The New Political.

The United States is facing a crisis. 

As affordable housing continues to decrease, more and more Americans are struggling to pay rent. In 2019, 37.1 million households were considered “housing cost-burdened,” which means they spent 30% or more of their income on housing. This problem has been ongoing, and our new president must face it head on.

While campaigning, U.S. President Joe Biden promised to invest $640 billion over the span of 10 years into quality housing for the American people. This plan includes initiatives such as increasing the supply and lowering the cost of housing, providing financial aid to citizens who need help providing down payments and ending unfair housing practices. 

Out of all of the proposed solutions to the United States’ inadequate housing, zoning reform is one of the best tools that we have.

Zoning laws are regulations that dictate land use within a municipality. The Biden Administration’s plan would add zoning reform requirements so existing federal grant programs can be amended by the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Transportation. 

Additionally, any new federal investments in housing will require localities and states to make affordable housing more available to prevent urban sprawl, which is uncontrolled expansion of urban areas mostly seen as suburbs. 

New incentives for housing authorities will cost $65 billion and will be used to rehabilitate low-cost housing, as long as they are willing to implement new zoning laws that encourage affordable housing. 

What does all of this mean? A rise in multifamily residential zoning.

Housing affordability comes down to the basic principle of supply and demand. If there is a low supply of housing in a particular area where many people want to live, the price of housing will continue to rise. 

A way to fix the affordable housing crisis is to use multifamily zoning. This way of regulating residential land-use requires dwellings to house more than a single-family. The more multifamily zoning there is, the more the price of housing will go down due to an increase in supply, alleviating the demand. By building vertically instead of horizontally, more families are able to live in a particular part of town while continuing to decrease the price point.

The Biden plan also addresses reducing the cost of rent for low-income families through tax credits that reduce rent and utilities to 30% of their income. This plan would allow low-income families to live in their desired areas without breaking the bank.

Although this plan has been criticized by those who think a tax credit would increase total rent, it is still a step in the right direction for families struggling to make ends meet.

In the end, the United States still needs a clear path out of this crisis. While executive actions can be beneficial, a solution to the problem must be worked out in the legislative branch to ensure that a change in administration will not cause millions of families to lose their homes or live in inadequate dwellings. The Democratic Party must take strong action on the nation's housing crisis in order to ensure that the right to fair housing is met.