Mismatched Curtains
Sometimes, the inanity of government regulations knows no bounds. As an example, Mildred Bryant, a resident of Pagedale, Missouri, was fined for having mismatched curtains. This might seem absurd, and it is, but in principle it is no different from hundreds of other regulations that control how individuals use their property. For example, zoning can be used to dictate virtually every aspect of land use, from the type of architecture to the amount of green space. Preservation regulations can dictate the type of materials to be used for repairs and maintenance. And the list goes on. If citizens accept the premise that government can control how they use their property, they shouldn’t be surprised when government officials tell them how to decorate their home.
Housing Costs in Houston
Neil Meyer provides a thought provoking analysis of why real estate prices have soared in Houston (and other areas of Texas) over the past five years. His analysis focuses on the demand side. The boom in domestic oil and gas production has brought many new people to the Houston and Texas, with the result being a significant increase in the demand for housing. While Meyer laments that builders haven’t sufficiently responded to the increased demand, he doesn’t address why. From 2004 to 2010, Bill White was mayor of Houston, and he ushered in a series of “green” building codes, supported expansion of the city’s preservation ordinance, and issued controls on new construction. White was followed by Annise Parker, who also supported more regulations on building and development. These controls imposed more costs on builders and developers and made it more difficult to supply housing.