Proposals for dealing with the housing crisis invariably invoke a framework that pigeonholes legislators. This framework pits one group against another group, with each vying to influence legislators. With this framework legislators must provide favors to one group at the expense of others.
For example, many proposals seek to protect tenants by controlling and restricting landlords. Tenants benefit at the expense of property owners. As another example, many cities require developers to offer below-market housing as a condition for receiving permission to build a housing project. Low-income families benefit at the expense of the tenants who pay above-market rates to compensate.
Focusing on a group leads us to evaluate a policy from a narrow perspective. We ignore the impact on non-members of the favored group. Eviction moratoriums benefit tenants but impose significant a financial burden on landlords. When our focus is narrowed, we don’t see the consequences on other issues. Eviction moratoriums prevent a tenant from losing his home, but if the landlord can’t pay his mortgage new problems arise. When our focus is narrowed, we only look at the short-term benefits to the favored group. As a result, we often wind up with policies that do more harm than good in the long term.
There is an alternative framework for evaluating policy options. This framework begins by focusing on individuals rather than groups. If we want to do what is best for Texans, then our goal should be identifying what is best for all individuals rather than what is best for one group or another. We must identify what is best for tenants and landlords, long-time residents of a neighborhood and developers, low-income families and the affluent.
When we focus on individuals, we do not evaluate policies in isolation. We look at the big picture—the full context. We examine how a policy will impact all individuals—not just tenants but landlords as well. When we focus on individuals, our eyes are opened to alternatives, as well as the long-term consequences of each alternative.
If we want to make the best possible decisions regarding housing for all Texans, then we must reject the framework that has caused the current housing crisis. In its place, we must embrace a new framework for housing.