The US needs nearly 4 million homes. That’s a deficit that’s been decades in the making.
Years’ worth of zoning restriction pile-ups, underbuilding, and policy interference have hindered the ability to plan, build, and maintain affordable homes across America.
“We’re putting requirements in place before we have the foundational infrastructure in place to provide it,” says CEO of Up for Growth Mike Kingsella during the latest episode of the AFIRE podcast.
At the same time, the country’s energy infrastructure is straining to keep pace, not only with the increased demand in data centers to fuel AI, but also to supply energy at home.
So to solve the affordability and energy problem, AFIRE CEO Gunnar Branson and Kingsella discuss how to untangle the legacy decisions that got the U.S. where it is in housing, and how to prevent the same pattern in energy.
Key Moments
00:00 AFIRE CEO Gunnar Branson intro.
01:25 Branson introduces Mike Kingsella, CEO of Up for Growth
02:52 What is standing in the way of building affordable homes?
05:48 How do we empower the building of affordable housing?
10:17 What would happen if we subsidized affordable housing?
14:27 What can the US learn from Tokyo’s approach to zoning?
17:52 What are the factors influencing varying home costs from coast to coast?
22:51 Solving the housing crisis is multifactoral—where do we start?
24:11 How energy regulatory restrictions hinder housing development.
29:42 One of the biggest mistakes in solving the affordable housing crisis.
40:15 Meeting the demand for a walkable urban environment.
DISCLAIMER
The publisher of the AFIRE Podcast is not engaged in providing tax, accounting, or legal advice through this publication. No content published in the AFIRE Podcast is to be construed as a recommendation to buy or sell any asset. Some information included in the AFIRE Podcast has been obtained from third-party sources considered to be reliable, though the publisher is not responsible for guaranteeing the accuracy of third-party information. The opinions expressed in the AFIRE Podcast are those of its respective contributors and sources and do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher.
The AFIRE Podcast with Gunnar Branson is the official, multiple-award-winning podcast of AFIRE, the association for international real estate investors focused on commercial property in the United States.
Hosted by AFIRE CEO Gunnar Branson, the podcast features informative and in-depth conversations with experts across the full spectrum of real estate, investment, sustainability, economics, geopolitics, and urbanism with a focus on helping each other become Better Investors, Better Leaders, and Better Global Citizens. To learn more, visit afire.org/podcast
QUESTIONS?
Benjamin van Loon, Communications Director
bvanloon@afire.org | +1 202 312 1405