The housing theory of everything

ABC 199: On the root of (almost) all of our problems

If I told you there was one root cause that could help explain climate change, financial instability, economic inequality, and falling fertility, you might think I was exaggerating. But the more and more I learn about the global housing crisis, the less far-fetched this claim seems.

The housing supply not only determines how much of our paychecks goes toward putting a roof over our heads, but also where we work, how many kids we have, how often we get sick, and who we spend our time with.

I used to think the housing crisis was unique to San Francisco and other land-constrained large American cities, but it wasn’t until I read this article that I realized the global scale of the problem. For example, in London house prices are up over 2,100% since 1980 (or around 1,500% more than wages).

This is my favorite type of article to read. It feels like an entire college class condensed into a digestible Sunday long read. It will give you context on an issue that affects everyone—and will be particularly relevant this election cycle.

Here’s the piece: The housing theory of everything

Warmly,
Simo 

P.S. The song of the week is a Brazilian Bosa Nova track from the 70s. The beat still feels as modern as ever. The full songs of the week playlist is here.