Fixer-Upper is the first book assessing how the broad set of local, state, and national housing policies affect people and communities. It does more than describe how yesterday’s policies led to today’s problems. It proposes practical policy changes than can make stable, decent-quality housing more available and affordable for all Americans in all communities. Fixing systemic problems that arose over decades won’t be easy, in large part because millions of middle-class Americans benefit from the current system and feel threatened by potential changes. But Fixer-Upper suggests ideas for building political coalitions among diverse groups that share common interests in putting better housing within reach for more Americans, building a more equitable and healthy country.
Jenny Schuetz is a Senior Fellow at Brookings Metro. Her research focuses on urban economics and housing policy, particularly how government policies impact housing affordability and economic opportunity.
Table of Contents
1 Housing Sits at the Intersection of Several Complex Systems 2 Build More Homes Where People Want to Live 3 Stop Building Homes in the Wrong Places 4 Give Poor People Money 5 Homeownership Should Be Only One Component of Household Wealth 6 High-Quality Community Infrastructure Is Expensive, But It Benefits Everyone 7 Overcoming the Limits of Localism 8 Build Political Coalitions around Better Policies
