Thanks to Cameron Westbrook, President of the student chapter of the Denver Law Federalist Society for sponsoring a program today and inviting us to speak at the law school together with Colorado Rep. Javier Mabrey in a “debate” on housing law and policy.
We put debate in quotes because there’s a ton of areas in which we agree when it comes to figuring out what is to blame for the current shortage of housing. He said zoning is a primary culprit; we agreed and added only that it isn’t just zoning but overregulation in general, which can often lead to death by a thousand days.
We also discussed rent control (especially in New York City), vacancy taxes, and even home rule vs. Dillon rule and the distribution of power between states and local governments.
In the finest tradition of open debate and rational discussion.