Features

The Future of Affordable Housing in the US: Global Solutions for a Local Problem

Introduction Amidst an ensuing cost of living crisis in many geographies, a higher for longer interest rate environment, and the sustained shocks of inflation resulting from the pandemic years and the return of interstate war in Europe, a feeling of economic insecurity pervades many societies today. Remarkably, in an economy which is expanding over 3%… Read more

Lessons I Learned from Ray Torto

Ray Torto was an important teacher and mentor for me. His recent passing has put me in a reflective mood about the things I learned from him. I owe much of the success in my career to his ability to teach. In 1996, I packed up my life in Chicago and drove out to Boston… Read more

The Everyday Leader

Transcending Borders: A Lesson in Cultural Exchange from Cherry Blossom Season

In the bustling metropolises as well as the tranquil countryside of Japan, Spring heralds the arrival of a breathtaking spectacle – cherry blossom season. For seven memorable years, I had the privilege of immersing myself in the beauty and tradition of this enchanting time, living as an American expatriate in the Land of the Rising… Read more

Perspectives

Why States Should Preempt Local Zoning to Create Affordable Housing

Housing shortages once mainly confined to the coasts have made landfall in places like Boise, Idaho, and Bozeman, Montana. According to Freddie Mac, the United States “is short 3.8 million housing units to keep up with household formation.” While other factors—including land costs, lack of available land, and high labor costs—contribute to the housing shortage,… Read more