We used to build starter homes, but now they're mostly illegal

In the 1950’s and 60’s, we built starter homes all across North America. Today, they’re illegal to build in most places. Let’s reform our zoning, permitting, and parking laws to allow them again. #strongtowns #urbanism #walkablecities #housing

[WolfSeril]

Forcing your kids to move out of the town they grew up in is so socially and culturally destructive. Most Americans have no investment in their community because they just moved there and they aren't going to stay for long. I grew up in one of those "best places to raise kids" towns- if that was true, how come none of my friends are still there, raising their own children? The only people who stayed are people who still live in their parents' house.

[Greggsberdard]

I believe the retirement crisis will get even worse. Many struggle to save due to low wages, rising prices, and exorbitant rents. With homeownership becoming unattainable for middle-class Americans, they may not have a home to rely on for retirement either.

[RemnantCult]

Sadly, the people who already own homes don't want their nearby properties to get cheaper. It's almost like a battle between the literal haves vs. have-nots.

[jiffyb]

It's a major point that kids HAVE to move away to afford housing and grandparents HAVE to drive even when they're not well enough to. Nice job condensing the issue!

[texaswunderkind]

I grew up in an idyllic neighborhood in the 1970's. Our house backed up to a spindly, twisting park that was a centerpiece for the whole the area. As a kid, I never noticed, but on one end of the park were small starter homes that singles or young families could afford. My parents' house was a little bit larger. Along one edge of the park were large houses with more affluent people. A large apartment complex was a few blocks away. The net result was people from all strata of society mingling in the park, playing in rec sports leagues, having birthday parties, and attending the same school.

[PeterSdrolias]

Then we wonder why people can barely afford to feed their families. The cost of housing and vehicles is going to bankrupt us all!

[telocities]

Yes zoning laws are the biggest stumbling block to better towns and quality of life in the US. Didn't use to be this way, but once adopted in the1950's it's been hard to change or get rid of.

[pbilk]

My mom wishes for my siblings and I to live nearby in their village but only one of my siblings got lucky. The rest of us are a 20-70 minute drive away. And I don't want to live in a village where I require to drive around for my basic necessities.
However, villages don't have to be that way. I saw that in the Netherlands. They had there basic necessities and them some. Then they could bike 10 minutes into the larger town or city to get more or access the train.

[Hydrocarbonateable]

My small town set up a plot of extremely tiny lots exclusively reserved for starter home building. And then they put a 1, 000 square foot minimum on the house's footprint. So if you build the house, there's zero yard. Years later, there's only 3 houses out there.

Meanwhile, I want to make a tiny home village but I'd have to zone it as a trailer park, which of course makes the neighbors veto it. Uuuuugh

[moseslopez]

We need to make this a mainstream issue in the 2024 race. I feel like as I say that it sounds crazy but we need this issue to have lobbyists and protests and become like big political movement.

[sinisterdesign]

Damn straight. Zoning reform can't come to the US soon enough!

[countrybluegrass]

Detached single-family ranch-style houses (whose big yards and big garages were and are still their selling points, ) are a curious example to cite as the exemplar here, given they're almost exclusively found in car-dependent suburban developments. The few cases in which they aren't explicitly located in suburban developments are when the proverbial goal posts have shifted due to 70+ years of suburban sprawl leaving them relatively close to urban cores.

[Mark-Hall]

StrongTowns is killing it with their amazing, common sense content.

[kandystorressantiago]

Some starter homes are being bought and demolished to build more modern homes that are worth 3 to 4 times as much too. That is a thing as well.

[eddyawesomes]

We need to get involved in our local city council and push for this.

[rodgerbane]

In America, when you look at a problem to find the root and source don't look at who's suffering the problem, look who's making $$$ off of the problem.

[davidlamb]

If only people wanted to build neighborhoods that house everyone. Unfortunately, for many people, their stated goal is exactly the opposite. :(

[jonny-b]

I've got a starter house. 900 sq ft. 2 bedrooms. 1 bathroom. 1 car garage. I love it. I don't need all that extra space. And IF I ever start a family (doubt it unfortunately) I can easily add an addition on the back.

[Awesome_Aasim]

It's quite ironic that suburbanites complain about the homeless in their cities and yet those same suburbanites also object to any new housing for the homeless in fear that it will ruin the "character" of the neighborhood.

[andrewbailey]

This channel is great! Even though I live in the UK, some of the points are still applicable. Especially to new developments and neighbourhoods