Episode 295: The Affordable Housing Myth
From Scholars Strategy Network's No Jargon by The Scholars Strategy Network
March 17, 2026 · 35 min · Episode 295
About this episode
Professor Hilary Botein discusses the complexities of affordable housing and the impact of local politics on housing access.
Housing costs keep rising across the United States, and policymakers are scrambling for solutions. In Congress, policymakers from across the aisle are advancing legislation aimed at encouraging more housing construction, based on the idea that increasing supply will help bring prices down. But what actually makes housing "affordable" and who benefits from the policies meant to fix the problem? Drawing on decades of research and experience working on housing issues in New York City, Professor Hilary Botein explains how politics and local housing markets affect who has access and why simply building more housing may not help people with the lowest incomes.
People in this episode
Guest: Professor Hilary Botein
Topics covered
- affordable housing
- housing policy
- politics
- local housing markets
- income inequality
Keywords
- affordable housing
- housing costs
- legislation
- housing construction
- New York City
- income access
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Scholars Strategy Network
Places: New York City, United States
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