our stance on
Housing

Fixing Housing: The Pivot Party’s Vision

Everyone deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. But for many Americans, the dream of owning a home feels impossible. Rising home prices, high rents, and soaring interest rates are making it harder than ever for families to get by.

Nearly half of Americans are struggling to afford housing, with costs up more than 20% in recent years. At the same time, big corporations and predatory landlords are buying up single-family homes, driving up prices and making stable housing even harder to find. This is more than just a housing problem—it’s a crisis for our communities.

The Pivot Party believes housing is a right. We’re committed to fixing the system so that everyone has access to affordable, stable housing.

The Pivot Party’s Plan for Housing

We’re tackling the root causes of the housing crisis with real solutions:

1. Make Housing Affordable:

   • Limit rent increases to stop price gouging.

   • Offer incentives to developers to build affordable homes.

   • Provide tax breaks to help first-time homebuyers purchase a home.

2. Protect Communities:

   • Stop large corporations from buying up single-family homes and turning them into rentals.

   • Strengthen tenant protections with fair eviction laws and transparent rental agreements.

   • Promote community-based housing initiatives like co-ops and land trusts.

3. Invest in Public and Affordable Housing:

   • Increase funding for public housing projects that are safe, modern, and integrated into neighborhoods.

   • Upgrade existing public housing to provide better living conditions.

   • Help local governments expand affordable housing with grants and low-interest loans.

4. Make Homeownership Easier:

   • Offer down payment assistance and financial education to help renters become homeowners.

   • Reform zoning laws to allow more affordable and multi-family housing in areas where it’s needed most.

   • Provide government-backed loans with lower interest rates for first-time homebuyers.

5. End Homelessness:

   • Fund programs that provide quick housing solutions and support for people experiencing homelessness.

   • Expand mental health and addiction services to address root causes of homelessness.

   • Ensure everyone has access to a shelter by creating guaranteed housing programs.

   • Decriminalize homelessness by ending fines and arrests for sleeping in public spaces and focusing on services that help people rebuild their lives.

A Future Where Everyone Has a Place to Call Home

We imagine a future where housing is no longer a source of stress but a foundation for opportunity and security. By making housing affordable, protecting communities, and addressing homelessness, we can make owning or renting a home possible for everyone.

How We Got Here: Key Decisions That Hurt Housing

To fix the housing crisis, we need to understand the pivotal moments that shaped today’s challenges:

1. The Housing Act of 1949:

   • While aiming to provide “a decent home and a suitable living environment for every American family,” this act led to urban renewal projects that displaced low-income families and minority communities without adequate replacement housing.

2. Fair Housing Act (1968):

   • Intended to eliminate discrimination in housing, enforcement of this act has often been inconsistent, allowing practices like redlining to persist informally.

3. Tax Reform Act of 1986:

   • Reduced tax benefits for rental property investments, discouraging the development of affordable housing and exacerbating shortages.

4. The Financial Services Modernization Act (1999):

   • Deregulated the financial industry, enabling risky mortgage practices and fueling the housing bubble that burst in 2008.

5. Kelo v. City of New London (2005):

   • Expanded the government’s power of eminent domain, often displacing communities for commercial development rather than public use.

6. Housing and Economic Recovery Act (2008):

   • Passed in response to the housing crisis, this act primarily focused on stabilizing markets and lenders, offering little relief to homeowners at risk of foreclosure.

7. Corporate Landlords and Housing Markets (2010s–Today):

   • Large investment firms began buying up single-family homes, turning them into rentals, driving up prices, and reducing options for first-time buyers.

8. Restrictive Zoning Laws:

   • Local zoning rules have historically limited affordable and multi-family housing developments, worsening shortages and increasing segregation by income and race.

By addressing these pivotal decisions, we can rebuild a housing system that prioritizes affordability, fairness, and community stability.

It’s time to pivot. Let’s build a future where everyone has a place to call home.