How to Make San Francisco’s Housing More Affordable

Dec. 13 (Bloomberg) -- On many economic issues, such as theminimum wage, there is a trade-off between freedom and equality.When it comes to San Francisco’s high housing costs, however,libertarianism and egalitarianism are on the same side. And SanFranciscans who are angry about these costs should be fightingfor less government -- or at least for more freedom fordevelopers -- because the surest way to a more equitable housingmarket is to reduce the barriers to building.

Life is harder for U.S. renters in general, as a new reportby my colleagues at Harvard University’s Joint Center forHousing Studies shows. The number of renters is increasing andrents are rising steeply in professionally managed apartments,as public housing assistance is reduced and renters’ income hasdecreased.