Why addressing the housing crisis is so critical to America's future | Laura Foote

The Nick Halaris Show

This week on The Nick Halaris Show we are featuring civic leader, Laura Foote. Laura is a Founder and the Executive Director of Yimby Action, an innovative non-profit pro-housing advocacy organization. From humble beginnings organizing pro-housing campaigns in San Francisco, Laura and her colleagues at Yimby Action have become some of the most powerful voices in the local political battles over housing that are raging across the country. As a civic activist with an impressive track record of success, she’s fast becoming one of the most important voices for those looking to make the world a better place.

I wanted to have Laura on the show to learn what she’s been seeing and hearing on the frontlines of the now nationwide battle against the NIMBY forces and broken/corrupt local politics that are standing in the way of progress. Housing, a meta-issue of American politics, is fast becoming the key battleground in the fight over the future of America and Laura’s story should leave us all feeling optimistic. Turns out that passion and some innovative grassroots organizational efforts can go a long way in bringing about change in our democratic processes. In this fascinating episode, we cover:

• Why engaging in local politics and forming a strong community of pro-housing activists is so crucial and effective in advocating for change.
• How lawsuits and legal measures can be effective tools in challenging discriminatory practices and advocating for more housing.
• How high housing costs contribute to the lack of opportunity and bitterness in American society, particularly in rural communities.
• Why the connection between homeownership and middle-class wealth has been severed, leading to a divergence in financial trajectories between generations.
• Why affordable housing is essential for addressing intergenerational wealth disparities and providing opportunities for financial stability.

Stay tuned to the end to hear Laura’s fascinating take on why the housing affordability crisis is responsible for the fracturing of American society and some bold ideas on what we should to do help, both from a policy perspective and in our individual capacity as citizens.

As always, I hope you all enjoy this episode. Thanks for tuning in!