ZacCast

On this epic episode, we welcome Chuck Marohn, founder and president of Strong Towns. Chuck's bestselling new book, Escaping the Housing Trap, kicks off the conversation, which winds its way through a variety of important issues facing cities today.

Topics
02:33 - What is the housing trap?
04:05 - Pre-Depression era housing finance
08:00 - Government response to Depression vs the 2008 Housing Crisis
13:15 - Supply and Demand vs Finance as causes of the housing crisis
16:04 - Did we get here via High Modernism or hot fixes? 
23:16 - When did we cross the Housing Trap Rubicon?
26:36 - What role does the finance market play in the housing shortage?
33:15 - Why doesn't the housing market doesn't respond to consumer needs like other markets?
35:37 - What's wrong with demand side approaches to affordability?
38:55 - The Strong Towns approach to addressing the housing trap
45:21 - How do we sell the Strong Towns approach to our community?
1:01:56 - Budgetary forests and trees
1:04:19 - Chuck's has beef with sales tax
1:18:17 - Why sales tax creates a higher burden for understanding your city's finance
1:24:38 - What role should state government's play to help city's improve their fiscal health?

Links and Notes

Creators and Guests

Host
Chad Janicek
Former city manager, current local government nerd. I build fun stuff that helps cities make better decisions @zactax
Host
Patrick Lawler
It's all for nothing if you don't have freedom.
Guest
Charles Marohn
Dad. Husband. Engineer. Planner. Author.Books: Strong Towns | Confessions of a Recovering Engineer | Escaping the Housing Trap

What is ZacCast?

The official podcast for local government nerds, from the folks behind ZacTax. We talk about everything from sales tax to city management to college sports, and bring you stories from the front lines of local government administration.