Housing matters to people, be they owner, renter, housing provider, homeless individual, housing professional, or policymaker. Housing in the United States: The Basics offers an accessible introduction to key concepts and issues in housing—and a concise overview of the programs that affect housing choices, affordability, and access in the United States today. Part I covers the fundamentals of housing: households, housing units, and neighborhoods; housing as basic need vs. human right; supply and demand; construction, rehabilitation, and renovation; and demographic, socioeconomic, and cultural trends. Part II focuses on housing policy and its evolution from the early 20th century, through the Great Recession to the present day; policies related to owner- and renter-occupied housing; tax policies and expenditures; place- and people-based programs; and shortages of affordable housing.
Written in a clear and engaging style, this guide allows readers to quickly grasp the complex range of policies, programs, and factors that shape the housing landscape. Essential reading for students, community advocates, homebuyers/renters, and professionals with an interest in housing, it also serves as an ideal text for introductory courses in urban planning, urban studies, sociology, public administration, architecture, and real estate.
This book provides a valuable and practical foundation for informed housing discussions at the kitchen table, in the classroom, at work, or on Capitol Hill.
Part I. Housing in the United States. 1. Introduction: the Importance of Housing. 2. Housing in Neighborhoods. 3. Housing as a Basic Need versus Housing as a Right. 4. Housing Supply. 5. Housing Demand. 6. Housing Affordability. Part II. Housing Policy in the United States. 7. Introduction: the Importance of Housing Policy. 8. Urban Housing Policy and Owner-Occupied Housing and the Great Depression, the Civil Rights Era, and the Great Recession. 9. Urban Housing Policy and Owner-Occupied Housing. 10. Urban Housing Policy and Renter-Occupied Housing. Appendix.
Biography
Katrin B. Anacker is currently a Professor at the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University, VA, USA.
“Anacker offers a careful and comprehensive guide to how deeply housing affects American social and economic life. Importantly, she also shows how to create inclusive, equitable and sustainable housing markets through local, state, and federal policy.”
Dr Deirdre Pfeiffer, Associate Professor, School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Arizona State University
“Housing is the biggest expense for most Americans and impacts many facets of public and private life. This book is an essential text that focuses on both of these aspects—housing's role as an economic engine, and the balkanized attempts of various levels of government to promote equity and efficiency in the provision of housing. Tackling each of these subjects is a major contribution by Anacker.”
Dr Michael Lens, Associate Professor of Urban Planning and Public Policy at UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs
“This book offers a concise review of the key issues involved in housing markets and housing policy in the United States. Katrin Anacker is an expert guide who skillfully introduces and explains these important topics. The book will be an invaluable resource for students, instructors, and other readers.”
Dr Shomon Shamsuddin, Associate Professor, Urban & Environment Policy & Planning at Tufts University
