Bernie Sanders says 'housing must be a right' with $2.5 trillion plan

[brooklynite]

Curbed

Sen. Bernie Sanders unveiled outlines of a sweeping $2.5 trillion housing plan during a campaign stop in Las Vegas on Saturday, a bold and far-reaching agenda that includes national rent control, ending homelessness, and turning federal housing assistance into an entitlement.

By introducing the plan in Nevada, a state hard-hit by the Great Recession and housing crisis, Sen. Sanders aims to steer the debate over an issue of rising importance among Democratic voters, and perhaps make a mark in an early primary state, where talk of affordability and rising rents resonates strongly.

“For too long, this is one of those issues that we just don’t talk about,” he said at a Las Vegas union hall, according to the New York Times. “We have an affordable housing crisis in Nevada, in Vermont and all over this country that must be addressed.”

The plan addresses the housing issue from multiple angles. For public housing residents, Sanders would invest $70 billion to rehabilitate the nation’s existing public housing stock and expand the National Housing Trust Fund, which helps cities and states pay for and maintain public housing.

For all renters, he would build 2 million mixed-income units, provide $50 billion in grants for community land trusts, promote robust legal protections for fair housing and take steps to eliminate racial discrimination and gentrification, and cap annual rent increases nationally at no more than one and a half times the rate of inflation or 3 percent, whichever is higher. For low-income renters specifically, he would turn housing assistance—the voucher program known as Section 8—into an entitlement, guaranteeing it to every American, and eliminating the long wait times.

"A trillion here, a trillion there, pretty soon you're talking about real money..."

[LincolnRossiter]

1. He has three houses. He should give one away.

Baziiiiing!

[redstateblues]

2. How about transportation being a right? A decent car for everyone

[thesquanderer]

14. A Car is not in the category of food and shelter. But the equivalent IS supported by government...

...it's called public transportation. That's how the government often supports transportation for people of all means.

Though better access to housing that might allow people to more easily live closer to where they work could also be helpful here.

[BlueMississippi]

3. I am waiting for "Lamborghini is a right" plan

I desperately need one but never would be able to afford it.

It will be a cheaper plan compared to the others. Only $1.4 trillion.

[oasis]

4. Hmmm, "A sweeping $2.5 trillion housing plan". At first glance

it would seem a bit much, but then, why the hell not?

[NYMinute]

5. lol

like clockwork, at the time of elections, BS churns out plan after plan which will never ever become reality.

BS has no control over land, local zoning ordinances, NIMBY groups or state laws. Federal government has ZERO control on housing.

[LincolnRossiter]

7. I wonder why his supporters don't feel as though their intelligence is being insulted.

Are there really millions of people who say "well he'll never get that done, but I'll vote for him anyway because it's the thought that counts?"

Honest question.

[brooklynite]

9. There were Trump voters who said they knew he wouldn't build a wall...

...but liked the idea that he talked about it.

[LincolnRossiter]

12. Absorbing and appreciating insults to one's intelligence are practically prerequisites for Trumpism.

It just comes with the territory.

[Newest Reality]

6. Homelessness

The homeless crises is emergent and growing and it really needs to be addressed or we all pay for it as a society in the short and long-run. Considering the idea of investment rather than cost puts a different angle on whatever is done. Too often, the upfront expense is emphasized and that is a rather "Republican" point of view.

Just consider seniors citizens as one aspect of this crises. We now have roughly 10,000 people reaching age 65 per day, (which is the average retirement age) in the US. Close to half of them, (look it up for more precise data) have little or no assets for retirement. That means there will be roughly 3.6 million people with potentially low, fixed or no income reaching that age per year for a good while as the boomers age.

From what I have seen there is currently little or no interest or investment in affordable, low-income housing overall and, as we know, rents are still rising and more corporations are holding properties as investments, as well.

Can we imagine the outcome of this? I am just being selective about one age group here. How many seniors will be lining the streets and underpasses in the near future and just how is that at all acceptable? Then, we can add the droves of working poor living in tents and cars and those who are now completely broken, disenfranchised and destitute.

There are so many factors involved that indicate that not addressing these issues just continues to contribute to the prevalent, 3rd-World status emerging in this country. When you carefully consider the scope of negative ramifications of that, (diseases, drugs, etc.) then it is both impractical and insane to turn a blind eye to this because it has a collective effect and even becomes more costly in a variety of ways the longer it is ignored.

[George II]

8. Homelessness is a serious problem in the city of Burlington and Chittenden County.

[brooklynite]

10. Perhaps Burlington and Chittenden County should address that.

Perhaps voters in Burlington and Chittenden County should tell them to.

[George II]

11. The person talking about this now was Mayor of Burlington for eight years and did little on this.

[LongtimeAZDem]

15. They've known about it for a long time

Link to tweet

[comradebillyboy]

16. At long last Bernie's past is getting some of the critical scrutiny

it warrants.

[Politicub]

13. His proposal comes from a place of compassion

The rent is too damn high and going higher.

Again, it's disheartening to see one of the nominees lampooned on DU for putting out a trial balloon on a policy intended to address homelessness and housing for the working poor and middle class.

The other candidates either ignore the problem, and there are right-wing tropes being recast as stuff like, "why shouldn't there be a right to a car?" Which is another way of saying, "Wellllll, why don't we raise the minimum wage to $1,000 per hour then there would be no poverty."

It gets old. And boring.

You may not like Sanders' proposal, but at least he has one.

[Joe941]

17. I think Bernie has a good point. He continues to be on the cutting edge of progressive policies!