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This is the TV version of Jan Jekielek’s interview with James Burling. The longer-form version was released on Epoch TV on October 1, 2024.
James Burling is vice president of legal affairs at the Pacific Legal Foundation and author of “Nowhere to Live: The Hidden Story of America’s Housing Crisis.”
“It used to be, if you could build on your property, you could farm on your property. You could cut trees on your property, as long as you didn’t hurt your neighbors. And now the federal government, the state government, local governments, are your partners in anything you do to your property. You can’t do anything. You can’t say ‘boo’ without getting permits from somebody. And with that kind of impediment, a lot of people who would otherwise build homes said, ‘I’m going to do something else with my money,” says Burling.
What are the root causes of the apparent shortage of housing in America today? And why does Burling believe many housing-related proposals, from subsidies, to certain zoning rules, to rent controls, are actually counterproductive?
“The idea of having national rent control, as has been proposed by some people, is going to make a problem that is confined to the cities with rent control into a national problem. And it’s been a disaster wherever it’s been tried,” says Burling. “We start taking away property rights, and then it becomes easier for the government to control us. If the government owns the printing presses, are you going to have a free press? If the government owns the churches, do you have freedom of religion? If the government owns interests in housing everywhere, and you have to get government permission to have a home or to build a home, are you going to be as willing to criticize the government that has the power over you of where you’re going to live?”
CHAPTER HEADERS
[0:00:01 – 0:00:56] The Housing Crisis and Permit Requirements
[0:01:04 – 0:03:51] Impact of Housing Subsidies
[0:04:08 – 0:11:04] Historical Context of Zoning Laws
[0:11:27 – 0:19:54] James Burling’s Background and Significant Cases
[0:20:10 – 0:22:46] Balancing Environmental Regulations and Housing Affordability
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