Housing construction is a big part.
With the shift to remote work, we should convert a lot of office buildings to apartments now too. And incentivize more businesses to return to mostly-remote to clear up more office buildings, to counter the remote work backlash.
What rationale do people have to live in cities if they don't work there? WFH has mostly been a boon to low-cost exurban or rural areas.
Transitioning office blocks to condos is also a very expensive undertaking and is not a money-making move for cities in the long-term. Residents demand more in services than suits, but pay relatively less in taxes.
Cities already have the buildings to convert. And also better for transportation, finding everything they need, social lives, etc. though I agree policies to incentive remote work would also lead to a boom in cheaper housing in rural places too, which would also be great.
And converting is probably cheaper than building more suburban houses. We’ve already converted lots of old mill buildings due to the better affordability. Office buildings are going to slowly die in jobs where they’re not needed, so good to incentive it happening a little more quickly
