SB 27-09: Housing Reform Act for Needy Atlasians (Passed)

[Former President tack50]

This looks like a good bill overall. However I have never been a fan of rent control and I have long thought that the way to go was actually to build more housing to solve the housing problems. So section II.ii should probably be struck down.

I am also not sure about section II.iii; I thought waitlists only happened for public housing?

I am also in opposition to the list of cities dictated in section III.iiia; shouldn't we concentrate more profoundly on areas with a high cost of living? Maybe we should tweak a bit the city list.

But overall a good bill.

[Former President tack50]

I will make it official I guess

Scott's amendment has been adopted

[Former President tack50]

As for the merits of Blair's amendment I would support a big construction project. However given the budget right now it might be a bad idea to embark in sich a big project. Had it not been for Covid I'd oppose Blair's amendment

[Former President tack50]

Yeah I agree with Yankee that rent control is a symptom and not the disease per se, though it is not like rent control makes things any better.

The bill as it stands now however just removes barriers to access to housing for disabled people, which is still a great move; just not one that will deal with the issues of high housing prices for most people.

[Former President tack50]

What is the preferred structure for an alternative home program, or is that going to be pursued separately?

As things stand now (ie after the Blair amendment), the home program would be pursued in a separate bill? This will would only deal with discrimination in access to housing, but not necesarily build any more units.

Of course we could always bring the part Blair took away back.

[Former President tack50]

Aye

[Former President tack50]

I personally think the bill is fine as it is, but I won't oppose unanimous consent if the Senate wants to keep debating it longer