EMPTY HOUSING SPACE: AN OVERLOOKED RESOURCE

The nature of the housing problem in the United States has changed over the years while the posed solutions have not. Today the U.S. has both a surplus of housing and a shortage–the housing space is not effectively distributed. This article suggests the magnitude of underutilization of our housing space and discusses the federal and local policies which encourage over-consumption and discourage voluntary redistribution. Some pertinent recent Supreme Court decisions are discussed.