Fixing Housing Means Fixing Finance

Housing debates today are dominated by one idea: if we just build more homes, prices will fall. But what if that story is incomplete? In this episode, I sit down with Mike Fellman to unpack his report Fixing Housing Means Fixing Finance and explore why housing affordability is as much a finance problem as it is a supply problem. We break down the limits of traditional economic thinking, why upzoning alone doesn't guarantee more housing, and how the cost of capital—and the returns investors expect—ultimately determine what gets built. We also connect these ideas to what's happening here in Canada, where programs like CMHC's MLI Select are quietly reshaping the economics of rental housing by lowering borrowing costs and enabling more development. The result is a more nuanced view of the housing crisis—one that challenges the idea that we can simply deregulate our way to affordability. https://groundworkcollaborative.org/work/fixing-housing-means-fixing-finance-why-we-cant-deregulate-our-way-to-affordability/ Follow John x-twitter: https://x.com/JohnPasalis, Instagram @john.pasalis or email: [email protected] Follow the show on x-twitter: @MoveSmartly, Instagram @move.smartly  About This Show The Move Smartly show is hosted by John Pasalis, President and Broker of Realosophy Realty. MoveSmartly.com and its media channels on YouTube and various podcast platforms are powered by Realosophy Realty in Toronto, Canada. You can also watch this episode on our MoveSmartly YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/movesmartly If you enjoy our show and find it useful, please like, subscribe, share, review and comment on whatever platform you are watching or listening to us from - we appreciate your support!