James S. Burling, a leading property rights attorney,
unpacks the flawed policies that have worsened America's housing
challenges and offers a bold, market-driven solution to restore
livable communities.
SACRAMENTO, Calif., Aug. 13,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A timely and insightful new
book, Nowhere to Live: The Hidden Story of America's Housing
Crisis, released today explores the root causes behind the
homelessness crisis and affordable housing challenges affecting
communities nationwide.
Government mistakes created the housing
crisis, says new book
In the book, James S.
Burling, a seasoned property rights attorney with
over 40 years of experience and vice president of legal affairs
at Pacific Legal Foundation, meticulously traces the
missteps and misguided policies that have shaped today's housing
crisis. Through vivid storytelling and historical analysis, Burling
examines pivotal moments from the early-20th-century housing
developments and the ill-fated "urban renewal" movement of the
1950s. The book reveals how most well-intentioned government
interventions have compounded the problem rather than resolving
it.
But Nowhere to Live goes beyond merely
diagnosing the problem or exposing why much of America has become
unlivable. It offers a viable solution: restoring private property
rights. The book makes a compelling argument that greater
protections for property rights will result in the production of
more housing.
Author Burling shares the inspiration behind his latest
book:
"I wrote this book after over 40 years of litigating property
rights, environmental, and land-use cases. It's clear that the
destruction and over-regulation of property rights have stifled the
development of millions of homes, driving up housing costs and
harming working-class and minority families. Even my own children,
despite their hard work and good jobs, struggle to afford homes in
regions like Southern California.
My goal is to restore respect for property rights and create a
climate where builders can provide the homes people need, where
they want to live." — James
Burling
Topics include:
- Zoning: America's obsession with quiet places where yards are
wide, and people (of color) are few
- Eminent domain and the destruction of working-class
housing
- How environmentalism destroys property rights and housing
opportunities
- Rent control isn't the answer
- Affordable housing mandates: unworkable, unproductive, and
unconstitutional
- The great emptying of the mentally ill onto our streets
- Property rights: way out of the housing crisis
Property rights attorneys and experts applaud Nowhere to
Live for its insightful analysis:
"This book provides a crucial understanding to navigate and
address the underlying issues of our nation's housing challenges."
— Senator Mike
Lee
"Essential reading for anyone interested in the most
important property rights and land use issue facing the United States today." — Ilya Somin, George Mason
University
"Although land regulation can be a dry subject, Burling has
turned it into an engaging story where the reader wants to turn the
page and learn what happens next." — Dana Berliner, Institute for Justice
"In case you ever wondered how we got to the point where we
could no longer house our population, look no farther…. It is a
sobering read and points the finger directly at the government
agencies responsible." — Michael
Berger, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP
"Nowhere to Live is essential reading not only for
legal experts but for interested citizens seeking to understand the
dynamics of America's housing crunch and the role of private
property in a flourishing society." — James Stern, William & Mary Law School
About Pacific Legal Foundation
Pacific Legal
Foundation is a national nonprofit law firm that defends Americans
threatened by government overreach and abuse. Since our founding in
1973, we challenge the government when it violates individual
liberty and constitutional rights. With active cases in 34 states
plus Washington, D.C., PLF represents clients in state and
federal courts, with 18 wins of 20 cases litigated at the U.S.
Supreme Court.
www.pacificlegal.org
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SOURCE Pacific Legal Foundation