Barbara Samuels
@bsamuels72.bsky.social
Unleashed, not retired. Fair Housing & Affordable Housing attorney. Orioles, Ravens true believer. WV mountains, Cape waters, but Baltimore is still home. Repost is not endorsement etc
Younger voters are fed w/ unaffordable housing & the weaponization of the councilmanic veto by NIMBYs to block affordable housing.
Analysis: Voters blessed a building boom for affordable housing in New York. Is it a model for the country? | CNN Politics
Analysis: Voters blessed a building boom for affordable housing in New York. Is it a model for the country? | CNN Politics
The biggest message New York City voters sent on election night was not their choice of democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani, who got a little more than 50% of the vote.
edition.cnn.com
November 10, 2025 at 10:17 AM
Younger voters are fed w/ unaffordable housing & the weaponization of the councilmanic veto by NIMBYs to block affordable housing.
“The city council’s anti-charter-change campaign was an aggressive defense of individual council members’ right to be NIMBYs, whether from the left or right. A majority of the city’s voters has now decisively rejected this approach.”
The beginning of the end for the councilmanic veto beyond NYC?
The beginning of the end for the councilmanic veto beyond NYC?
New York City’s Election Marks the Rise of the “Left-YIMBY”
Approval of pro-housing-development ballot measures suggests that the old “home voter” coalition is dead.
www.city-journal.org/article/new-...
Approval of pro-housing-development ballot measures suggests that the old “home voter” coalition is dead.
www.city-journal.org/article/new-...
New York City’s Election Marks the Rise of the “Left-YIMBY”
Approval of pro-housing-development ballot measures suggests that the old “home voter” coalition is dead.
www.city-journal.org
November 10, 2025 at 9:42 AM
“The city council’s anti-charter-change campaign was an aggressive defense of individual council members’ right to be NIMBYs, whether from the left or right. A majority of the city’s voters has now decisively rejected this approach.”
The beginning of the end for the councilmanic veto beyond NYC?
The beginning of the end for the councilmanic veto beyond NYC?
Yup, Pulte’s self-interested fingerprints all over this.
Instead of working to lower actual housing costs in the long run and providing wealth through equity of home ownership, let's lock folks into mortgages they'll never pay off before retirement-- in the end the banks will win.
This is not good. Short-sided 100%.
This is not good. Short-sided 100%.
thehill.com
November 10, 2025 at 9:25 AM
Yup, Pulte’s self-interested fingerprints all over this.
The problem w/ relying on filtering to provide affordability: “Homes in weak-market neighborhoods with fewer services become less expensive…there is less evidence for housing becoming more affordable in desirable areas. Rather, neighborhoods with better amenities and services remain exclusive.”
Reevaluating Filtering as a Provision of Affordable Housing: A Case Study of St. Louis: Adler, Brian; reader, Lydia
NEP/RePEc link
to paper
d.repec.org
November 10, 2025 at 9:20 AM
The problem w/ relying on filtering to provide affordability: “Homes in weak-market neighborhoods with fewer services become less expensive…there is less evidence for housing becoming more affordable in desirable areas. Rather, neighborhoods with better amenities and services remain exclusive.”
For the consumer this sounds like the car loans that now saddle consumers w/ 5+ years of car payments because car prices are not otherwise affordable.
But it enables Pulte Homes, the biz Trump’s FHFA director Bill Pulte inherited, to sell houses at prices few Americans can afford.
But it enables Pulte Homes, the biz Trump’s FHFA director Bill Pulte inherited, to sell houses at prices few Americans can afford.
Trump's 50 year mortgage idea benefits the lender with more interest payments.
The homeowner will have to wait longer to build equity.
This doesn't solve the housing affordability problem
The homeowner will have to wait longer to build equity.
This doesn't solve the housing affordability problem
BREAKING: President Trump announces his 50-year mortgage to solve the housing crisis.
At 7%, a 50-year mortgage means the bank earns more than double what the house costs. You hand over $1.36 million in interest just to live in a $500K home.
At 7%, a 50-year mortgage means the bank earns more than double what the house costs. You hand over $1.36 million in interest just to live in a $500K home.
November 9, 2025 at 5:18 PM
For the consumer this sounds like the car loans that now saddle consumers w/ 5+ years of car payments because car prices are not otherwise affordable.
But it enables Pulte Homes, the biz Trump’s FHFA director Bill Pulte inherited, to sell houses at prices few Americans can afford.
But it enables Pulte Homes, the biz Trump’s FHFA director Bill Pulte inherited, to sell houses at prices few Americans can afford.
Does this Western HoCo (Glenelg) n-hood of single family McMansions on one acre lots outside the PFA growth boundary look like Smart Growth to you? Or does it look like (mis)use of land use regulation to create a sprawling zone of affluence conveniently located midway between DC & Baltimore?
November 9, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Does this Western HoCo (Glenelg) n-hood of single family McMansions on one acre lots outside the PFA growth boundary look like Smart Growth to you? Or does it look like (mis)use of land use regulation to create a sprawling zone of affluence conveniently located midway between DC & Baltimore?
Outside the URDL so off limits to normal housing construction of an exclusive golf club & the McMansions at Caves Valley was permitted by Baltimore Co: “Live in an exclusive community in a coveted destination. Imagine stepping out of your home and onto the greens for a round of golf.”
redf.in/fNQo3l
redf.in/fNQo3l
3137 Blendon Rd, Owings Mills, MD 21117 - 4 beds/5.5 baths
(BRIGHT MLS) For Sale: 4 beds, 5.5 baths ∙ 9461 sq. ft. ∙ 3137 Blendon Rd, Owings Mills, MD 21117 ∙ $3,189,000 ∙ MLS# MDBC2136726 ∙ VIP EVENING OPEN HOUSE, Wednesday, Nov. 12 @ 5-7pm. Welcome to this ...
redf.in
November 8, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Outside the URDL so off limits to normal housing construction of an exclusive golf club & the McMansions at Caves Valley was permitted by Baltimore Co: “Live in an exclusive community in a coveted destination. Imagine stepping out of your home and onto the greens for a round of golf.”
redf.in/fNQo3l
redf.in/fNQo3l
The Trump administration’s larger approach to housing: Punishing those in need but failing to address affordability — the primary driver of homelessness.
November 7, 2025 at 7:20 PM
The Trump administration’s larger approach to housing: Punishing those in need but failing to address affordability — the primary driver of homelessness.
“A decades-long decline in federal funding to produce deeply affordable housing — the main source of the country’s affordability crisis — is increasingly pushing locals to find funds anywhere they can to pay for it and to loosen regulations to build it.”
November 7, 2025 at 7:15 PM
“A decades-long decline in federal funding to produce deeply affordable housing — the main source of the country’s affordability crisis — is increasingly pushing locals to find funds anywhere they can to pay for it and to loosen regulations to build it.”
The Baltimore Co URDL was designed to preserve the lifestyle of the landed gentry, not to help actual farmers. For a relatively modest $1.2M you can “Live authentically!” Attend the steeplechase races, dine nearby, land your helicopter on your property…
All within a short commute.
redf.in/Ld8Zw7
All within a short commute.
redf.in/Ld8Zw7
15507 Manor Rd, Monkton, MD 21111 - 3 beds/2.5 baths
(BRIGHT MLS) For Sale: 3 beds, 2.5 baths ∙ 3838 sq. ft. ∙ 15507 Manor Rd, Monkton, MD 21111 ∙ $1,275,000 ∙ MLS# MDBC2145212 ∙ Live authentically. Perfectly sited on 15.675 pastoral acres in the storie...
redf.in
November 7, 2025 at 3:29 PM
The Baltimore Co URDL was designed to preserve the lifestyle of the landed gentry, not to help actual farmers. For a relatively modest $1.2M you can “Live authentically!” Attend the steeplechase races, dine nearby, land your helicopter on your property…
All within a short commute.
redf.in/Ld8Zw7
All within a short commute.
redf.in/Ld8Zw7
ARC reports the “number of high-poverty counties in Appalachia has been reduced by nearly 60 percent — from 297 in 1960 to 119 today.” But map shows poverty still high in the central Appalachian coalfield counties.
www.arc.gov/map/high-pov...
www.arc.gov/map/high-pov...
High-Poverty Counties in Appalachia, 1960 and 2019-2023 - Appalachian Regional Commission
This map displays high-poverty counties in the Appalachian Region using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. ARC defines high-poverty counties as those with poverty rates that are at least 1.5 times (150...
www.arc.gov
November 7, 2025 at 3:03 PM
ARC reports the “number of high-poverty counties in Appalachia has been reduced by nearly 60 percent — from 297 in 1960 to 119 today.” But map shows poverty still high in the central Appalachian coalfield counties.
www.arc.gov/map/high-pov...
www.arc.gov/map/high-pov...
Reposted by Barbara Samuels
“After conditioning on a rich set of controls and individual appraiser fixed effects, we observe lower appraised values (relative to benchmark valuation estimates) for Black owned homes. Hispanic and Asian owned homes are also under appraised, but to a lesser extent.”
Do Appraiser and Borrower Race Affect Mortgage Collateral Valuation?
Abstract. We examine racial bias in property appraisals using a national sample of refinanced mortgages from 2000 to 2007. Our data allow us to observe the
academic.oup.com
November 7, 2025 at 1:39 AM
“After conditioning on a rich set of controls and individual appraiser fixed effects, we observe lower appraised values (relative to benchmark valuation estimates) for Black owned homes. Hispanic and Asian owned homes are also under appraised, but to a lesser extent.”
Reposted by Barbara Samuels
The states with the highest proportion of people relying on disability benefits are West Virginia, Kentucky, Arkansas, Mississippi and Alabama — all states that lack their own aid programs for workers to turn to amid federal cuts.
Red State Workers Could Lose Out on Disability Benefits as Trump Administration Rewrites Eligibility Rules
Planned changes to Social Security’s disability program could leave hundreds of thousands of older blue-collar workers ineligible for aid. These changes would fall disproportionately on some of Presid...
www.propublica.org
November 6, 2025 at 9:11 PM
The states with the highest proportion of people relying on disability benefits are West Virginia, Kentucky, Arkansas, Mississippi and Alabama — all states that lack their own aid programs for workers to turn to amid federal cuts.
Public funds required in both cases.
Bad take that collapses two separate issues: homelessness prevention (where money helps but the main thing you need is a large supply of housing) and helping people when prevention fails (which absolutely requires public funds). thehill.com/opinion/whit...
thehill.com
November 6, 2025 at 9:57 PM
Public funds required in both cases.
Reposted by Barbara Samuels
“I think my community should welcome outsiders and newcomers seeking a better life” and “I think we should only build new housing for the kind of people who actually deserve it” are fundamentally incompatible beliefs.
November 6, 2025 at 4:15 PM
“I think my community should welcome outsiders and newcomers seeking a better life” and “I think we should only build new housing for the kind of people who actually deserve it” are fundamentally incompatible beliefs.
Reposted by Barbara Samuels
My "but Boston!" take is simple.
-Michelle Wu is implementing progressive climate & housing policy.
-This has pissed off business interests.
-They came after her in the election and she slapped them down handily.
-Watch this space.
newrepublic.com/post/202735/...
-Michelle Wu is implementing progressive climate & housing policy.
-This has pissed off business interests.
-They came after her in the election and she slapped them down handily.
-Watch this space.
newrepublic.com/post/202735/...
November 6, 2025 at 3:16 PM
My "but Boston!" take is simple.
-Michelle Wu is implementing progressive climate & housing policy.
-This has pissed off business interests.
-They came after her in the election and she slapped them down handily.
-Watch this space.
newrepublic.com/post/202735/...
-Michelle Wu is implementing progressive climate & housing policy.
-This has pissed off business interests.
-They came after her in the election and she slapped them down handily.
-Watch this space.
newrepublic.com/post/202735/...
For perspective on the US housing market—the inequality is worse than you thought.
And its way more profound than corporate or private equity ownership of single family homes.
And its way more profound than corporate or private equity ownership of single family homes.
The top 1% of wealthiest Americans watch their real estate assets appreciate w/o facing interest payments, as they mainly buy homes with cash. They could afford to buy every home in the country - without going into debt - while most households struggle to buy or hold on to just one.
America's richest 1% could buy nearly the entire housing market
Meanwhile, lower-income buyers face mounting mortgage debt
www.mpamag.com
November 6, 2025 at 5:21 PM
For perspective on the US housing market—the inequality is worse than you thought.
And its way more profound than corporate or private equity ownership of single family homes.
And its way more profound than corporate or private equity ownership of single family homes.
Most LIHTC units have been targeted to lower rent, lower resourced n-hoods where LIHTC rents are close to n-hood market rates.
The big threat is to the relatively few LIHTC units in areas w/ high market rents “at outsized risk for losing their affordability after their LIHTC requirements expire.”
The big threat is to the relatively few LIHTC units in areas w/ high market rents “at outsized risk for losing their affordability after their LIHTC requirements expire.”
Since the LIHTC program was created in 1986, the number of LIHTC units has risen every year as the program has become the major generator of affordable housing in the US.
Because of affordability expiration, however, the number of LIHTC units is expected to begin falling over the next decade.
Because of affordability expiration, however, the number of LIHTC units is expected to begin falling over the next decade.
Expirations and early exits of LIHTC units: Implications for the affordable housing stock - Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) is the nation’s largest source of financing for the development and preservation of affordable rental housing. The program provides tax credits to developers ...
www.chicagofed.org
November 6, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Most LIHTC units have been targeted to lower rent, lower resourced n-hoods where LIHTC rents are close to n-hood market rates.
The big threat is to the relatively few LIHTC units in areas w/ high market rents “at outsized risk for losing their affordability after their LIHTC requirements expire.”
The big threat is to the relatively few LIHTC units in areas w/ high market rents “at outsized risk for losing their affordability after their LIHTC requirements expire.”
Reposted by Barbara Samuels
Hot off the heels of Virginians electing new statewide leaders, we’re releasing Zoning Report: Virginia—the first-ever comprehensive look at zoning & its impact on housing across all 321 towns, cities, & counties in VA.
www.zoningatlas.org/zoning-repor...
🧵
www.zoningatlas.org/zoning-repor...
🧵
November 6, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Hot off the heels of Virginians electing new statewide leaders, we’re releasing Zoning Report: Virginia—the first-ever comprehensive look at zoning & its impact on housing across all 321 towns, cities, & counties in VA.
www.zoningatlas.org/zoning-repor...
🧵
www.zoningatlas.org/zoning-repor...
🧵
Reposted by Barbara Samuels
Amanda Litman of Run for Something:
“Nearly every candidate who won an election for municipal or state legislative office was talking about affordability, especially as it relates to housing. Housing is the number one issue we’ve seen people bring up as a reason to run for office this year.”
“Nearly every candidate who won an election for municipal or state legislative office was talking about affordability, especially as it relates to housing. Housing is the number one issue we’ve seen people bring up as a reason to run for office this year.”
A focus on affordability, with policy responses specific to each campaign, powered the Democratic wins in New Jersey, Virginia and New York.
"Each candidate answered the affordability prompt with a tailored message fit to electorate. Affordability is a big tent."
substack.com/home/post/p-...
"Each candidate answered the affordability prompt with a tailored message fit to electorate. Affordability is a big tent."
substack.com/home/post/p-...
The Democrats Have a New Winning Formula
The affordability theory of everything
substack.com
November 6, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Amanda Litman of Run for Something:
“Nearly every candidate who won an election for municipal or state legislative office was talking about affordability, especially as it relates to housing. Housing is the number one issue we’ve seen people bring up as a reason to run for office this year.”
“Nearly every candidate who won an election for municipal or state legislative office was talking about affordability, especially as it relates to housing. Housing is the number one issue we’ve seen people bring up as a reason to run for office this year.”
Reposted by Barbara Samuels
Reposted by Barbara Samuels
single stair + eliminating parking mandates - two great wins for affordable housing
🚨Baltimore has done it! The second-largest US city, after Denver, to pass a complete repeal of parking mandates in 2025.
www.thebanner.com/politics-pow...
www.thebanner.com/politics-pow...
Mayor Scott signs controversial housing laws in effort to spur growth
A suite of housing and zoning reforms, once pie-in-the-sky dreams for some advocates, are now law in Baltimore, with Mayor Brandon Scott signing four bills Monday in a City Hall ceremony.
www.thebanner.com
November 4, 2025 at 5:08 PM
single stair + eliminating parking mandates - two great wins for affordable housing
Reposted by Barbara Samuels
Last night’s election was big for housing ⬇️
—NIMBY NJ Gubernatorial candidate lost decisively.
—Mamdani, promising to pause rent increases & develop 200k affordable units, won NYC decisively.
—All pro-housing referendums in NYC passed.
—Housing funding measures passed in Columbus & Denver.
—NIMBY NJ Gubernatorial candidate lost decisively.
—Mamdani, promising to pause rent increases & develop 200k affordable units, won NYC decisively.
—All pro-housing referendums in NYC passed.
—Housing funding measures passed in Columbus & Denver.
November 5, 2025 at 1:12 PM
Last night’s election was big for housing ⬇️
—NIMBY NJ Gubernatorial candidate lost decisively.
—Mamdani, promising to pause rent increases & develop 200k affordable units, won NYC decisively.
—All pro-housing referendums in NYC passed.
—Housing funding measures passed in Columbus & Denver.
—NIMBY NJ Gubernatorial candidate lost decisively.
—Mamdani, promising to pause rent increases & develop 200k affordable units, won NYC decisively.
—All pro-housing referendums in NYC passed.
—Housing funding measures passed in Columbus & Denver.
Reposted by Barbara Samuels
Once again, NIMBYism is a fundamentally conservative mindset, not a progressive one
feeling personally invested in the new jersey governor’s race after seeing this “STOP OVERDEVELOPMENT” campaign ad which appears to only be on jack ciattarelli’s instagram page www.instagram.com/reel/DPUaYcs...
November 5, 2025 at 5:04 AM
Once again, NIMBYism is a fundamentally conservative mindset, not a progressive one
Reposted by Barbara Samuels
A long, meandering, but fun, conversation I did on family apartments and making cities better for families
open.spotify.com/episode/1qEX...
open.spotify.com/episode/1qEX...
24 : Bobby Fijan - Family Matters
open.spotify.com
November 4, 2025 at 4:57 PM
A long, meandering, but fun, conversation I did on family apartments and making cities better for families
open.spotify.com/episode/1qEX...
open.spotify.com/episode/1qEX...