Addiction, mental illness, or poverty may explain why an individual may lose their housing—but these factors fail to explain why Seattle has five times more homelessness than Chicago. Through rigorous analysis, Colburn demonstrates that high rent prices and low vacancy rates are the true culprits behind regional homelessness variations. This revelation transforms how we should approach solutions.

Colburn advocates reframing housing as essential infrastructure—just as we invest billions in roads and transit without controversy, we must prioritize housing development as a public necessity. This perspective shift could unlock the political will needed to address our housing shortage crisis meaningfully.

Whether you're a policymaker, planner, or concerned citizen, this conversation offers crucial insights for understanding and addressing one of America's most persistent challenges. Listen now to discover how changing our approach to housing could transform our response to homelessness.

Show Notes:

• Further Reading: 
  • Neighborhood Defenders: Participatory Politics and America’s Housing Crisis by Katherine Levine Einstein
  • When We Walk By: Forgotten Humanity, Broken Systems, and the Role We Can Each Play in Ending Homelessness in America by Donald Burns and Kevin Adler
  • There is No Place for Us: Working and Homelessness in America By Brian Goldstone
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