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Landlords Don't Provide Housing (quokk.au)
submitted 1 month ago by [A] to c/mop
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[–] 3 points 1 month ago (3 children)

I don't buy this argument. The farmers I speak to who are close to cities enjoy the increased value of farmland as that allows them to take out very cheap loans with the farmland as collateral. Aspiring farmers don't want to buy farmland close to cities anyway as it's risky and expensive. So it benefits existing farmers and doesn't really damage aspiring farmers. And regarding utility contractors and building materials. Those going to building housing is what we want no? Or do you prefer we stop building housing so that building materials for building data centers and mega mansions is cheaper instead? I'm guessing that's not what you want.

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  • [–] 7 points 1 month ago (2 children)

    The farmers I speak to who are close to cities enjoy the increased value of farmland as that allows them to take out very cheap loans with the farmland as collateral.

    No farmer has a hard time getting sweet heart loans from the USDA FSA and it's extremely rare to have to put up your land as collateral. They are the most coddles class in American society.

    And regarding utility contractors and building materials. Those going to building housing is what we want no? Or do you prefer we stop building housing so that building materials for building data centers and mega mansions is cheaper instead?

    You can still want more housing without wanting more landlords...... They could always sell the houses instead of taking people's money without providing them any long term rights or equity.

    No matter what scenario, being a landlord is inherently predatory. You are building equity on the backs of other people's hard work. Even home loans with "fair" interest rates are predatory in the same way, but at least the person taking the loan is building some equity and have more rights based on that fact.

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  • [–] 4 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 child)

    USDA FSA

    I work in Swedish agriculture and here putting up land as collateral is very common. Of course it may be different where you live.

    You can still want more housing without wanting more landlords... They could always sell the houses

    That's true but some housing always has to exist as rental properties as there will always be some people who can't pay for a house upfront especially young people who can't be expected to have saved up for one. I think we both agree that exorbitant rents are bad. But I would argue against the notion that every landlord is bad for society. However if you were to say that maybe only the state or the local city should be allowed to be a landlord I would say that's totally fair as long as that's managed in a good way and leads to enough housing getting built. I myself used to live in social housing owned by the municipality for 8 years and thought it was great.

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  • [–] 6 points 1 month ago

    I work in Swedish agriculture and here putting up land as collateral is very common. Of course it may be different where you live.

    Ahh, here farmers can get subsidized loans that do not require collateral with only 2-5% interest rates. Farmers have a lot of unearned good will here and get treated better than just about any other industry by both political parties.

    That's true but some housing always has to exist as rental properties as there will always be some people who can't pay for a house upfront especially young people who can't be expected to have saved up for one. I think we both agree that exorbitant rents are bad. But I would argue against the notion that every landlord is bad for society.

    I would disagree about any landlord being good for society, as they represent the privitization of a service that should be fulfilled by the government. To me that is like saying there are private healthcare insurance companies that are good for society.

    Yes, my argument would be that the government should be in control of housing for those who cannot afford private mortgages to own their own housing.

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