When we talk about the many issues plaguing the American people right now, many result from the increasing gap between the rich and the poor. So, it’s no surprise that when it comes to inequality one of the most affected basic needs is housing. But as we look at it less than three months away from a general election many voters are worried that neither the Republicans nor the Democrats are planning to do anything about this major issue. Whether you’ve been paying attention to what Vice President Harris said during her speech at the DNC in August or Trump’s many interviews over the past few months, it can be quite difficult to parse their positions on this critical issue.

The housing crisis

Before we even talk about what the parties are planning to do with this massive issue it’s important to understand what it stems from. As you can imagine the biggest problem when it comes to housing is not just the actual physical lack of empty homes. What we’re talking about is not only the lack of homes but the lack of affordable livable space. Because currently in the United States, the issue is not so much the space to build on or the number of homes available, but it is the fact that they are not affordable for the general population. This problem has not only been exacerbated by massive companies buying properties to rent but also by rising inflation, worsening the financial disparity between Americans.

The Harris-Walz Ticket’s policies

Currently, a lot of the discussion around president-elect Kamala Harris is the fact that 70 days out of the election, she still has not declared a lot of her positions policy the housing crisis is one of those situations on which we know her policies as she addressed them during the DNC. According to democratic establishment leadership currently, the strategy to address the housing crisis is to deal with it with deregulation When it comes to building new homes. One too many this seems like a proper solution the reality is that deregulating the construction industry is not something that you would suggest as a solution to the housing crisis. Yes, listening to the red tape will make construction faster but there is also a question of safety that could potentially worsen if regulation is not followed.

Harris First Time Home Buyer Credit

The second most talked about way that the Harris-Walz Ticket is planning to address housing is by giving a $25,000 credit to new home buyers. This at large is a pretty good way to allow the government to take its place in helping people and creating a wider safety net when it comes to allowing people to purchase property. One of the issues that has been raised by many critics of the Democratic Party is that the $25,000 credit could potentially cause a rise in prices for available homes on the market. While many of these critiques come from Republic and agents there has also been a lot of criticism coming from inside the Democratic Party.

The Republicans plan

While President Trump has said that he was open to potentially helping people who are having issues paying down payments on new homes this is of course not the main plan when it comes to Republicans addressing the housing crisis. The way they currently discuss a solution when it comes to dealing with this issue from the republican standpoint is to open a large swat of publicly owned land to build more homes on. Similarly to the Democrats, they are also taking part in the discussion of deregulation especially when it comes to land purchases as well as construction. This of course is nothing new when it comes to the republican policies although it is very surprising to see democratic representatives agree with the republican position on this.

The reality is that currently while the Democratic Party has said a lot more about their plan to deal with the housing crisis both of these parties do not seem well equipped to tackle this issue. The reality is that most of the higher middle class is more concerned about whether they should choose these stainless steel kitchen cabinets over the wood lacquered ones than if new home buyers are currently struggling to purchase homes. This of course is not a dig at voters in general it is simply an acknowledgment of American individualism. This is why if American parties want the housing crisis to be taken seriously, they need to make the crisis relatable to everyone by allowing those affected to have a voice.