US urban housing prices may stifle consumption growth
Subject The economic implications of high housing costs in US cities Significance A lack of homes to buy and rent has pushed prices in California 250% and 50% higher respectively than in the rest of the United States according to a report by the state's Legislative Analyst's Office released on March 17. The problem is most acute in the San Francisco and San Jose metropolitan areas, home to Silicon Valley and much of the US tech industry, where the average rent is 53% higher than the California average. Impacts Low-cost areas near employment hubs, such as Queens in New York or Oakland near San Francisco, are likely to grow. However, this will exacerbate political questions over inequality and 'gentrification'. These issues will play a large role in the Democratic primary campaign, as these areas are overwhelmingly Democratic. Congress, which overrepresents non-urban areas, is unlikely to pass legislation addressing this issue before 2017.