To the Point
What's Wrong with Renting?
Six years ago, George W. Bush declared that, "owing a home lies at the heart of the American dream." Yesterday, President Barack Obama said that home foreclosure means losing a "foothold in the American Dream," an idea that dates back to the Great Depression.
By Warren Olney • • 1 min readSix years ago, George W. Bush declared that, "owing a home lies at the heart of the American dream." Yesterday, President Barack Obama said that home foreclosure means losing a "foothold in the American Dream," an idea that dates back to the Great Depression. Politicians virtually equate homeownership with patriotism, and government subsidies include the mortgage-interest exemption. But there's a downside, and it's come to a head in the current recession. Millions of homeowners are in big trouble. Why should tens of billions of taxpayer dollars help people get back into housing they can't afford? As the author of Don't Get Caught with Your Skirt Down: A Practical Girl's Recession Guide asks, what's wrong with renting?
The full episode
2 of 3
Homeownership and the American Dream- 1:35Eight Wall Street CEO's Get a Grilling on Capitol Hill
- 7:35What's Wrong with Renting?You’re reading this
- 42:19Moving Prosthetic Arms Just by Thinking
Warren Olney
former KCRW broadcaster
Frances Anderton
architecture critic and author
Christian Bordal
Managing Producer, Greater LA
Jill Keto
author, 'Don't Get Caught with Your Skirt Down'
Yvonne Maria Jimenez
Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County
Andrew Jakabovics
Associate Director of the Economic Mobility Program, Center for American Progress
The full episode
2 of 3Homeownership and the American Dream- 1:35Eight Wall Street CEO's Get a Grilling on Capitol Hill
- 7:35What's Wrong with Renting?You’re reading this
- 42:19Moving Prosthetic Arms Just by Thinking