Boston city workers began to clear tents Monday morning near the troubled intersection of Melnea Cass Boulevard and Massachusetts Avenue as part of an effort to enforce a new encampment ban across the city.

  • Spaghetti_Hitchens@kbin.social
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    8 months ago

    I don’t have a solution, but an idea just came to me.

    For every non-primary residence someone/some company owns, add a tax that goes to a fund. That fund is then used to purchase land, build and maintain 1-4 bedroom housing, and provide utilities/services.

    Anyone should have access to this housing, but it must be lived in or you lose that access. Each state should implement it so Texas doesn’t just send everyone to Oregon.

    • Salamendacious@lemmy.worldOP
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      8 months ago

      I think there should definitely be a progressive tax rate on owning single family homes for any purpose other than living in. The more homes owned the higher the tax rate. One of the only reasons I don’t know if I want the government building & maintaining homes is look at how royally they screwed up public housing. I think those homes would turn into festering shit holes in a couple years just from the lack of maintenance. Personally I’d prefer to see a substantial tax credit and preferred interest rate for first time home buyers. I’d also support government lending. My federal student loans were the easiest to pay back.

    • ryathal@sh.itjust.works
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      8 months ago

      The tax part already exists. In most states you can have one property be your homestead, which reduces the property taxes. Every other property therefore pays more in taxes.