Housing Platform

A list of policies I support

housing
economics

A Vision for Housing in America

The American experiment rests on the belief that a free society requires independent citizens. To participate fully in our democracy, a family needs more than just a vote, they need a stake in their community and a shelter to raise their family.

John Adams recognized this necessity at the founding of our nation:

The only possible Way then of preserving the Ballance of Power on the side of equal Liberty and public Virtue, is to make the Acquisition of Land easy to every Member of Society.
John Adams (1776)

Somewhere along the way, we lost this balance. We accepted a system where construction is blocked, costs are inflated, and homes are treated as financial assets leaving our most vulnerable neighbors with nowhere to turn.

We must choose a different path.

We envision an America where access to housing is broad, secure, and attainable. To achieve this, our platform rests on four pillars:

  1. Restore the freedom to build by removing arbitrary barriers.
  2. Make housing affordable by fixing the approval systems that drive up costs.
  3. Treat homes as shelter, not financial assets.
  4. Ensure security for all through a modern safety net.

When we lower the barrier to entry, families gain stability, workers gain mobility, and communities gain the confidence to say “yes” to the future.

We are returning to the standard set by President Kennedy:

The right to a good home is one of the noblest motives in the American way of life – it is inherent in the heart and soul of every American and should be the cornerstone of all public policy.
John F Kennedy (1946)

Restoring The Freedom to Build:

Zoning & Land Use Reform

The Problem: Today, the freedom to build is suffocated by bureaucratic red tape and exclusionary gatekeeping. We have enabled local councils to restrict, block, and ban affordable starter homes, effectively rigging the market to lock out working families. The current system tramples on property rights to protect the privileged.

The Solution: We must restore the freedom to build through a centralized, simplified zoning framework.

Policy Commitments:

KAIZEN Act (Federal)

Key Act for Improving Zoning Efficiency Nationwide (KAIZEN) Act, a voluntary federal “Model Code” designed to streamline construction and lower costs. Inspired by the highly successful, streamlined zoning frameworks used in Japan, this initiative moves from “Prohibit by Default” to “Permit by Default.”

Universal Standardization:

To replace the chaos of local codes, the KAIZEN Act introduces a standardized framework of 12 Universal Zones. This system relies on Cumulative Zoning (the “Nesting Doll” model) where lower-intensity uses are automatically permitted in higher-intensity zones.

  • Twelve Zones:
    • Zones 1–3 (Low-Rise): Quiet living. Home businesses (offices/studios) are legal by-right.
    • Zones 4–7 (General): Walkable neighborhoods. Apartments, corner stores, and cafes are legal by-right.
    • Zones 8–10 (Commercial): Mixed density. Housing is never banned here.
    • Zones 11–12 (Industrial): Production. The only zones where housing is prohibited (to protect health).
  • Form and Physics Guardrails: To prevent cities from adopting the names but keeping the restrictions, the Act enforces physical standards over arbitrary rules.
    • Sunlight Planes: Replaces rigid height caps with slope requirements to preserve neighbor light.
    • Lot Size Preemption: Prohibits minimum lot sizes greater than 1,500 sq ft in Zones 4–12.
    • Performance Standards: Regulates noise (decibels) and light (lumens) rather than business categories, allowing clean manufacturing in mixed zones.
  • Predictability: A “Category 2 Residential” zone will mean the exact same thing in Oregon as it does in Texas. Builders can work across state lines without navigating a maze of local bureaucracy.

Incentivizing Adoption:

Adoption of the KAIZEN Act standard is voluntary, but highly encouraged through three powerful mechanisms designed to align incentives, lower risk, and ensure fiscal sustainability:

  • Targeted Funding Prioritization:
    • To adhere to constitutional standards of germaneness, priority status is tied strictly to housing and transit-related funding.
    • Adopters receive Tier-1 Priority status for discretionary grants with a direct link to density: HUD (CDBG, HOME) and DOT (FTA, RAISE).
    • Essential safety and maintenance funds (e.g., bridge repair) remain untouched to preserve federalist balance.*
  • Infrastructure Growth Pays for Growth:
    • Standardized Impact Fees: Preempts state bans on impact fees, ensuring KAIZEN adopters can remain fiscally solvent by levying “per-unit” charges specifically for necessary hard infrastructure upgrades (water, sewer, roads, schools).
    • The “Marginal Cost” Mandate:
      • Prohibition on Arbitrary Pricing: Fees cannot be flat taxes, profit centers, or punitive measures. They must be calculated based on the Marginal Cost of Service.
      • The Formula: \(\left(\frac{\text{Total Cost of Capacity Expansion}}{\text{Number of New Units Served}}\right) = \text{Max Legal Fee}\).
      • Decentralized Verification: Rather than relying on a centralized federal bureaucracy, fee schedules must be validated via a Federally Accredited Third-Party Audit.
      • Transparency: Cities must publish a “Capital Improvement Plan” (CIP). The engineering reality of costs (e.g., claiming a water hookup costs $50,000) must be certified by a licensed, HUD-accredited independent engineering firm. The municipality bears the cost of the audit as a standard compliance expense.
  • The “Eco-Capacity” Circuit Breaker (The “Reality Check”):
    • Infrastructure Reality: “By-Right” zoning does not mean “By-Magic.” Even in KAIZEN zones, a project can be paused if the municipality demonstrates—via objective data certified by an Independent Third-Party Auditor that the current infrastructure (aquifers, treatment plants, grid) is at Critical Failure Capacity.
    • The “Pay-to-Play” Override: If a project is paused due to valid, audited capacity limits, the developer retains the right to fund the necessary upgrade themselves (or via a Bond District) to immediately unlock the permit, bypassing political delays.
  • The Legal Safe Harbor:
    • NEPA Streamline (“Bio-Only” Review): Projects complying with KAIZEN codes are not exempt, but qualify for a Restricted Scope EIS.
      • Permissible Scope: Environmental review is strictly limited to direct biological and chemical impacts (e.g., wetlands, endangered species, water toxicity).
      • Prohibited Scope: Federal courts and agencies are statutorily barred from considering “socio-economic” or “aesthetic” impacts (e.g., traffic congestion, shadow studies, neighborhood character, population density) as grounds for a NEPA delay or denial.
    • Litigation Armor & Bond Requirement:
      • Rebuttable Presumption: Shifts the burden of proof to plaintiffs to prove imminent, objective physical harm.
      • The “Skin-in-the-Game” Bond: Plaintiffs seeking an injunction or stay against a KAIZEN-compliant project must post a cash bond equal to 10% of the project’s value. If the plaintiff loses, the bond is forfeited to the builder to cover inflation and delay costs.

RAPID Act (Federal)

Reforming Approval Procedures for Immediate Development (RAPID) Act, a federal procedural standard designed to eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks and restore predictability to development. Inspired by the “Ministerial Review” processes standard in high-growth economies, this initiative moves housing approvals from “Discretionary & Political” to “Objective & Administrative.”

The Federal Standard for Approval:

To eliminate the “pocket veto” of endless delays, the RAPID Act establishes a federal definition for Ministerial Review. If a project meets the objective standards of the local code (specifically the KAIZEN Universal Zones), it must be approved administratively.

  • Ministerial vs. Discretionary:

    • By-Right (Ministerial): Approvals are handled by staff based on a checklist (Safety, Engineering, KAIZEN Compliance). No public hearings. No legislative votes.
    • Objective Standards Only: Localities cannot deny a KAIZEN-compliant project based on subjective criteria such as “neighborhood character,” “architectural harmony,” or “aesthetic value.”

  • Shot Clock Mandate: For any municipality, regardless of size, located within a Census-Designated Metropolitan Statistical Area, if the local authority fails to approve or deny (with specific written citation of objective code violation) within the timeframe, the project is automatically approved by federal statute.

    • 60 Days: For residential projects under 50 units.
    • 90 Days: For residential projects of 50+ units.

  • Trusted Builder Standard: To shift resources from gatekeeping to enforcement, the RAPID Act establishes a federal “Certified Reviewer” credential. Licensed Architects and Engineers with a clean disciplinary record can apply for this status to self-certify compliance.

    • The “Self-Certification” Workflow:

      • Immediate Permitting: Plans stamped and sealed by a Certified Reviewer bypass the municipal plan review queue entirely. The building permit is issued administratively within 5 business days upon payment of fees.
      • Bifurcated Review: While Zoning and Building Code compliance is self-certified, Fire/Life-Safety elements may still undergo a maximum 14-day expedited municipal review to ensure integration with emergency services.

    • The “Trust but Verify” Audit Regime:

      • IRS-Style Auditing: Localities retain the right to audit any project during construction.

      • Warranted Compliance & Surety: Certified Reviewers must post a Project Compliance Bond (or carry a specific rider).

        • Mechanism: In the event of a code violation, the Bond pays out immediately to cover the “Cost of Rectification,” removing the need for lengthy litigation to prove negligence.
        • Presumption of Fault: Certification creates a rebuttable presumption that any objective code violation constitutes a breach of the Standard of Care.

  • The “Three Strikes” Accountability Protocol: To ensure safety without making insurance coverage impossible, penalties are tiered based on severity and intent:

    • Strike 1: Administrative Error (The Warning)
      • Definition: Minor non-safety violations (e.g., labeling errors, minor dimensional technicalities that do not impact habitability).
      • Penalty: Mandatory plan correction at reviewer’s expense + Administrative Fine ($5,000) drawn from the Bond.
      • Status: Reviewer placed on “Probationary Audit” list (100% of their next 3 projects are audited).
    • Strike 2: Substantive Violation (The Suspension)
      • Definition: Material breach of the Standard of Care impacting health, safety, or structural integrity (e.g., insufficient egress width, missing fire rating, ADA non-compliance).
      • Penalty: Immediate Stop Work Order + Bond forfeiture for Cost of Rectification + 1-Year Suspension of Certified Reviewer status.
      • Status: Mandatory reporting of the incident to the State Licensing Board and Professional Liability Insurer.
    • Strike 3: Gross Negligence or Recidivism (The Ban)
      • Definition: Fraudulent certification, willful disregard of Life-Safety codes, or a repeat Strike 2 offense within 5 years.
      • Penalty: Permanent Revocation of Certified status + Referral to DOJ for federal fraud charges + Lifetime Ban from all Federal Contracts.

Incentivizing Adoption:

The RAPID Act harmonizes with KAIZEN to unlock the full potential of federal funding for states that adopt these procedural reforms.

  • The “Efficiency Multiplier”:
    • Jurisdictions that are both KAIZEN Adopters (Substance) and By-Right Certified (Process) receive a 20% Bonus Multiplier on all formula grants (CDBG, STBG).
    • “Carrot & Stick”: Access to the KAIZEN Act’s “Tier-1 Priority” grants is contingent on certifying that no discretionary “Special Use Permits” are required for housing in Zones 4–12.
  • The Legal Shield:
    • Anti-Nuisance Safe Harbor: Codifies that a KAIZEN-compliant project approved By-Right cannot be sued for “anticipatory nuisance” or “diminution of property value” in state or federal court.
    • Fair Housing Integration: Establishes that discretionary denial of a KAIZEN-compliant project constitutes a prima facie case of Disparate Impact under the Fair Housing Act.
    • Mandatory Litigation Bond: To prevent “death by delay,” any plaintiff seeking a preliminary injunction or temporary restraining order against a KAIZEN-compliant project must post a cash bond equal to 10% of the total project valuation. This bond is forfeited to the builder to cover inflationary and carrying costs if the plaintiff loses
    • The Federal Arbitration Mandate: * Bypassing the Courts: To prevent “death by delay” in overburdened Federal District Courts, the RAPID Act mandates that all disputes regarding KAIZEN compliance or Ministerial Review denials be resolved via Binding Arbitration. * The “Shot Clock” Arbitration: * Disputes must be filed with a federally recognized arbitration body (e.g., American Arbitration Association) and adjudicated by a qualified Construction Attorney or retired Judge. * Strict 60-Day Ruling: The arbitrator must issue a binding ruling within 60 days of filing. * “Loser Pays” Rule: To discourage frivolous denials by cities and frivolous appeals by developers, the losing party is strictly liable for 100% of the arbitration fees and the opposing legal costs.

CORRIDOR Act (Federal)

Code Overhaul Reforming Residential Interiors, Design, and Occupancy Rules (CORRIDOR) Act, a modernized construction overlay designed to unlock efficient, family-sized housing on small lots. Inspired by the “Point Access Block” standards successfully utilized in Seattle and Europe, this initiative moves building codes from “Geometry-Restricted” to “Performance-Optimized.”

The Problem:

Current U.S. building codes (IBC) mandate two staircases for buildings over three stories. This forces a “double-loaded corridor” design (a long dark hallway with apartments on both sides). This geometry wastes 20–30% of the floor area on hallways and forces apartments to be long, skinny “shoeboxes” with windows on only one side, making family-sized units geometrically impossible on small lots.

The Federal Standard for Construction:

The CORRIDOR Act preempts outdated code restrictions to legalize Point Access Blocks (Single-Stair Buildings).

  • The “Point Access” Mandate:
    • Up to 8 Stories: Legalizes single-staircase residential buildings up to 75 feet (approx. 8 stories) provided they meet enhanced safety features (sprinklers, pressurized stairwells, non-combustible materials). Adopts the proven safety frameworks used in Seattle, Switzerland, and Germany.
    • To neutralize fire risks, these buildings must upgrade from standard residential sprinklers (NFPA 13R) to full commercial-grade suppression systems (NFPA 13) and utilize positive-pressure stairwells to prevent smoke intrusion during egress.
  • Better Buildings:
    • Cross-Ventilation: By eliminating the central hallway, units can span the width of the building, allowing for windows on opposite sides (passive cooling).
    • Family-Sized Units: Enables 3- and 4-bedroom layouts on small plots (50’ wide) that currently can only support luxury studios.
    • Efficiency: Increases rentable square footage by removing non-revenue-generating corridors, lowering the cost per unit.
  • Mass Timber & Prefab Preemption:
    • Federal Modular Approval: Creates a federal inspection seal for modular/manufactured housing. A factory-built module certified federally cannot be rejected by local inspectors.
    • Mass Timber: Categorically approves Mass Timber (CLT) construction for Zones 4–10, bypassing local moratoriums on wood construction.

Incentivizing Adoption:

  • FEMA & Insurance Alignment:
    • Insurance Backstop: The federal government provides a reinsurance backstop for buildings built to CORRIDOR Act standards, preventing private insurers from charging penalty premiums for “non-standard” (single-stair) buildings.
    • Fire Department Grants: Federal funding for local fire departments (ladder trucks, training) is contingent on adopting the CORRIDOR code overlay to service these efficient buildings.

Making Housing Affordable

Construction, Labor, & Costs

The Problem: While every other industry has become faster and cheaper, construction has become slower and more expensive. We are building 21st-century homes with 20th-century rules, suffocated by outdated mandates and protectionist barriers that block new technology. We have allowed restriction to strangle the American ability to build.

The Solution: We nust unleash a construction boom by removing barriers to trade, technology, and talent.

Policy Commitments:

By adopting ISO/European safety standards (moving beyond the restrictive ASME code)

We will break the stranglehold of the elevator union and proprietary maintenance contracts. Banning software locks on elevator repair, we will make mid-rise housing viable and affordable again.

We will exempt infill housing and green transit projects from National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) reviews. Environmental laws should stop polluters, not sustainable housing in city centers.

We will eliminate all tariffs on construction materials (lumber, steel, aluminum). American housing should be built with the best materials at the best price, regardless of origin.

We face a massive labor shortage. We will introduce a dedicated visa class for skilled tradespeople and streamline credential recognition reform. We will review and reduce occupational licensing requirements that serve as barriers to entry rather than safety measures. If you are a certified electrician in a country with high standards, you should be able to wire homes in America without years of redundant retraining.

A Home is for Living, Not Speculating

Financial & Tax Reform

The Problem: This is the hard truth no one wants to say: Housing cannot be both affordable for the buyer and a high-yield investment for the seller. Current tax code bribes Americans to become “Homevoters”—people who vote against new housing to protect their asset values. This addiction to appreciation is destroying our economy.

The Solution: We will decouple retirement security from home prices. We want homes to be affordable consumption, and we will help you build real wealth in the productive economy instead.

Policy Commitments:

We will replace the Section 121 flat exclusion. Instead, home sellers will pay taxes on real gains (inflation-indexed basis) just like any other asset.

To protect retirees, we will allow tax-free rollovers of home sale proceeds into diversified Mandatory Savings Programs or 401(k)s. You should rely on the stock market and bonds for retirement, not the scarcity of your neighbor’s housing.

This is a regressive subsidy that inflates prices and benefits the wealthy. We will eliminate it.

We will restrict leverage to prevent housing bubbles, ensuring that price growth is driven by fundamentals, not easy debt.

We will incentivize states to tax land at a higher rate than improvements. Do not punish a landlord for fixing a roof; tax the speculator sitting on an empty dirt lot in downtown.

G.H.O.S.T. Act

Generating Housing Opportunities via Speculation Tax (GHOST) Act, a data-driven framework designed to remove shadow inventory by disincentivizing the holding of residential property as a vacant investment vehicle through a.

1. The “Phantom” Standard (Definitions):

To eliminate subjective loopholes, the Act replaces vague definitions with a binary Universal Occupancy Standard.

  • Occupied Status (The Living Home):
    • Owner-Occupied: Automatically verified via existing Homestead or Principal Residence Exemptions.
    • Tenanted: Requires a lease of 180+ days to a “Permitted Occupant.”
      • Arm’s Length: Tenant cannot be a “Related Person” (IRS § 267).
      • Fair Market: Lease must be at Fair Market Rent (HUD SAFMR).
    • De Facto Vacancy: Any property not meeting the above definitions is automatically classified as a “Ghost Unit” (Vacant).
  • The Escalating Levy: To force “dead capital” back into the market, the tax on Assessed Value (AV) rises the longer the unit remains empty:
    • Year 1: 1% of AV
    • Year 2: 2% of AV
    • Year 3+: 3% of AV

2. Anti-Evasion Guardrails:

To prevent owners from resetting the tax clock through shell transfers (“shapeshifting”), the Act enforces strict continuity rules.

  • Related Person Transfers: Transfers to spouses, descendants, or controlled LLCs do not reset the tax rate. The liability attaches to the beneficial owner.
  • Arm’s Length Reset: Only sales to unrelated parties trigger a reset.
    • Grace Period: 12 months tax-free post-sale.
    • Reversion: If vacant after 12 months, the tax restarts immediately at Year 1.

3. Data-Driven Detection (Ghost Busting):

Instead of relying on easy-to-fake paper declarations, the Act uses Utility Benchmarking to detect physical vacancy.

  • The “Low Usage” Flag: Properties are flagged if monthly consumption falls below the 10th percentile of similarly sized units in the service area.
  • Verification: Flagged units receive a physical confirmation code via mail. Failure to input the code within 14 days is prima facie evidence of vacancy.

4. Validated Exemptions:

Exemptions are permitted but strictly tied to external financial validations to prevent “fake renovations” or “phantom listings.”

  • The Capital Expenditure Threshold (Renovation): To claim a renovation exemption (1-year max), owners must prove substantial investment.
    • The Standard: Hard costs (materials/labor) must exceed $50,000 OR 15% of Assessed Value.
    • Exclusions: “Sweat equity” and furniture are strictly excluded.
    • Proof: Validated via Building Permit Valuation or paid contractor invoices.
  • The “Good Faith” Listing Cap:
    • Rent Cap: A property is only considered “Actively Listed” if the asking rent is ≤120% of HUD Small Area Fair Market Rent. This prevents owners from listing units at artificial prices to keep them empty.
  • Medical Confinement: Valid with attestation of admission to Skilled Nursing or Long-Term Care facilities.

Security for All

A Modern Safety Net

The Problem: The “free market” alone cannot solve every crisis immediately. People fall through the cracks, and fear of displacement drives opposition to development. Furthermore, global capital flows can distort local markets, turning neighborhoods into deposit boxes for offshore wealth.

The Solution: A robust safety net that focuses on people, not units, combined with a pragmatic approach to social housing.

Policy Commitments:

Instead of rigid rent control (which kills supply), we will implement a public insurance scheme. If a tenant faces a sudden rent spike or income shock, this insurance bridges the gap, keeping them housed without distorting market prices.

We will adopt a unconditional housing model for the homeless. We fix the housing situation first, providing a stable foundation to address mental health and employment issues later.

We will pilot high-quality, government-developed housing in major metros available to a broad range of incomes (not just the poor) on 99-year leases. This creates a public option that competes with private developers on quality and price.

We will implement taxes on foreign non-resident buyers and heavily regulate institutional investors purchasing single-family starter homes, while expressly protecting and streamlining the ‘Build-to-Rent’ sector to ensure capital continues to flow into new housing supply. Neighborhoods are for families, not hedge funds.