Defining “Viability”…and Who Decides What Counts?
Rethinking what our housing system is built to deliver
By Erick VillagomezThere’s a word that shows up a lot in housing debates—one that tends to end conversations rather than deepen them: viability. I hear this word constantly in comments to articles I write and in the media covering housing—particularly those that focus on supply-side solutions to the housing crisis. The critique goes something like this: “Sure, it’s easy to critique new development. But if the project isn’t viable, it won’t get built. So, what’s your alternative?” Fair enough. But that kind... Read more
