Missed it: Build, Baby, Build at the Cato Institute

Build, Baby, Build

The Science and Ethics of Housing Regulation

Published By Cato Institute • 2024

https://www.cato.org/events/build-baby-build-science-ethics-housing-regulation

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Date and Time

April 30, 2024 4 - 5:30 PM EDT

Location

Cato Institute, 1000 Massachusetts Ave, NW, Washington, DC

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Featuring

Bryan Caplan

Professor of Economics, George Mason University, and New York Times bestselling author of Open Borders: The Science and Ethics of Immigration

Megan McArdle

Columnist, Washington Post

Peter Goettler

President and CEO, Cato Institute

Why are housing prices in America so high? "Supply and demand" is true but misleading, because draconian regulation drastically constricts housing supply. In this exciting new nonfiction graphic novel, economist Bryan Caplan makes the economic and philosophical case for radical deregulation of the housing industry. Deregulation turns out to be a bona fide panacea: a large rise in housing supply would raise living standards, reduce inequality, increase social mobility, promote economic growth, reduce homelessness, increase birth rates, help the environment, and more. Combining stunning visuals and careful interdisciplinary research, Build, Baby, Build takes readers to a world where people are free to build―and shows us how to get there.

Reception to follow.

Featured Book

Build, Baby, Build: The Science and Ethics of Housing Regulation

In Build, Baby, Build: The Science and Ethics of Housing Regulation, economist Bryan Caplan makes the economic and philosophical case for radical deregulation of this massive market―freeing property owners to build as tall and dense as they wish. Not only would the average price of housing be cut in half, but the building boom unleashed by deregulation would simultaneously reduce inequality, increase social mobility, promote economic growth, reduce homelessness, increase birth rates, and help the environment. It's surprising then, that despite all these benefits, housing deregulation is universally unpopular with policymakers.