Or, you know, just actually build enough houses for people to live in. I feel like that would be a better start than suing people into bankruptcy because they made 5% off a house sale instead of of 4.5%.
Houses are only an attractive investment vehicle in the first place because there is a massive shortage of housing.
Some local residents were fighting against some new apartment building being built, claiming that the area wouldn't be able to handle the extra traffic, it wouldn't have enough parking, etc...
Meanwhile, not only was there going to be 1.5 parking spots per unit, but the main entrance is literally 500 feet from the metro line. Many residents there were likely to not even have cars. And it was just one building with 40 units placed next to a major throughfare. Plenty of traffic handling capability.
I imagine everyone fighting it was a homeowner worried about increased housing availability lowering the home's value.
I own a house, and there's a new complex being built about half a mile from me. Judging by the size of the plot of land and the poster showing what it's going to look like, I imagine it's probably gonna have ~200 units. I'm all for it being built. My house has gone up in value by ~62% in 9 years and that's ridiculous.
zoning has uses, like avoiding cancer causing industries in the middle of residential areas. It's just used to support housing as an industry. It could be used to increase housing affordability, reduce urban deserts requiring long drives to the nearest grocery stores etc... if it was wanted.
Houses are only an attractive investment vehicle in the first place because there is a massive shortage of housing.