N-gated Hacker News15h ago
Ah, the American Dream: a shoebox with a $1M price tag! 🏠💰 But first, jump through flaming hoops of #JavaScript and cookies to even read about it. Because who needs affordable #housing when you have browser hurdles? 🤦‍♂️
https://investors.zillowgroup.com/news-and-events/news/news-details/2026/A-record-242-US-cities-now-have-starter-homes-that-cost-1M/default.aspx #AmericanDream #Crisis #TechHumor #Affordability #HackerNews #ngated
A record 242 US cities now have starter homes that cost $1M

The bar for entry-level homeownership has never been higher. While the typical starter home nationwide is worth $198,649, a record 242 cities now have starter homes valued at $1 million or more, according to a new Zillow® analysis . A typical "starter home" is defined for this analysis as a home in the lowest third of home values in a given region. The count of cities with million-dollar starter homes has grown from 226 cities a year ago, even as affordability pressures have begun to ease in parts of the country. The effects of the pandemic housing boom have proven durable. A housing shortage , a decade in the making, ran headlong into intense demand amid historic lows in mortgage rates, driving up home values at a record pace. While plenty of markets are still feeling the pinch of this price reset, conditions are slowly becoming friendlier for buyers: The typical home buyer now breaks even relative to renting after roughly six years, down from more than eight years in late 2023. "The

Zillow Group, Inc.
Alex Trecartin 🇨🇦1d ago

I'm going to try to clarify this article:

1) There's a key difference between 'vacant' and 'unsold' units. Vacant units can remain vacant, but this policy is about unsold inventory. Watch how media channels spin this as "vacant homes."

2) The article announces $3.2B for DCC (Development Cost Charges) subsidies and $2.5B for transit alongside buying 2,200 condos, but gives NO price for the condo purchases. The article only notes that units where the announcement was made sell for $1.1M which tracks with concerns that government may be paying full market price for unsold inventory.

3) If developers have 2,200 unsold units, why isn't the market clearing? Prices could drop 5-10% and units would sell. There's still demand, but if developers aren't budging on price, the government likely isn't getting a bulk discount either.

4) Why would government pay near-market rates (~$1M/unit?) instead of negotiating bulk discounts on distressed inventory? This smells like another 'too big to fail' broken business model.

I try to be impartial, but this smells like a giant handout to private developers spun as a housing affordability measure. No mention of who might benefit beyond the developers.

https://www.biv.com/news/carney-and-eby-announce-32b-developer-subsidy-plan-to-buy-unsold-bc-condos-12442807

#Canada #Housing #Affordability #CorporateWelfare #HousingCrisis #CdnPoli #BCPoli

Carney and Eby announce $3.2B developer subsidy; plan to buy unsold B.C. condos

The federal government is stepping in to relieve developers of certain charges they must pay toward regional infrastructure

Business in Vancouver
Nonilex1d ago

#IRGC set up covert Iraqi cells to attack Gulf neighbors

#Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has set up secretive new cells in #Iraq to carry out attacks on Gulf countries that host #US forces, bypassing established militia networks to avoid detection, 8 Iraqi sources told Reuters.

#TrumpsWar #IranWar #Trump #law #Congress #WarPowers #geopolitics #NationalSecurity #MiddleEast #economy #inflation #affordability #CostOfLiving #oil #energy #EnergyCrisis
https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/irans-revolutionary-guards-set-up-covert-iraqi-cells-attack-gulf-neighbors-2026-06-19/?utm_source=braze&utm_medium=notifications&utm_campaign=2025_engagement

Bich Nguyen1d ago

"...according to new data from the West Health-Gallup Affordability Index, which shows only about half of U.S. adults could afford their healthcare and had access to quality care last year. Concerns about affording healthcare in the year ahead were at a record high since tracking began in 2021, signaling that many were feeling anxious about rising healthcare costs as 2025 ended."

https://apnews.com/article/healthcare-insurance-health-care-costs-poll-aca-7be286003eb3c0f4fdab515eb9de47ef

#healthcare #insurance #ACA #obamacare #RuralHealth #affordability #CostsOfCare

Poll: Only about half of Americans say they can afford quality healthcare

New data from the West Health-Gallup Affordability Index shows that only about half of U.S. adults could afford their healthcare and had access to quality care last year. Concerns about affording healthcare in the year ahead were also at a record high since tracking began in 2021. The survey, conducted from October to December 2025, shows that inflation and rising healthcare costs were straining Americans, even before healthcare cuts took effect this year. Many are worried they won’t be able to pay for care. The findings reveal a decline in healthcare affordability across various demographics, including among younger adults, older adults and women.

AP News
Hacker News2d ago

Wages in America Are Too Low for the 30% Rule to Work for Renters Anymore

https://www.realtor.com/advice/rent/wages-in-america-are-too-low-for-the-30-rule-to-work-for-renters-anymore/

#HackerNews #wages #America #renters #housing #affordability #30% #rule #cost #of #living

Wages in America Are Too Low for the 30% Rule To Work for Renters Anymore  

The 30% rent rule may not work in today's economy. Here's why experts say cash flow matters more than a decades-old guideline.

Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®
Show threadNonilex2d ago

Proponents of #wind projects criticized the deals, pointing out that regions like the NE #US were counting on the #WindFarms to meet rising #electricity demand & could now face future #shortages.

“Replacing coastal offshore wind with geothermal or natural gas infrastructure in another region does nothing to address rising ratepayer #affordability concerns, reliability challenges or potential gaps in #power supply in the #Northeast & #midAtlantic,” said Hillary Bright, exec dir of Turn Forward….

Georgiann Baldino2d ago
"WASHINGTON – The federal judge who ordered President Donald Trump's name removed from the Kennedy Center has asked the administration to report by June 19 on plans for the Kennedy Center to remain open with public events during a renovation project." USA Today https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/judge-orders-kennedy-center-stay-120339113.html
#TrumpRegime #USPolitics #Affordability #Grifter
After a fight over Trump's name on the Kennedy Center, judge demands details

A federal judge ordered Trump to provide his plans for keeping the Kennedy Center open beyond July 5, after removing his name from the facade.

Yahoo News
Charlie McHenry2d ago
American pride has fallen off a cliff - Only 51% of Americans say they are extremely or very proud of being American, down sharply from 82% in 2013. Surprised? I didn’t think so… Hard to be proud of a country run by a felonious, rapist pedophile, eh? A president who disses long-time allies and admires dictators, starts meaningless and costly wars, all while ignoring the #affordability crisis and polarization at home. SAD🥺 https://www.axios.com/2026/06/17/america-250-religion-race-patriotism #RepublicansDidThis #patriotism #TrumpRegime #AmericaFirst
American pride has fallen off a cliff

America's 250th will test its shared story.

Axios
Nonilex3d ago

#G7 Leaders Praise #US - #Iran Deal, Then #Trump Threatens Tehran Again

Trump said that the United States would resume bombing Iran if “they don’t behave” in implementing the deal, even as he acknowledged “nobody knows what it is.”

#idiocracy #kakistocracy #TrumpsWar #IranWar #WarCrimes #RulesOfWar #InternationalLaw #law #Congress #WarPowers #geopolitics #NationalSecurity #MiddleEast #economy #inflation #affordability #CostOfLiving #oil #energy #EnergyCrisis
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/06/17/world/g7-summit-trump-france?smid=nytcore-ios-share

U.S. Details Agreement With Iran as Trump Departs G7 Summit

A U.S. official provided what was described as the text of the preliminary agreement, which outlined a $300 billion plan for Iran’s reconstruction and 60 days of talks on its nuclear program.

The New York Times
Wesearch.press3d ago

Half of America is not struggling to make ends meet, despite common claims. Most people are not in crisis, but two groups are: the destitute and the squeezed middle class. Misleading narratives conflate disparate groups, exaggerating the issue #affordability #economics

https://wesearch.press/s/half-of-america-cannot-afford-to-live-and-other-wrong-number-d7b6ee75?utm_source=social&utm_medium=auto&utm_campaign=mastodon