Srsly Wrong Ep 155 – Gentrification
Jun 12, 2018
They unpack how rising property values push longtime residents out and the mechanics behind developer profit and speculation. They discuss vacancy, rent rules, and practical protections like vacancy taxes and rent controls. Grassroots tactics and tenant organizing get attention alongside long-term fixes like community land trusts and taxing land-value windfalls.
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Supply Alone Won't Fix Housing If It's Speculation
- 'Supply and demand' alone fails when housing is treated as speculative financial asset rather than homes.
- Shawn Villier argues empty luxury units and speculative returns mean building more high-end supply won't fix affordability.
Organize Direct Action And Build Tenants Unions
- Do direct action: organize eviction blockades, squat empty units, protest developers and banks, and form tenants unions.
- Aaron Wrong highlights eviction blockades and Vancouver Tenants Union organizing door-to-door and policy reports.
Capture Windfall Land Value For Community Use
- A windfall value capture tax redirects unearned land-value gains back to the community instead of private investors.
- Shawn Villier proposes using captured value for community funds, basic income, daycare, libraries, or transit.
