Report: Low Housing Production Stymies Entry-Level Buyers

According to this report, the trends point to a "less diverse, older, higher-income" crop of homebuyers as low production locks out the young and many people of color.

1 minute read

January 8, 2020, 8:00 AM PST

By Philip Rojc @PhilipRojc


Housing Construction

Christian Delbert / Shutterstock

Research conducted by U.C. Berkeley's Terner Center for Housing Innovation "concludes that, increasingly, homebuying is becoming a privilege within the purview of only a few wealthy classes of Americans," Adam Brinklow writes.

Although that trend is most pronounced in the Bay Area and other coastal urban markets, "home prices are up more than 25 percent nationwide after inflation compared to 2000, with housing significantly less affordable in almost every major metro area."

Notably, the housing crisis is taking its toll on young and black homebuyers. "The rate of new homebuyers who are black declined from 8.5 percent in 2000 to 6.6 percent 16 years later. And the number of homebuyers under 35 crashed from 36 percent to 31.6 percent."

The report suggests that changes to the supply side of the housing equation could do much to boost ownership among younger and lower-income buyers. 

Tuesday, December 17, 2019 in Curbed San Francisco

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

April 21, 2025 - Housing Wire

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 23, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Ken Jennings stands in front of Snohomish County Community Transit bus.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series

The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

April 20, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

View of residential street in Los Angeles with palm trees and hazy city in distance.

Rebuilding Smarter: How LA County Is Guiding Fire-Ravaged Communities Toward Resilience

Los Angeles County is leading a coordinated effort to help fire-impacted communities rebuild with resilience by providing recovery resources, promoting fire-wise design, and aligning reconstruction with broader sustainability and climate goals.

April 27 - Los Angeles County Chief Sustainability Office

Entrance sign for San Jose-Santa Clara Regional wastewater treatment facility.

When Borders Blur: Regional Collaboration in Action

As regional challenges outgrow city boundaries, “When Borders Blur” explores how cross-jurisdictional collaboration can drive smarter, more resilient urban planning, sharing real-world lessons from thriving partnerships across North America.

April 27 - * A Placemaking Journal

Rendering of Penrose Roundabout in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Philadelphia Is Expanding its Network of Roundabouts

Roundabouts are widely shown to decrease traffic speed, reduce congestion, and improve efficiency.

April 27 - WHYY