06/24/2026
Reading this article, I couldn’t help but wonder if we’re asking the wrong question.
The discussion is about building more housing. Fair enough. But before we talk about creating millions of new homes, shouldn’t we examine what happened to the millions of homes Americans already lost during and after the 2008 foreclosure crisis to current times?
I’ve spent more than 30 years reviewing legal records, mortgage documents, foreclosure files, bankruptcy cases, and property transfers. One thing I’ve learned is that headlines often focus on the proposed solution before we’ve fully examined the underlying problem.
Some questions I would like answered:
• How many owner-occupied homes were lost through foreclosure after 2008?
• Who ultimately acquired those properties?
• How many were purchased by investment funds, institutional investors, or large corporate landlords?
• How many families who lost homes could have remained homeowners under different policies?
• Are we solving a housing shortage, an affordability problem, an ownership problem, or all three?
Good research starts with good questions.
Sometimes the most important part of a story is not what is being discussed - it’s what isn’t.
What do you think happened to all those homes? I have some interesting evidence.
The president says the bill is “of minor importance,” adding he wouldn’t sign it until Congress takes action on his voter-eligibility legislation.
