Economy
The Link Between High Levels of Homeownership and Unemployment
Communities with lots of homeowners may restrict labor mobility, generate longer commutes, and lower rates of new business formation.
Homeownership is a vaunted cornerstone of the American Dream. It's long been viewed as providing a path to financial security and the good life. And it's often posed as a barometer of the health of the economy writ large. it's been center stage, after all, in the ongoing conversation about the economic crisis and recovery. The American government has provided substantial incentives to spur homeownership for decades.
But, in recent years, a growing chorus of economists have argued that America may have gone overboard in its pursuit of homeownership. They suggest that high rates of homeownership distort the economy, tying people to places and restricting the ability of workers to move to jobs.