Housing Policy, the Search for Solutions

Housing Policy, The Search for Solutions provides an in-depth comparative analysis of post-World War II housing policies in the United Kingdom, Sweden, West Germany, and the United States. The book examines the critical housing shortages that emerged after the war due to destruction, population growth, and urban expansion. It explores the role of government subsidies—integral to 75% of residential construction in Western Europe since 1945—and evaluates their effectiveness in improving housing standards. By analyzing the evolution of national housing policies, housing production, and their socioeconomic impacts, the book highlights the complexities of aligning housing objectives with broader economic and political strategies. It further investigates the interaction between rent controls, tax exemptions, public housing, and market mechanisms within varying cultural and political contexts.

This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1962.