> What's even scarier is many of these units are going to remain un occupied forever. If you buy a house, and it goes up in value $50,000 per year, it might be easier to leave it vacant. The only solution is much easier zoning, and laxer building requirements.

Changes to the tax code are a better fix. Investment properties (non-primary residences) should be taxed more heavily; unoccupied properties even more so.

Recurring land value taxes would prevent people from hoarding property as an appreciating asset without putting it to productive use.