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The MDI defines "owner occupant" over "landlord" in such a way as to effectively subsidize the single family detached suburban home lifestyle preference. It encourages the middle class to tie up a big chunk of their net worth in sprawling developments with questionable claims of being an appreciating asset.

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I’m trying to gain understanding of your first sentence, but have been unable.

Landlords can deduct mortgage interest just like any profit-seeking business can deduct interest on loans taken on in furtherance of their business. That’s true for single-family homes or duplexes in a suburb same as a rowhouse, 4-plex or 50-unit building in a city.

The owner-occupant deduction applies to their unit, whether that’s all of an SFR, half a duplex, one level of a triple-decker, or 1 unit in a 4-plex.

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