Charlie Brown, excellent article. Yes, we need to rethink this.

We pay dearly for that "American dream" -- immobility, social separation, and often wasteful land use and construction materials.

The CHOICE of place we call home is essential. And it should be determined by something other than a good school for the children or the only way to build wealth. But if buying a house means happiness, then go for it.

If we can move beyond fostering this "American Ideal", arguments exist for scrapping ALL subsidies that homeowners receive, such as government underwriting mortgages, tax deductions of interest, etc. This would even out the social disparities between owners and renters, reducing the choice to a financial mechanism like owning or leasing the car.

Many thanks.