Look West: Public lands and energy news from the Center for Western Priorities
** Can public lands solve the affordable housing crisis? Likely not
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Tuesday, March 18, 2025
Suburban sprawl near Las Vegas, Nevada. John Krzesinski, Flickr ([link removed])
The Trump administration is creating a task force ([link removed]) to identify national public lands that could be suitable for building affordable housing. The task force will be jointly run by the U.S. Department of the Interior and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
While some national public land may be fit for building affordable housing, the task is easier said than done. According to the Wall Street Journal ([link removed]) , only a small portion of national public land is near cities with housing shortages—only about 7.3 percent of all national public land falls within metropolitan areas that need more homes. Most national public land is in remote areas that would require disrupting wildlife habitats and building entire infrastructure systems from scratch in order to build new housing.
Land availability is only a small part of the equation. Even in states like Nevada where there are viable public lands near existing infrastructure, financing and zoning remain issues ([link removed]) . In order for new housing to remain affordable, funds would need to come from ([link removed]) sources such as federal allocations or local taxes, like a progressive real estate transfer tax on luxury property sales. Local governments would also need to get rid of exclusionary zoning that limits the density of housing developments.
The affordability of new housing is also in question due to increases in the cost of building supplies as a result of the Trump administration's tariffs. According to the National Association of Home Builders, tariffs are projected to raise the costs ([link removed]) that go into building a single-family home in the U.S. by $7,500 to $10,000.
** Quick hits
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Trump wants to build homes on national public land. Here's what that would look like
Wall Street Journal ([link removed]) | E&E News ([link removed]) | Government Executive ([link removed])
How DOGE cuts are jeopardizing our national parks, "America's best idea"
CBS News ([link removed])
National parks at escalated wildfire risk, thanks to DOGE cuts
Rolling Stone ([link removed])
Interior offers incentives for staffers to exit
E&E News ([link removed])
Park Service employees at White House were exempted from mass firings
Public Domain ([link removed])
Podcast: How DOGE cuts may affect your summer vacation
The Assignment ([link removed])
Glacier National Park's oldest ranger has died
SFGATE ([link removed])
The end of the EPA’s fight to protect overpolluted communities
Grist ([link removed])
** Quote of the day
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” This is the story of America, the story of the people who live here. And it doesn't matter your background or where you're from. These places belong to all of us. And they really are America's best idea.”
—Lydia Jones, fired Park Service training specialist, CBS News ([link removed])
** Picture This
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@mypubliclands ([link removed])
The Land and Water Conservation Fund is one of the nation's most powerful tools for preserving public lands, safeguarding natural resources, and ensuring outdoor recreation opportunities for future generations - without costing taxpayers a dime!
At the Bureau of Land Management, we use these funds to support conservation and recreation projects and enhance public access to public land, waters and resources in your community.
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