A new wave of investors is targeting struggling cities, betting they can profit regardless of local conditions. This episode explores how financial incentives keep the model alive—and what that means for communities trying to resist. Continue to learn more at strongtowns.org/stackedagainstusBecome a Strong Towns member today at strongtowns.org/members

After the 2008 crash, federal policies fueled the financialization of housing, transforming it from shelter into an investment vehicle. The result: a new breed of landlords and investors moving into markets once dominated by local ownership. Continue to learn more at strongtowns.org/stackedagainstusHey listener, you hear from us all the time, but today we want to hear from you. We want your feedback on this podcast and any other Strong Towns podcast you like to listen to. Please fill out this quick survey to share your thoughts: strongtowns.org/survey

Turning housing into a tech product promised speed and scale. What it delivered instead were broken homes, frustrated tenants, and a widening gap between the people who own property and the people who live in it. Learn more at strongtowns.org/stackedagainstus

The 2008 financial crisis did more than rattle Wall Street—it reshaped our neighborhoods. Homes that once built security for families became speculative investments. Over ten years later, that tension has only sharpened. This series explores how we got here and what it will take to put control back in local hands—because the question isn’t whether the void will be filled, but by whom.