Housing History on Repeat
Vanessa's "Cliff Notes" Edition
“On Thursday, I shared why independence — financial, political, institutional — matters. A fellow Laconian, and friend, Jeff Theyer followed up with an essay so researched and relentless, it deserves a medal for endurance reading. But since most folks won’t click a religious URL or wade through 3,000 words, here’s my TL;DR version.”
The Long View
History doesn’t just rhyme; it roars back like a bad sequel. Jeff’s work proves that what we’re experiencing with housing in the Lakes Region isn’t a brand-new crisis — it’s an old song on repeat.
“Housing issues aren’t new, and they’re not any one administration’s fault. Especially not our former Mayor’s.”
Cliff Notes Timeline
1640s: Colonial poor laws create the first “deserving vs. undeserving poor.”
1800s: Workhouses and loitering laws criminalize poverty.
1930s: Hoovervilles rise; FDR launches the short-lived Federal Transient Service.
1960s–70s: HUD, the Fair Housing Act, and Section 8 try to shift the tide.
1990s–2010s: Housing First programs prove effective, especially for veterans.
Today: Wages stall, rents spike, zoning rules dictate who can actually afford to live here.
Why It Matters Here
If this looks familiar, it should. Every cycle repeats: costs outrun wages, policies lag, and communities scramble to respond. That’s exactly the tension we see in the Lakes Region today.
“The uncomfortable truth? None of this is new. The players change, but the script doesn’t.”
Jeff’s Full Essay (For the Brave)
If you want the full depth, data, and historical proof, Jeff’s original essay is here:
👉 📄 Download Jeff’s full essay (PDF)
Fair warning: it’s dry. It’s academic. But it’s also airtight, and exactly the kind of attention history demands.
Takeaway
This isn’t about blaming one leader, one council, or one administration. It’s about recognizing the long arc — and deciding whether Laconia will keep rerunning history, or finally change the ending.
Call to Readers
If you’ve got two minutes, share this with a neighbor. If you’ve got twenty, read Jeff’s full essay. (It’s truly worthwhile doing so.) Either way, remember: housing is not an accident. It’s the result of choices — and we’re the ones making them now.
Thank you Vanessa