# Regulation Has Made Housing Unaffordable – with economist Bryan Caplan

**URL:** <https://www.libertarianism.org/videos/regulation-has-made-housing-unaffordable-economist-bryan-caplan>

**By** Bryan Caplan, Barbara Galletti

**Published:** May 7, 2026

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The hidden force has driven housing prices up.

Why is housing so expensive in the United States?

In this episode of _A Conversation with [Libertarianism.org](http://libertarianism.org/)_, economist Bryan Caplan breaks down one of the most overlooked drivers of rising costs: government regulation.

Across the US, housing regulations may have doubled prices on average—and in high-demand cities, the effect is even more extreme.

In this video, we discuss:

- 00:00 Why Is Housing So Expensive?
- 00:48 Why Is Housing So Regulated?
- 02:22 Do People Support These Policies?
- 03:18 What Was the System Before These Regulations?
- 04:44 How Much Does Regulation Increase Prices?
- 06:08 What Are the Biggest Misconceptions About Housing?
- 07:14 Are There Benefits to Population Density?
- 09:14 How Does Housing Affect Inequality?
- 10:08 What Should We Change?

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