Many conservatives rightly point to supply shortages, excessive regulation, restrictive zoning laws, and government intervention in the housing market. The result was predictable: fewer homes, higher prices, and a widening gap between wages and housing costsThe housing shortage isn’t just about demand. To neo-Malthusians, fewer homes meant fewer people," the video continued. Capital flows in, new housing gets built, prices come back down." Reagan’s message was simple, lower taxes, fewer restrictions, and greater trust in the initiative of the American people.