Many thanks to the Victoria Times Colonist for publishing my short letter to the editor noting the existence of credible research and data on housing vacancy chains, also known as moving chains.
I have some longer blog posts here, here and here, explaining what they are, and of course you can also learn more by reading the CMHC reports and other credible literature mentioned in my letter and linked in the other posts.
I wrote the letter because I saw misleading rhetoric and misinformation about vacancy chains being repeated day after day. I submitted my letter with the proposed heading of “Housing – listen to the experts.”
And as much as I’m flattered by the odd suggestion that I came up with the vacancy chain research, I didn’t. It’s well-established, it’s being around for decades across a number of disciplines, and it’s a product of the experts.
You can read the letter at the above link. In case the link breaks, I have also put a copy of it below.
“’Vacancy chain’ deniers ignore all the proof
A few letters to the editor seem bent on attacking the well-documented operation of moving chains in housing.
Also known as vacancy chains, they are clearly explained by actual experts in credible publications by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp., economics journals, and City of Victoria staff.
Vacancy chains have been identified for many decades in housing markets, job markets, automobile markets, and many other places. It’s nothing new.
And all the objections in the above-noted letters are addressed in the literature.
This reminds me of the “debate” around climate change, with deniers arguing that we shouldn’t trust those “so-called” experts (climate scientists).
And the response: Who would you want in the cockpit of your next flight — the random guy in the seat next to you, or the pilot?
Dave Thompson
City Councillor and CRD Director
Victoria”