“...50% of the town population are living in rentals.”
There’s the key - rentals - for a great many younger folks, urban dwellers and retirees.
When the suburban and rural mid-range boomer homes drop in price significantly enough, they’ll be scooped to become rentals (as happens now around the edges of larger cities).
For capable gen X, Y and immigrants, great — a nice house with no down payment, no building maintenance, just keep up the monthly stroke.
Possibly, ordinances will change to allow multi-family occupancy.
Possibly, ordinances will change to allow multi-family occupancy.
Iowa decided “family” was discriminatory, so family was redefined. Family is now any number of people who want to live together.
In effect, it nullified all residential zoning. The City of Ames responded to this by making sure all rental is registered and limiting occupation to number of bedrooms plus one. No new parking and driveway permits.
But if you own the house, the above rental rules are not enforced.