"Older generations own more than two-thirds of the nation's housing stock, " says Angus Hanton co-founder of the foundation.
For example, governments could build housing stock for everyone who needs a place to live.
Spending more on new housing stock seems like an odd bet given the current inventory.
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Government-owned apartment buildings make up a larger part of the housing stock than in most cities.
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The lavish generosity of governments to out-of-office politicians has further depleted the housing stock.
Brownstone Brooklyn makes a dignified statement with its housing stock, albeit a quiet, old-fashioned one.
But if cheaper rents emerge from a larger housing stock, that will help social tenants too.
Among Welsh local authorities, so far only Wrexham has voted against transfer of the housing stock.
However, opponents say selling properties will reduce the rental housing stock available for those on low incomes.
The housing stock is not prepared for this flow of renters, suggesting potent ally severe rental shortage.
Still, Tung's policy to boost the housing stock by 85, 000 flats a year has angered the real-estate magnates.
He then detailed the target to ensure all genuinely homeless people had access to housing stock by 2012.
Some 11, 000 new homes have been planned for the Olympic Park, raising the area's housing stock by 80%.
Friends of the Earth said the government should be focusing on making England's current housing stock more energy-efficient.
He called the change "grossly unfair", but ministers say it is necessary to free up housing stock and cut waste.
But developers would be able to make a profit by expanding the housing stock in the wealthiest parts of town.
Housing stock is crumbling, and the center city is a study in urban decay: empty lots, boarded-up businesses, foreclosure signs.
And if the productive economy of the mind flourishes, consumption of existing and future housing stock will surely take care of itself.
"The government needs to refine the methods for judging regional and local imbalances between household growth and housing stock, " Mr Palmer added.
Foreclosures are going to provide the immediate housing stock buyers are seeking.
The borough council said the policy was putting further pressure on its social housing stock because many residents could not pay market rents.
To be fair, many of those comparables are condos, a housing stock that typically garners slightly higher prices per square foot than coops.
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Another good idea is for the government to audit the housing stock and tell householders how to cut their emissions and their bills.
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These positive effects are transitory, however, when local economies have insufficient permanent employment to justify a constant level of demand for new housing stock.
In Philadelphia, it makes sense to buy an old house: The city's housing stock is venerable, with a median year of construction of 1925.
Since the floods, another 75, 000 people have crowded into the parish, heightening competition -- and prices -- for the remaining housing stock, he said.
"The affordability and quality of housing stock definitely exists in Ridgewood and it's just a couple of extra train stops away, " said Joseph V.
"The 'housing crisis' is increasingly an issue of how our housing stock is shared between younger and older generations, " said IF co-founder Angus Hanton.
Kevin Drum was understandably skeptical about the prospects of moving private investors to purchase and upkeep a blighting (if not blighted) housing stock.
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Energy efficiency and better home insulation is one way out of the government's dilemma, but insulating Britain's notoriously draughty housing stock would take years.
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