It takes a heap of money from the bank to buy a house

California accused one of its own cities of blocking the construction of enough affordable places to live, filing a lawsuit Friday that signals an aggressive approach to the state’s housing crisis by the new governor, Gavin Newsom.

Huntington Beach, an upscale coastal city outside Los Angeles, is “standing in the way of affordable housing production and refusing to meet regional housing needs,” according to an announcement from the office of Mr. Newsom, a Democrat elected in November.

WSJ

It takes a heap of money from the bank to buy a house;

through the sun and shadow mortgages are like a louse --

perhaps you will grow used to one and soon forget to pay,

and that will be the end of you as you are dragged away.

A house is what we dream of when we think of livin' good;

a thick green lawn, two car garage, in some rich neighborhood.

With kids upon the swing set and a dog sniffin' the fence,

a patio with gas grill and much more -- hang the expense!

But jobs are such a song and dance that one can never know

when the layoffs might begin and finances grow low.

The smell of roses round the porch will cloy your hopeless brain,

cuz second mortgages don't come as quick as April rain.

I wonder what "affordable" means to Re/Max agents now?

Half a million dollars is the lowest they'll allow.

Without a push from government a house I'll never own;

a cardboard box will likely be my castle and my throne.

Low cost housing still costs more than I can e'er afford.

And renting an apartment keeps me permanently floored.

I think I'll move to Thailand so I can live upon the beach,

and build myself a wikiup from palm fronds that I pleach.