U.S Economy, Construction Industry, and Residential Market Crisis and Recovery, 2000-2019

Dr. Ebenezer Osita Aka is Professor of Urban Studies and Planning at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. He is the Director of Urban Studies Program; and was once the Interim Chair of Department of Political Science that includes, International Studies Program and Urban Studies Program at the College. His Bachelor of City and Regional Planning (BCRP, Cum Laude) and MA in Geography and Urban Planning (Magna Cum Laude) are from The University of Louisiana, Lafayette, Louisiana; Master of City and Regional Planning (MCRP) from Rutgers-The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey; and PH.D. in Urban and Regional Planning from Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas.Dr. Aka is a member of Environmental Studies Group; Sustainability and Sustainable Energy Group; and Morehouse Research Institute (MRI) at the College. He is the author of two (2) books: Regional Disparities in Nigeria's Development: Lessons and Challenges for the 21st Century (University Press of America, 2000); World Regional and Cultural Footprints and Environmental Sustainability: Analysis of Socioeconomic Determinants (Hamilton Books: Rowman & Littlefield, 2017). He has been article reviewer for the Journal of Third World Studies; African Urban Quarterly; Urban Affairs Quarterly; and GeoJournal. He is also Associate Editor of The International Journal of Environmental, Cultural, Economic and Social Sustainability, 2005-present; also Associate Editor of The International Journal of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences.; as well as monographs, book chapters, and several articles and proceedings in various refereed and reputable journals, such as Cities: The International Journal of Urban Policy and Planning; Review of Urban and Regional Development Studies (RURDS); The Journal of Public Sector Management; Journal of Social Development in Africa; African Urban Quarterly-Journal of Comparative Urbanization and Planning in Africa; The International Journal of Environmental, Cultural, Economic & Social Sustainability; The International Journal of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences; The National Social Science Journal (NSSJ); American International Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences; and Human Ecology Review.Dr. Aka's Research Interests include: Housing and Community Development; Comparative Urbanization and Planning; Urban and Regional Development & Revitalization; Regional Disparities; Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Applications in Planning; Environmental Sustainability; Sustainable Development; and Biodiversity Conservation.

The book analyzes U.S economy, construction industry, and residential market crisis and recovery from 2000 to 2019. The motivation emanated from the need to document the unprecedented housing market crisis (and recovery) and its negative e¿ects on the hitherto seeming formidable U.S economy. The expectation is that analysis of the data and ¿ndings should yield some policy recommendations and suggestions on how to ameliorate the impacts of weak economy and housing crisis on the nation, regions, cities, neighborhoods, groups, and individuals. The question is what factors were responsible for the housing crisis, economic meltdown, and the recoveries? What type of economic and housing policies and programs should guarantee a Goldilocks economy in the U.S? The corrective measures were on how to create enough demand to keep the economy humming at a healthy pace. The study should likely help students of housing and economic development as well as policy makers at national, regional, and local levels by equipping them with adequate knowledge of what led to the housing bubbles of mid-2000 decade that overheated the economy; the policy instruments used to mitigate the economic and housing market problems when the bubbles busted; and the necessary proactive measures needed to protect housing industry market and economy. The signi¿cance of the study includes the lessons learned about what caused the housing crisis and ensued economic meltdown; the recovery policies and programs; and how to guard against the crises from happening in the future, should undoubtedly make the study a worthwhile e¿ort.