> in Greece you pay no taxes on a building 'til it's completed, but since the weather is fine all year anyway, why not just leave the top floor unfinished? And they do, private individuals and corporations alike.
This. Athens reminded me a little bit of Cairo, with mile after mile of "unfinished" occupied buildings.
It seems also that good policy is a major problem. No taxes till complete? That's fine, now make it illegal to move into an incomplete building. No sane person can make a rational argument that people should be able to move into construction sites.
I would make that argument, especially if I'm personally involved in the building (not sure about the legalities here).
Maintaining a house no one lives in is pretty expensive, so there's every reason to have someone move in as soon as the house can manage weather protection, food storage, and ventilation. Further, if you're personally involved in advancing those concerns, you're already spending at least 10 hours a day in the building. Now, leasing the place out while there are holes in the floor is probably against a law, but there's no reason why buildings couldn't be continuously developed incrementally with user feedback. And occasionally, they are.
This. Athens reminded me a little bit of Cairo, with mile after mile of "unfinished" occupied buildings.
It seems also that good policy is a major problem. No taxes till complete? That's fine, now make it illegal to move into an incomplete building. No sane person can make a rational argument that people should be able to move into construction sites.