When the financial crisis broke in September 2008, it was widely understood -- both in policy-making circles and in popular conversation -- that problems in the U.S. housing market were central to the unfolding events. But thereafter, the events themselves took center stage: and the problems of the housing sector, though not forgotten, slipped down the political agenda and off the popular radar. That was a mistake. Problems in the U.S. housing market remain central to our continuing difficulties -- problems experienced by people wanting to buy houses, and problems experienced by people who already own one. Economically and politically, a resolution of the U.S. housing crisis remains a key requirement for long term prosperity and, more immediately, for the continuation of a Democratic White House.

Economically the current recovery is slow in part because the housing sector remains sluggish. The housing sector remains sluggish because the inventory of unsold houses remains high; and the inventory of unsold houses remains high because the foreclosure crisis refuses to go away. Politically, Obama and the Democrats are losing popular support because unemployment and job insecurity are rife. Unemployment and job insecurity are rife because the economy remains sluggish; and the economy remains sluggish in part because there are still so many foreclosed homes on the market. People are losing their homes in record numbers in contemporary America, and they are doing so now on Obama's watch, not on Bush's.

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Once the set of numerous films, the "Henman House" has been listed with an asking price of $7.95 million. Built by Ed Niles (FAIA) in 1993, the residence sits on nearly seventeen acres of green Malibu lawns with unobstructed white-water views of the Pacific Ocean. The property grounds include a sixty-foot pool, a helipad that doubles as a driving range, and parking for twenty-five cars. The floors are fossilized limestone beneath twenty-two foot tall cathedral ceilings.There is a chef's kitchen with a black diamond fireplace and hidden panel cabinetry that opens to reveal a limestone patio and outdoor kitchen.

Owned by director Graham Henman and fashion stylist Paris Henman of Henman Guitars, this custom glass and steel home is one of the Ed Niles' many achievements. The architect has been featured in the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and Architectural Digest. In 2001, the University of Southern California presented him with their Distinguished Alumni Award. Angelenos may know Ed Niles from his "Salad Spinner" house in Beverly Hills, which sold for $9 million earlier this year. The architect lives and works in Malibu.

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The defense budget in back in the news -- the perennial harbinger of Spring like the first crocuses. This year's version of the ritualized passion play on Capitol Hill features Secretary Robert Gates' highly publicized proposal to trim military spending by $78 billion over the next five years. That would amount to roughly $15.5 billion per annum. A closer look reveals that the numbers refer only to the fixed Pentagon budget while excluding the 'off the books' outlays for the war/occupations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Conservative estimates of those costs (which assume a steady drawdown of forces and expenditures) pretty much match the projected $78 billion cuts. So, in truth, this heralded bold step to rein in defense spending is a bit of legerdemain. That's to be expected. These annual exercises usually are little more than stylized Kabuki.

There are obvious reasons for that. One is the powerful vested interests who resist making consequential changes. The other is intellectual. It is impossible to think seriously about defense budgets and Pentagon resource allocations without a clear idea of what we expect our military to do -- and why. In other words, the place to begin is with interests, needs and means. We don't do that. The production of strategic statements has become an art form for obfuscating half-baked ideas and flawed logic. Its main reference points, beyond an extrapolation of the status quo, are domestic politics and intra-governmental turf battles. This holds for budgetary plans as well.

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Teaching the physical dimensions of sustainability- the use of natural resources to build products and structures, waste management and the impact of humans on our plant's ecosystems- presents a challenge to the nation's business and public policy schools. Most of these schools focus on economics, finance, politics and management, but ignore science, engineering and architecture. While environmental scientists understand the need to study public policy and encourage their students to explore these fields, management and policy educators continue to ignore their students' need for greater scientific literacy. My view is that the physical dimensions of sustainability are now a critical factor and should be taught as a routine component of organizational management for both government and private organizations.

As an academic and a practitioner, I have spent my career alternating between a concern for environmental policy and for more effective organizational management. Until the last decade I kept these two areas of inquiry distinct. In developing two masters programs at Columbia over the past ten years, I have found it possible and necessary to combine the two areas. In 2002 I first combined environment and organizational management when I led a team that designed and taught a workshop in applied environmental management in our new one year Master of Public Administration Program in Environmental Science and Policy. Each year in the workshop course, we take an environmental bill or treaty that has been proposed, but not enacted, and simulate the start up of that program.

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