This week provided a smattering of interesting real estate stories, including:

•Silicon Valley is infamous for its high cost of housing – will a local politicians fight to improve housing access influence the nationwide affordability crisis? Vox has the story.

•More news on affordability – could group living be the answer to local housing shortages? Slates writes about how Boulder, Colorado is providing the test run for the concept.

•Chicago is one of the top 10 boating spots in the country, according to a new Redfin ranking.

•The Myron Bachman house – one of the most thoroughly bizarre residences on the North Side – has returned to the market just months after finding a buyer.

•A new HUD voucher plan has found an unlikely critic in the Chicago Housing Authority.

•Where are some of Chicago’s most endangered historic buildings? Curbed runs through the sad list.