A quick search shows there are many reasonable explanations of wage stagnation (to take one issue) that Ronald Reagan just happened to preside over. But especially on left-leaning websites, the narrative is often that his specific actions somehow resonate more than any following president. Was there anything special about the Reagan presidency that gave it such a powerful legacy? Or is the “Reagan era” just shorthand for the end of the post-war boom and 70s idealism, and the tipping point towards inevitable infighting and decline?
Most of these issues stem in part of whole from policymaking before or after Reagan.
The tangle of state and federal laws that emerges in the United States is built not just by presidents, but also by congressional legislators, state legislators, government bureaucrats and regulators, with the judiciary often making some contribution.
The housing crisis is incredibly localized, and is most heavily shaped by municipal zoning and planning rules.
You are asking a very large questions about four somewhat distinct topics. I have written about the housing crisis in the past, but very little of the housing crisis can be laid directly at Reagan's feet.
To be clear, I don't think Reagan noticed the nascent housing crisis or implemented any beneficial housing policies either. I don't think he was significant at all in the housing dimension, other than vilifying Section 8 recipients and standing by while congress defunded public housing.