increase housing supply

It makes sense to me that governments should be providing their citizens with items at the base of the pyramid for Maslow's hierarchy of needs.

Air is everywhere, but governments mostly do have clean air regulations to make sure that air is breathable. Water is also typically provided by the city for every residence. It's not free, but it's pretty cheap. But, governments could be doing a lot more when it comes to shelter and food.

It's a bit strange that governments do spend a lot of effort / money on employment and personal security when they're higher up the pyramid than basics like housing and food.