[mdonahoe]

I cant figure it out either, but I think it just means that you will always need shelter, so prices going up is bad for you.

At first I took "shorting" literally, and thought it meant I borrowed a house, sold it, and now I need to buy it back at some point. It probably just means "in need of", with a bit of financial connotation?

"Define short"

7. low in amount; scanty: short rations.

9. below the standard in extent, quantity, duration, etc.: short measure.

10. having a scanty or insufficient amount of (often followed by `in or `on ): He was short in experience.

[regularfry]

It's literally the last definition there: "having an insufficient amount of." "Shorting" refers to the process of getting to the position of having an insufficient amount, assuming you start neutral or long. He's saying you are "born short", not that you interact in any "shorting."