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I like idea of taxing higher unoccupied homes. If someone wants to make investment, great make investment and either pay high taxes (support folks who do live there) or have to rent it.

Vancouver did this.

Sort of - they just apply a tax on unoccupied homes. As long as it's rented, the owner does not pay the tax.

Which property owners, or aspiring property owners, are going to vote for that?

Ridiculous solution. Even pretending there is any taxing authority with jurisdiction "all over the world" using tax code to try to change behaviors just creates a lot of creative avoidance and unintended consequences.

> using tax code to try to change behaviors

It's what we do though. Mortgage loan interest deductible to get people to purchase homes, capital gains tax is low to encourage longer-term investing....