I do kind of get the point that ensuring Boomers who have a lot of wealth in real estate can pass a paid off house to their heirs isn't a socially valuable goal (especially since Social Security is funded by working people, including many who don't own a house or aren't due to inherit one). Maybe instead SS benefit can be considered more like a loan with the house as collateral, payable on death or transfer.

So I work for 45+ years, paying SS tax for those 45+ years, and what that gets me is a loan when I retire with payback deferred until I die?

You'll have a hard time convincing anyone that they want to participate in that.