Comment by londons_explore
2 days ago
Making it hard for cities to deny all permission to build new housing through impossible zoning laws should also be on the cards.
2 days ago
Making it hard for cities to deny all permission to build new housing through impossible zoning laws should also be on the cards.
Yeah, all the politicians talking housing— the actual net governmental effect on housing is to massively constrain supply (quantity) in service of rather arbitrary qualitative standards. I’m all for “the building shouldn’t spontaneously collapse” standards, but … two acre lots? Restrictions on casting shadows? Accessory dwelling units? Nah. If the government wants to make a difference it should ban Euclidian zoning as it currently is practiced, full stop.
These qualitative standards are subjective. Everyone has something that they deem essential and others not so much. A lot of zoning regulations is the amalgamation of preferences by different people, because they try to satisfy the aesthetic preferences of too many people.
For example in New York City go take a walk in the streets next to hundred-year-old skyscrapers in downtown. It’s miserable to me. Now go walk alongside midcentury skyscrapers in midtown. It’s much better. The difference is entirely because of shadows cast by the skyscrapers. The visceral reaction from shadows is so strong to me that I am wholeheartedly supporting restrictions on casting shadows.
Now on two-acre lots. That’s not something I care about. Even 0.1 acres of land is too much maintenance for me. But it will be non-negotiable for someone else.
Millions of people want to live in NYC and would productively contribute to the city if it were more affordable.
The government should not criminalize development that would make housing more affordable over your preference on shadows!
It's a negative externality, yes, but it's a trivial one next to the upside of cheaper housing for more people!
1 reply →
"We expect all states to expand housing supply by 2% per year. States which fail to meet this standard will pay $1000 per unbuilt house per year, as a subtraction from other federal funding. States may trade house building with other states to achieve this.".
Making this decision as a politician in this country is death to your career though; how could we incentivize our leaders to bite the hand that elects them?
If your local mayor decides to allow a tower block to be built next to your house, you might be pissed.
But if the president says 'we're gonna take away mayors powers to restrict housebuilding', you won't be pissed yet.... And when a builder comes along to build later it'll be too late.
The president doesn’t have this power, or shouldn’t according to a sane reading of the Constitution. This needs to be a state level action.