> The city’s zoning laws are among the most restrictive in the country. They limit the height and density of new buildings and give local residents, often prope

> The city’s zoning laws are among the most restrictive in the country. They limit the height and density of new buildings and give local residents, often property owners, the ability to severely delay new development. Most of the city’s land area, particularly the posh western bits, is zoned for single-family homes, which now comprise one-third of its housing stock. Almost all the city’s land faces height limits of 40 feet, or about three storeys. The result is a city where rents are sky-high but buildings are not. That is the central problem, and more government regulation on top of an already insane amount of red tape and restrictions will not fix it. You must allow developers to develop