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I’m not sure what this is supposed to contribute to the conversation. Regulations make it simply impossible for housing supply to keep up with demand in Califor

I’m not sure what this is supposed to contribute to the conversation. Regulations make it simply impossible for housing supply to keep up with demand in California (and lots of other places too). This point in particular is not even contentious as far as I can tell. If you want to fix the problem, the only way to do it is to relax zoning and permit regulations. Trying to fix over-regulation with more regulation will only ever make things less efficient, requiring even more regulations, ad infinitum. This has been California’s long standing policy, and not only has this never solved the problem, it’s never even been able to stop it from endlessly getting worse.

sgc 7y ago
As I said above, they don't even need to ease the regulations, just work faster for permit approval and charge less for them, and the problem could largely sort itself out.
- AmericanChopper 7y ago
  The cost of compliance is really a minor factor here. The problem is that zoning laws simply prohibit building enough hosing to meet demand. The zoning laws in LA, the Bay Area and elsewhere will ensure an ever-worsening and never ending housing shortage for as long as they exist in their current state.
  - sgc 7y ago
    There are many lots that don't get built on because the cost of construction is higher than the value of the home once built. I have done the math on a number of such lots, and the permitting fees have been roughly the amount to tip the scales. Add to that the one year minimum build time due to at least 4-6 months of bureaucratic delays, and it just becomes unfeasible.
human20190310 7y ago
> This point in particular is not even contentious as far as I can tell. If you want to fix the problem, the only way to do it is to relax zoning and permit regulations. This has already been proposed by Scott Wiener as SB50. It was opposed by local councils and never put to an actual vote, and it never will be, unless political pressure is applied in the form of counter-regulation.

sgc 7y ago

As I said above, they don't even need to ease the regulations, just work faster for permit approval and charge less for them, and the problem could largely sort itself out.

AmericanChopper 7y ago
The cost of compliance is really a minor factor here. The problem is that zoning laws simply prohibit building enough hosing to meet demand. The zoning laws in LA, the Bay Area and elsewhere will ensure an ever-worsening and never ending housing shortage for as long as they exist in their current state.
- sgc 7y ago
  There are many lots that don't get built on because the cost of construction is higher than the value of the home once built. I have done the math on a number of such lots, and the permitting fees have been roughly the amount to tip the scales. Add to that the one year minimum build time due to at least 4-6 months of bureaucratic delays, and it just becomes unfeasible.

human20190310 7y ago

> This point in particular is not even contentious as far as I can tell. If you want to fix the problem, the only way to do it is to relax zoning and permit regulations. This has already been proposed by Scott Wiener as SB50. It was opposed by local councils and never put to an actual vote, and it never will be, unless political pressure is applied in the form of counter-regulation.