>Part of the problem is government regulation Perhaps, but I think the more difficult issue in communities is how developers take over city councils and hamstr

>Part of the problem is government regulation Perhaps, but I think the more difficult issue in communities is how developers take over city councils and hamstring especially high-density development to benefit themselves personally- to eliminate competition and only let their or friends' own pet projects see the light of day. Also since they are almost always wealthy, they do not want housing to assist the poor or nontraditional housing that takes advantage of alternative energy to be built near their properties because in their mind it devalues them. I think they are going to be tragically wrong in the near future, but the bubble around capitalist-oriented real estate is VERY strong and unlikely to burst until it's catastrophic.