3 ms·

That doesn't make a ton of sense. Zoning is controlled at a very local level (NY and CA had recent controversies with state attempting to claim that power.) My

That doesn't make a ton of sense. Zoning is controlled at a very local level (NY and CA had recent controversies with state attempting to claim that power.) My town is zoned for small single fam homes so people who want that kind of life come here. The town next door is clearly zoned for higher density, so has more apartments and townhouses. A different type of people live there. If you want more density, you go another town over and now you're in Queens, and you can keep going until you're in Manhattan with one of the highest densities in the world. Seems like zoning reflects people's desires and provides a diversity of lifestyles which is good. If a community/development wanted to be more walkable, they can make the zoning call on a very local level.

stetrain 3y ago
What if more people want to live in a place like Queens than there are housing units there? Prices increase, and some people cannot afford to live there. Where do they go? If they move to your town, they are now "dissenters" for being the less-than-50% part of the population that might vote for things like higher density or mixed-used developments. It's difficult to vote your choices in a place you don't already live. You also describe a spectrum of types of places to live in a close geographic area that is not at all representative of most of the US. Being two-towns-over from Queens puts you in a majorly urban metro area with a level of density somewhat unique to older American cities and the Northeast in general. In my experience the towns and neighborhoods with close density building (not necessarily high-rises, you can get way high density with single and double story development than the average Target/Costco suburb), are seen as very desirable in the housing market and generally command very high prices. Places with a Main Street, with local shops and restaurants, with walkable housing and mixed development. These are the "cool neighborhoods" that people visit but often can't afford to live in. If supply of these places met or exceeded demand I would think they would be more affordable to buy housing in.

stetrain 3y ago

What if more people want to live in a place like Queens than there are housing units there? Prices increase, and some people cannot afford to live there. Where do they go? If they move to your town, they are now "dissenters" for being the less-than-50% part of the population that might vote for things like higher density or mixed-used developments. It's difficult to vote your choices in a place you don't already live. You also describe a spectrum of types of places to live in a close geographic area that is not at all representative of most of the US. Being two-towns-over from Queens puts you in a majorly urban metro area with a level of density somewhat unique to older American cities and the Northeast in general. In my experience the towns and neighborhoods with close density building (not necessarily high-rises, you can get way high density with single and double story development than the average Target/Costco suburb), are seen as very desirable in the housing market and generally command very high prices. Places with a Main Street, with local shops and restaurants, with walkable housing and mixed development. These are the "cool neighborhoods" that people visit but often can't afford to live in. If supply of these places met or exceeded demand I would think they would be more affordable to buy housing in.