If You Build It, They Will Stay

Greater Los Angeles has a job growth rate that is luckily keeping pace with its explosive population growth, but a lack of affordable housing is driving local workers to reside in the outlying areas and threatening future economic prosperity. Thomas Lee argues that a lack of available urban land, an overly complicated and expensive entitlement process, and uncooperative municipal governments combine to force development on the urban fringe. Lee calls for changes to the development and CEQA processes in LA County, fiscal reform, and increasing density in urban areas. Thomas L. Lee is chairman and CEO of the Newhall Land and Farming Company, which is developing the new towns of Valencia and Newhall Ranch.