A new study in the San Francisco Bay Area says no, that had there been no controls in place there would be only 6.5% more housing built over the past 50 years.
The reason is that the Bay Area land being conserved is unsuitable for most housing, and affordable housing in particular.
John Wildermuth writes, "Over the years, developers and business groups have complained that converting so much land into protected open space has made what's left so expensive that young families can no longer move into the area.
"Now we have the research that says that's not really true," said Michele Beasley, a senior field representative of the Greenbelt Alliance. "We have an affordable housing problem, which won't be solved by million-dollar homes on hillside lots.""
FULL STORY: Open space little effect on housing, study says

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

Defunct Pittsburgh Power Plant to Become Residential Tower
A decommissioned steam heat plant will be redeveloped into almost 100 affordable housing units.

Trump Prompts Restructuring of Transportation Research Board in “Unprecedented Overreach”
The TRB has eliminated more than half of its committees including those focused on climate, equity, and cities.

Amtrak Rolls Out New Orleans to Alabama “Mardi Gras” Train
The new service will operate morning and evening departures between Mobile and New Orleans.
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