Ultrawealthy residents have blocked a proposal to build townhouse developments in one of California’s most affluent communities.

In a piece in the New York Times, Erin Griffith describes the NIMBYist efforts of some residents of the small, wealthy Silicon Valley enclave of Atherton, where “chief executives and venture capitalists banded together over the specter that more than one home could exist on a single acre of land in the general vicinity of their estates.”
Atherton is tasked with adding 348 housing units as part of California’s Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA), a topic Planetizen has covered extensively over the past months. As Griffith points out, “Many California towns, particularly ones with rich people, have fought higher-density housing plans in recent years, a trend that has become known as NIMBYism for ‘not in my backyard.’ But Atherton’s situation stands out because of the extreme wealth of its denizens — the average home sale in 2020 was $7.9 million — and because tech leaders who live there have championed housing causes.”
The backlash began when the city council approved an overlay district that would permit the construction of nine townhome developments this June. While residents brought up concerns such as increased traffic and crime, some straightforwardly expressed concern about their property values. The city’s mayor pointed out that the townhomes, which, by one estimate, could cost at least $4 million each, would not fit the state’s definition of affordable housing.
On August 2, the city removed the townhome proposal from its housing plan; according to Griffith, “it instead proposed a program to encourage residents to rent out accessory dwelling units on their properties, to allow people to subdivide properties and to potentially build housing for teachers on school property.”
FULL STORY: The Summer of NIMBY in Silicon Valley’s Poshest Town

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

Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?
As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?

The Five Most-Changed American Cities
A ranking of population change, home values, and jobs highlights the nation’s most dynamic and most stagnant regions.

‘Quality Work, Fast’: NC Gears up for Homebuilding After Helene, Trying to Avoid Past Pitfalls
The state will field bids to demolish, repair and rebuild homes in the mountains. After struggles in eastern NC, officials aim to chart a different course.

Washington State’s Parking Reform Law Could Unlock ‘Countless’ Acres for New Housing
A law that limits how much parking cities can require for residential amd commercial developments could lead to a construction boom.

Wildlife Rebounds After the Eaton Fire
Following the devastation of the Eaton Fire, the return of wildlife and the regrowth of native plants are offering powerful signs of resilience and renewal.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions