Does Land Use Planning Equal Unaffordable Housing In San Francisco?

Randal O'Toole blames land use planning for high housing costs in San Francisco in this op-ed column.

1 minute read

May 23, 2006, 11:00 AM PDT

By Arnab Chakraborty


"...as recently as 1970, Bay Area housing was as affordable as housing in many other parts of the country...What happened in the 1970s to make Bay Area housing so unaffordable? In a nutshell: land-use planning."

O'Toole criticizes legislation enacted by local governments since the 70s and ties its impacts to social justice, economic mobility, and so-called progressive attitude.

O'Toole also criticizes the planning efforts to mandate construction of affordable units -- "The solution to the Bay Area's housing affordability crisis is not a few units of affordable housing, but widespread land-use deregulation that will make housing more affordable for everyone."

Monday, May 22, 2006 in The San Francisco Chronicle

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