The Truth About Smart Growth

Smart growth advocates claim that it improves the quality of life. What they don't mention is that growth restrictions are expensive in the long run and reduce housing affordability.

1 minute read

August 16, 2001, 7:00 AM PDT

By Abhijeet Chavan @http://twitter.com/legalaidtech


"Our research illustrates that prices rise significantly faster in some cities than in others, and that these local differences in rates of housing appreciation are positively related to restricted local developmental regulations.Using our model, we developed an index of local development policies. San Francisco, Los Angeles-Long Beach, San Jose, Honolulu and Santa Cruz-Watsonville are the most restrictive. The least restrictive are Melbourne-Titusville-Palm Bay, (Fla.), Daytona Beach, West Palm Beach-Boca Raton, Orlando and Las Vegas."

Thanks to Abhijeet Chavan

Friday, August 10, 2001 in BizJournals

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

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

October 28, 2026 - Zachary Whalen

A car drives through a puddle, making a large splash. Rain pours down.

California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour

If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.

October 28, 2026 - Grist

Lake Powell with much of the water evaporated.

Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River

Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.

October 30, 2026 - Yale Environment 360

Nithya Ramen talks to an older man. She is smiling and wearing a yellow dress. They are both outside.

Los Angeles just elected an urban planner as its mayor

Transportation analysts are optimistic that Raman will be more aggressive in addressing transit issues than Bass.

November 7 - Los Angeles Times

Mamdani behind a microphone, in front of a snowbank

Mamdani’s pied-à-terre tax survives legal challenge

A panel of judges found that the plaintiffs failed to demonstrate injury as a result of New York City's implementation of the tax.

November 6 - CNN

A road in north eastern Nebraska with power lines on either side, and grassy fields.

Eastern Nebraska is running out of electricity

Data centers and electrification are straining eastern Nebraska’s grid, throttling economic development.

November 6 - Grist

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.