Would Building in Hot Markets Help Housing Affordability?

By Miriam Axel-Lute

As people move back into the cities, and rental housing demand goes up, it's been an interesting time for people wrestling with the problems of highly unaffordable areas to live.

Some people are arguing that limits on development—whether it's density restrictions like Washington, D.C.'s height limits, or the kinds of geographical, historical, or quality of life restrictions present in places where liberals tend to congregate, as the Atlantic Cities surmises—are a primary culprit. This is, I think, a tricky argument for many community developers to relate to.

On the one hand, we recognize that zoning, especially exclusionary zoning that keeps out multifamily buildings, requires large lots, or discriminates against families, is indeed part of the problem, especially in job-rich areas. Other items, like over-generous parking requirements, also weigh in.

On the other hand...