Palo Alto has become so expensive, plots of land with derelict houses sell for millions of dollars. Mathew Yglesias argues allowing small municipalities to make their own zoning laws is partly to blame.

NIMBYs in California's most expensive town are destructive to the state's economy, and Mathew Yglesias argues the state should take away their power to decide zoning rules by giving the state more power over zoning. "In the normal course of events, one might expect that land this expensive would become densely developed. But it turns out that the neighborhood in question isn’t full of large apartment towers," Yglesias writes in Vox. This is because the land is set aside for detached single family homes and nothing else can be built there.
In the interest of housing, more people and helping the state's economy, Yglesias argues that the state of California should intercede. "Stepping in to centralize more land use decisions in Sacramento would reveal that there is a strong broad statewide interest in more development," Yglesias argues. Streamlining the permitting process or allowing for more density in places like Palo Alto would bring down the value of some of the empty lots, but "housing affordability has become a problem that afflicts large swathes of the middle class," and Yglesias argues, the state needs to address that.
FULL STORY: This $2.5 million Palo Alto teardown shows how coastal housing policy has gone wrong

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

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?

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.

LA to Replace Inglewood Light Rail Project With Bus Shuttles
LA Metro says the change is in response to community engagement and that the new design will be ready before the 2028 Olympic Games.
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