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A comment on A proposal to roll back exclusionary zoning would make housing more affordable. Parent comment

Re:A proposal to roll back exclusionary zoning would make ho... by ginko on Wednesday September 12, 2018 @11:03AM (#17969475)
Are the State governments the problem here though? From what I(not American) can tell the issue seems to be more that local residents have a surprising(to me) amount of political control over zoning on the municipal level. I guess this is all part of the American approach to the distribution of power and there are certainly good sides to this, but it also means that NIMBYs can have so much control by voting for the mayor that supports their issues.
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Re:A proposal to roll back exclusionary zoning would make ho... by pwned1 on Wednesday September 12, 2018 @11:21AM (#17969652)
Cities are legally an extension of the states, so states could take control over the process, but you're right, as far as I know municipalities (cities, counties, townships) have almost total control over zoning standards (at least here in Michigan).
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Re:A proposal to roll back exclusionary zoning would make ho... by maxerickson on Wednesday September 12, 2018 @11:30AM (#17969756)
Which means there are about 1500 separate zoning standards (they are largely the same, but a wind energy project might have to work with 2 or more townships to get permitting).

I wonder about a state law creating a new type of township that is totally subordinate to the county (dissolving all functions of the township). Would it be a good thing? What are the pitfalls, etc.

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Re:A proposal to roll back exclusionary zoning would make ho... by jwin742 on Wednesday September 12, 2018 @01:54PM (#17971253)
Plenty of states have the concept of unincorporated land.
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Re:A proposal to roll back exclusionary zoning would make ho... by joshe on Wednesday September 12, 2018 @11:38AM (#17969857)
But states can just decide. They usually leave it to the cities, but all they have to do is pass legislation and it will override all the city rules.
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Re:A proposal to roll back exclusionary zoning would make ho... by CamTin on Wednesday September 12, 2018 @03:44PM (#17972432)
It's tough politics for state legislatures to say "fuck you, cities, we're centralizing control in {Austin,Springfield,Albany}". They will essentially only do it if they are fearful of challenges in the next election by big money. In other words, states tend only to take over traditionally local issues when local government passes some ordinance odious to industry (see fracking in PA, Uber/Lyft background checks in Austin, etc.)
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Re:A proposal to roll back exclusionary zoning would make ho... by prolikewh0a on Wednesday September 12, 2018 @12:32PM (#17970458)
NIMBY's have practically all of the power with zoning laws in Seattle. They have all of the money as well. We have a crazy amount of SFH right now when we have a housing crisis.

It's not like housing would become more affordable anyway, Seattle only builds luxury housing for the rich (and they're having a hard time filling these units!).

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Re:A proposal to roll back exclusionary zoning would make ho... by darksaints on Wednesday September 12, 2018 @12:37PM (#17970520)
> It's not like housing would become more affordable anyway, Seattle only builds luxury housing for the rich (and they're having a hard time filling these units!).

They only build luxury housing because housing supply is restricted and the rich can outbid the poor for that restricted development.

And no, they aren't having a hard time filling units.

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Re:A proposal to roll back exclusionary zoning would make ho... by prolikewh0a on Wednesday September 12, 2018 @02:39PM (#17971713)
>And no, they aren't having a hard time filling units.

Seattle Times says otherwise.

https://www.seattletimes.com/business/real-estate/free-amazo...

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Re:A proposal to roll back exclusionary zoning would make ho... by darksaints on Wednesday September 12, 2018 @02:51PM (#17971840)
That's like saying I'm having a hard time becoming a billionaire. Of course I am...but that in no way implies I'm having a tough time paying my bills.
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Re:A proposal to roll back exclusionary zoning would make ho... by Nasrudith on Wednesday September 12, 2018 @02:16PM (#17971482)
Building housing for the rich has a displacing effect. Either they are locals and their old place goes to sale or rent or they no longer displace existing residents. And absent sweetheart deals incoming rich with their increased tax revenues should allow the city to upgrade public transit, build public housing or other solutions. But it is up to the city to solve their problems.

Apparently in Boston contrary to concerns luxury high rises didn't act as gentrification locuses but stemmed its tide in other areas instead.

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Re:A proposal to roll back exclusionary zoning would make ho... by bluGill on Wednesday September 12, 2018 @04:15PM (#17972759)
Houses are generally built for/by the richer class. Then in a few tens of years the rich build a new house and sell the old one to someone poor.
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