While conducting research for a new novel, I recently read the current Comprehensive Plan for Missouri City, Texas. In discussing development in the city’s four main commercial areas, the plan states that the “general intent” is to “allow future land uses to be more responsive to market realities.” If this is truly the intention, then…
This post is the fifth in a series. In the past two posts, I have summarized my experiences while fighting zoning in two different cities—Houston, and Hobbs, New Mexico. I learned many things from those efforts. Perhaps the most important lesson was that when clear moral distinctions are made between opposing views, the more rational…
This post is the third in a series. In early January 1990 (I think it was January 1) the local newspaper carried a story that a Houston City Councilman was going to introduce a zoning ordinance. A friend called me that day and suggested that we fight the ordinance. I immediately agreed. Over the next…
In Canada, as in the United States, single-family zoning is under attack. Canadian columnist Terence Corcoran (who labels himself as a member of the “libertarian school of economic thought”) argues, “Zoning should be treated as a fundamental aspect of property rights.” In truth, zoning is a fundamental violation of property rights. The right to property…
An interesting story comes from Sugar Land, Texas, a suburb of Houston. Last May, the city council voted to deny permission for a mixed-use development. At the time, the city’s mayor claimed that the project did not comply with Sugar Land’s comprehensive plan (i.e., zoning laws). Now, the city wants to spend taxpayer money to…
In recent years, city governments have increasingly turned to a process called amortization to allegedly stimulate development and economic growth. However, given the fact that amortization necessarily destroys existing businesses, that claim is a mere pretense. In truth, amortization is a declaration by city officials that they don’t like the business. Amortization occurs when a…
Despite a myriad of proposals and policies, there is no end in sight for the affordable housing crisis. Nearly all of these policies involve throwing more taxpayer money at the problem. If legislators truly want to solve the problem, they should unleash the swarm. And it won’t cost taxpayers a single penny. One of the…
Austin has become the latest city to implement a “right to return” policy. Though such policies vary, they give households an opportunity to return to a neighborhood after being displaced by gentrification. Austin will sell twenty-eight homes owned by the city to low-income households. Each property will be operated as a community land trust (CLT)….
Defenders of exclusionary zoning argue that if that institution is eliminated, neighborhoods will be overrun with multi-family housing. Quiet neighborhoods where children can play in the front yard will be transformed with increased traffic, denser housing, and a myriad of other ills. Zoning, they claim, is necessary to have the kind of neighborhood that they…
Defenders of exclusionary zoning argue that if that institution is eliminated, neighborhoods will be overrun with multi-family housing. Children will no longer be able to ride their bikes because of increased traffic, denser housing, and a myriad of other ills. Zoning, they claim, is necessary to have the kind of neighborhood that they desire. Non-coercive…
Cities and counties in California are required to issue permits for a specific number of houses each year as a part of the state’s Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA). The RHNA is calculated in cycles every four to eight years. There are specific goals for each income category: Very low-income Low-income Moderate-income Above moderate-income The…
A recent article on The Conversation asserts that “building more homes won’t solve the affordable housing problem for the millions of people who need it most.” While the authors acknowledge that we need more housing, they don’t believe that this is a sufficient solution. The authors present numerous facts to bolster their argument, but these…