Want to Keep Cheap Housing Out of Your Community?

It's simple: Urge your elected officials to require developers to set aside part of their projects as affordable housing.

Here's why:

[S]o-called inclusionary zoning ordinances have backfired in 13 Southern California cities where the laws were enacted to force developers to build more below-market housing.

Each of the 13 cities saw housing construction decrease after adopting the zoning laws, [a new study] reported. And the cost of new homes jumped $33,000 to $66,000 to compensate for discounts on the mandated below-market housing.

The study -- published by the Reason Public Policy Institute, a nonpartisan think tank funded by Reason Foundation, the nonprofit that also publishes Reason magazine -- is available here.