Will New York Copy California's Most Successful Housing Reform?
The Golden State's legalization of accessory dwelling units has produced a glut of new housing. New York area policymakers are trying to replicate the success.
Zoning
Will Bitcoin Be Done In By Terrible Zoning Laws?
Local ordinances threaten upstart crypto-mining operations.
A Drive-Thru Window Saved His Business, but Now He's Being Forced To Shut It Down
Zoning officials concede Robert Balitierrez's drive-thru window isn't causing any problems. But they say it's a code violation and has to close anyway.
2021 Was a Great Year for Zoning Reform
Jurisdictions around the world are trying to address high housing costs by eliminating regulations on new housing construction.
Low-Income Condo Residents Say D.C.'s Demand That They Pay for Restoring Historic Balconies Will Force Them Out of Their Homes
The $1.5 million that it would cost to fully replace balconies at the historic Kenesaw apartment building could end up tripling the condo fees of some low-income residents.
San Francisco Considers Not One but Two Bills Legalizing 'Missing Middle' Housing Citywide. Both Have Flaws.
The otherwise positive proposals are undermined by affordability requirements and density restrictions.
Biden's Build Back Better Plan Contains One Potentially Helpful Housing Program
Funding for affordable housing and grants to incentivize streamlining zoning laws could represent a policy win for YIMBYs.
Oregon Town Bans Church Soup Kitchens From Serving Meals More Than 2 Days a Week
Rev. Bernie Lindley of Brookings' St. Timothy's Episcopal Church says that the new rules violate his First Amendment rights, and that he won't comply with them.
Indiana Woman Must Shut Down Business After County Officials Determine Her Farm Isn't Zoned for Commercial Goat Yoga or Goat Snuggling
Jordan Stevens' application to legalize her Happy Goat Lucky Yoga business was denied by Hamilton County's Board of Zoning Appeals last month.
San Francisco Wants To Sell the Air Rights Above City Hall for $45 Million. Why Not Give Them Away for Free?
The tradable development rights the city has in its possession are only made valuable by its insane restrictions on new development.
There Would Be a Lot More Good News if Government Would Get Out of the Way
"The quality of life we have even during COVID is so much higher than anything humanity experienced, and it's only going to get better."
The Sims 4: Cottage Living
You can finally set up a farm with crops and animals such as cows, llamas, and chickens—heedless of zoning rules!
Can Universities Control the Operation of Municipal Zoning Ordinances?
A pending cert petition challenges a Bloomington zoning ordinance that requires a landlord to evict a derecognized fraternity
Two More Worthy Additions to the "Anticanon" of Constitutional Law - Berman v. Parker and Euclid v. Ambler Realty
Second in a series of posts on historically awful Supreme Court decisions that deserve more opprobrium than they get.
My National Affairs Article on "Voting With Our Feet"
The article explains how expanding opportunities for foot voting can enhance political choice, help the poor and disadvantaged, and reduce the dangers of political polarization.
California Enacts Two Important New Zoning Reform Laws
Senate Bill 9 and Senate Bill 10 would make it easier to build new housing in much of the state.
Meet the Property Owner Who Created a Toilet Garden to Protest Local Officials
"I have my First Amendment rights," says Hank Robar.
Do San Francisco's Restrictions on Chain Stores Violate the First Amendment?
Whether a local burrito chain will be able to open another restaurant in San Francisco's North Beach neighborhood could hinge on the precise name of the new location.
Help Workers by Breaking Down Barriers to Labor Mobility
Labor Day is a good time to remember that we can make workers vastly better off by empowering more of them to vote with their feet.
L.A. Finally Lets People Eat In Parking Lots
Los Angeles temporarily eased parking requirements during the pandemic, offering a glimpse of how much a less restrictive zoning code improves urban life.
The Number of 'Super Commuters' Explodes in America's Housing-Starved Metros
The number of people spending more than 90 minutes getting to work has grown 45 percent over the past decade, according to a new study.
Antiquated Zoning Laws Are Worsening the Housing Crisis
Ending single-family zoning doesn't ban single-family homes from neighborhoods. It merely allows more freedom for people to build what they want.
The U.S. Has Strayed Far From Its Founding Ideals
Governments at the state, local, and federal levels can obstruct our pursuit of happiness and at times even jeopardize our safety.
Seattle Is Proposing to Get Rid of Single-Family Zoning In Name Only. Literally.
More and more cities have taken preliminary steps toward allowing "missing middle" housing options in once exclusive single-family neighborhoods, but the devil is in the details.
Malibu Man Fined $4.2 Million Over Disputed Beachfront Gate
Warren Lent is suing the California Coastal Commission, arguing that its power to unilaterally hand down massive fines with minimal process is unconstitutional.
New York NIMBYs Protest the 'Manhattanization' of Manhattan
The New York Blood Center wants a larger headquarters to continue its cutting-edge medical research. Activists claim the new building will cast too much shadow.
Land-Use Restrictions Cause Housing Shortages in Britain, too
As in the US, they often block the building of new housing in response to demand.
San Francisco Honors Early Lesbian Activists by Preventing Redevelopment of Their Home
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted to landmark the longtime home of gay rights activists Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin.
A Cross-Ideological Case for Ending Exclusionary Zoning
A recent Century Foundation report highlights reasons why breaking down barriers to building new housing should appeal to left, right, and libertarians alike.
Scott Wiener Is California's 'YIMBY' State Senator
The YIMBY Democrat wants to make it easier to build more housing in California's densest and most expensive cities.
Exclusionary Zoning is Even Worse than Previously Thought
Fixing a calculation error in a leading academic article on the subject shows that zoning has a far bigger negative impact on the economy than was previously realized.
Florida Lawmakers Are Cracking Down on Secret Snitches
Two state bills would generally prohibit local code enforcement officials from acting on anonymously reported violations.
Joe Biden's $2 Trillion Jobs Plan Endorses 'YIMBY Grants'
The president endorses a competitive grant program that would reward localities for loosening their restrictive zoning codes.
New Hampshire Towns Turn Out Tiny-Home Dwellers
The regulatory pursuit of quality housing means some tiny-home residents actually end up with no housing.
California's YIMBYs Forgo Big State Upzoning Bill In Favor of Wonkier, More Modest Reforms
New bills in the legislature would make it easier for cities to allow more housing on their own, and crack down on places that try to cheat their way out of permitting development.
The Silver Lining in Biden's Massive Housing Plan
A Democratic White House and a Republican Senate might be the best of all worlds when it comes to federal housing policy.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy Vetoed One Outdoor Dining Bill Because It Took Too Much Power Away From Zoning Officials. Will He Do That a Second Time?
Garden State lawmakers have unanimously passed two bills now allowing restaurants to keep their outdoor operations running so long as their indoor dining rooms are restricted.
Pandemic-Slammed Small Businesses Require Regulatory Relief
Entrepreneurs discouraged by red tape even before COVID-19 need officials to leave them alone.
Edward Glaeser's "Four Freedoms" Strategy for Revitalizing American Capitalism
The Harvard economist explains how to expand opportunity for the young by deregulating housing, labor, and education.
Will Cities Survive 2020?
COVID-19 is reigniting old debates about zoning, public health, urban planning, and suburban sprawl.
Libertarians Should Make More Use of Referendums
Libertarianism is far from wildly popular, overall. But libertarian causes have done well in referenda in recent years. We can build on that.
The Atlanta Sex Toy Magnate Who Can't Stop Picking Fights
Michael Morrison used to be a boxer. Now he brawls with zoning boards and tax collectors.
Trump, Biden Voters Both Like Government Housing Spending a Lot More Than Housing Development
A new survey from realty company Redfin finds that only 24 percent of Trump supporters and 32 percent of Biden voters support reducing zoning regulations in their neighborhood.
Who's Worse on Housing, Trump or Biden?
When it comes to the two major party candidates' housing plans, libertarians are left looking for the lesser of two evils.
George R.R. Martin Becomes a Victim of NIMBY Zoning Restrictions
Sadly, he's far from the only one. If we want to "break the wheel" of poverty and housing shortages, we need to roll back zoning.
NIMBYs Stop Game of Thrones Author George R.R. Martin From Building the Castle of his Dreams
The Santa Fe Historic Districts Review Board refused to grant an exception to its height limits to accommodate a seven-sided keep.
