Many cities around the world face severe housing affordability issues. One of the primary reasons is highly restrictive zoning regulations. Zoning—the rules that dictate what can be built on any given lot—was originally designed to manage urban issues such as congestion, pollution, and shadow impacts.
Over time, however, planners aligned with property owners to tighten these rules. Planners disliked urban density and were more than happy to reduce it. Homeowners realized that stricter codes could preserve their property values and exclude low-income residents and minorities from their neighborhoods.
