Internal Growth: The Liberal Libertarian Guide to Housing Affordability & Densification
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Date
2025-02-24
Authors
Adams, Michael
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Oregon
Abstract
Communities across the United States are reconsidering the efficacy of segregated land usezoning, specifically exclusive single-family detached (SFD) zoning, given escalating economic,
environmental, and social concerns. Common economic motivations for change include
diminished housing affordability and compounding costs to society, a need for [post-pandemic]
economic development to counter inflation and losses in wealth, or to address municipal
budgetary solvency in the face of draining infrastructure investments and maintenance costs.
Irrespective of the nature of these concerns, continued research points to segregated land use
zoning having an adverse relationship with these issues, specifically where it forms zones exclusive
to SFD housing. As communities look to make amendments to, or in some cases replacement of
segregated land use zoning, increased research seeks to understand the potential for these policy
moves to address housing affordability, impact to the physical built environment, and whether
results are forthcoming and in alignment with intent.
The recent development of policies to alter existing segregated land use zoning codes to
eliminate SFD zoning, enabling multi-family construction on all residential lots, is intended to
increase the number and diversity of housing options through incremental development and to
address a growing housing affordability and availability crisis. From a liberal perspective, this shift
addresses decades of exclusion in support of society, from a libertarian perspective, less regulation
to infringe on individual rights. During the development stages of reforms to segregated land use
zoning codes, elected and appointed officials must consider the viability of incremental
development by homeowners and small local developers, that is sufficient to alter affordability
trends.
In hindsight, segregated land use zoning is economically inefficient, hurtful to the
environment, and tears at the social fabric of communities. Society is well studied in the
repercussions of land use regulation, and amendments to regulations should not be considered
the next chapter of the same story. It may be better to shrug off the weight of old ideas, with one
hundred years of questionable adjustments, and write with fresh intent and the wisdom of
hindsight. Three primary economic indicators should inform the extent of mixing compatible uses
and the cadence of graceful transition between low and high density zones: Housing costs (and
transportation costs as an inverse function) for varied income levels, local economic development,
and municipal solvency. The health of each is beholden to an adequate supply of housing.
Description
Keywords
Essential Workers, Housing Affordability, Incremental Development, Policy, Zoning