
When it comes to building more affordable housing, zoning has a high profile. An article in the New Yorker argues that by focussing on zoning, we miss the importance of the process of development, and role of the actors in that process.
The article draws on the commentaries of contemporary and historic thinkers to trace changes in the urban fabric of cities in the United States.1 One of these changes is the shift of industry and manufacturing off shore or to areas in the US with lower labour costs.
It examines how these changes have affected the role of urban planners. As one example, it identifies that both federal and state governments have withdrawn their interest and funding for urban programs. The withdrawal limits the options available to cities to address public issues and ties city planning decisions more closely to the fortunes of the real estate industry. The primacy of real estate interests undermines the stability of city residents in myriad ways, especially those with limited means. With limited tools, planners also become captives of real estate interests.
This article argues in favour of more state programming and funding to increase the supply of affordable housing. It identifies a need for popular support and comments on contemporary public advocacy campaigns.
Why does this matter everywhere?
Although this article is about New York City, similar patterns can be identified in other centres both in the United States and other countries. The departure of industry and withdrawal of support from upper levels of government have left cities more and more dependent on the real estate industry for their welfare. The specifics of how this plays out will vary by jurisdiction. For people who are interested in making housing in cities more affordable, the answer lies not just in zoning, but in public support for a range of programs and expanding the role of planners to act in the interests of residents with low incomes.
For more see in the New Yorker: The Plight Of The Urban Planner
Footnotes
- Authors and sources discussed include Samuel Stein’s book (The Real Estate State), the work of Benjamin Marsh, who was Secretary of the NYC Committee on Congestion of Population, James Baldwin (Notes of a Native Son) , Robert Fitch (The Assassination of New York), Richard Rothstein (The Color of Law), Rick Jacobus (Why Voters Haven’t Been Buying the Case for Building in Shelterforce), Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor (Race for Profit).