Dive Brief:
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In cities where housing costs are the highest, both renters and homeowners are likely to push back on residential development planned or occurring near where they live, even if they agree that their market needs more housing, according to a new working paper from the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies.
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Across all markets, homeowners generally feel more strongly than do renters in this regard, likely due to the impact of such development decisions on their property values and because renters tend to be less-involved in such disputes.
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As rents increase, however, renters become more involved in discussions concerning the impact of developments and policies — such as a prohibition on market-rate development in their neighborhood to help the city meet its affordable housing needs — on their district as compared to the city at-large.
Dive Insight:
The study explores the phenomenon of NIMBYism — meaning, “not in my backyard” — wherein residents advocate for a change in citywide development practices or policies but become less supportive as the impact to their neighborhood or district is realized.
Cities across the country are facing this challenge head on. In San Francisco and New York, for example, a glut of new development serving the top end of the housing market highlights the need for more middle- and low-income inventory there.
Last summer, voters in San Francisco approved a ballot measure requiring residential developments with 25 or more units to make one-quarter of them affordable, double what was previously required. Such inclusive housing mandates face resistance, including claims that adding more affordable units drives up the cost of nearby market-rate units to prevent a loss for the developer.
In September, the White House released a policy toolkit to aid municipalities and community groups in overcoming challenges to adding new housing at all levels, such as the need to review density limits and other zoning rules, how to deal with a slow permitting process, and advice for responding to concerns among local residents as to the impact of a new development.
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