The other aspect Yimboobs never address is immigration. Given the non-stop influx of both legal and illegal immigrants, it's impossible to build housing fast enough in certain areas. Nor is the infrastructure there in many cases. You can't just add 1000 people to a sewage system designed for single family houses and maybe 100 people. There's not enough water, power, anything. So the Yimboobs don't even grasp the inflexible physical realities. Of course they blithely ignore the sociological realities and act as if there's no such thing as crime or bad neighbors.
This is an excellent point. Obviously the answer to soaring housing costs is to build more houses. But addressing the root cause of NIMBYism in the first place seems to get no attention at all.
This article provides an interesting perspective on the cultural implications of housing density, but it may oversimplify the YIMBY position. YIMBYs advocate for increased housing not just in suburbs, but wherever there's demand - including dense urban cores.
A key aspect of the YIMBY philosophy is allowing market forces to determine where housing is built. Currently, even in major cities like LA, SF, and NYC, there are significant barriers (almost impossible) to developing housing in prime urban locations such as empty parking lots. NIMBYs often oppose new housing everywhere, citing concerns about parking, neighborhood character, or the perceived undesirability of smaller living spaces.
However, my experience living in LA, SF, and NYC suggests that well-managed, higher-end buildings in desirable areas tend to avoid many of the issues the article associates with density. There's a real demand for urban living options, including smaller, more affordable units like micro-apartments, as well as luxury high-rises.
The YIMBY position is fundamentally about increasing housing choice. Whether it's a 300 sq ft micro-apartment or a 5,000 sq ft penthouse, the goal is to allow diverse housing options to meet varied needs and preferences. While the cultural concerns raised in the article are worth considering, they shouldn't preclude us from addressing the very real housing shortages in many urban areas.
Excellent summation on the actual damage YIMBY attitudes can bring fourth. It is a rather chicken-and-egg issue that is hard to separate from something like pathological altruism, This piece is such a good read for the culture, as this discussion is critical in getting beyond umbrella derogotives like "woke". Also Tha kful for your compassionate nod to the fact that a lot of this comes from a good place--bleeding hearts are hearts after all. Thanks for the thoughts, these conversations will not happen on accident.
The other aspect Yimboobs never address is immigration. Given the non-stop influx of both legal and illegal immigrants, it's impossible to build housing fast enough in certain areas. Nor is the infrastructure there in many cases. You can't just add 1000 people to a sewage system designed for single family houses and maybe 100 people. There's not enough water, power, anything. So the Yimboobs don't even grasp the inflexible physical realities. Of course they blithely ignore the sociological realities and act as if there's no such thing as crime or bad neighbors.
This is an excellent point. Obviously the answer to soaring housing costs is to build more houses. But addressing the root cause of NIMBYism in the first place seems to get no attention at all.
This article provides an interesting perspective on the cultural implications of housing density, but it may oversimplify the YIMBY position. YIMBYs advocate for increased housing not just in suburbs, but wherever there's demand - including dense urban cores.
A key aspect of the YIMBY philosophy is allowing market forces to determine where housing is built. Currently, even in major cities like LA, SF, and NYC, there are significant barriers (almost impossible) to developing housing in prime urban locations such as empty parking lots. NIMBYs often oppose new housing everywhere, citing concerns about parking, neighborhood character, or the perceived undesirability of smaller living spaces.
However, my experience living in LA, SF, and NYC suggests that well-managed, higher-end buildings in desirable areas tend to avoid many of the issues the article associates with density. There's a real demand for urban living options, including smaller, more affordable units like micro-apartments, as well as luxury high-rises.
The YIMBY position is fundamentally about increasing housing choice. Whether it's a 300 sq ft micro-apartment or a 5,000 sq ft penthouse, the goal is to allow diverse housing options to meet varied needs and preferences. While the cultural concerns raised in the article are worth considering, they shouldn't preclude us from addressing the very real housing shortages in many urban areas.
Excellent summation on the actual damage YIMBY attitudes can bring fourth. It is a rather chicken-and-egg issue that is hard to separate from something like pathological altruism, This piece is such a good read for the culture, as this discussion is critical in getting beyond umbrella derogotives like "woke". Also Tha kful for your compassionate nod to the fact that a lot of this comes from a good place--bleeding hearts are hearts after all. Thanks for the thoughts, these conversations will not happen on accident.