Considering the Impacts of Housing and Zoning Policies
In the February PAW, a fellow Virginian described the commendable efforts of alumni to address the demand for housing. As president and board member of our neighborhood civic association in Arlington, we have been following this issue. So has Princeton. A prior notice in the PAW led us to Professor Aaron Shkuda, who is teaching a course on Affordable Housing in the United States.
We take no issue with the general concern that many would benefit from cheaper homes. This does not, however, mean that one size fits all.
At one end of the income scale, many recognize we do not have sufficient “affordable” housing (i.e., for those making less than area median income). However, low-income housing is extremely difficult to build in areas like Arlington, where land is expensive. At such lower income levels, we need more public funding. As Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has put it, “[o]utsourcing development to the private market” is not a solution to the affordable housing problem.
For middle- and upper-income residents, the issue is different. It is simply not clear that more housing lowers prices for everyone. As the article recognizes, some studies show that if we dispense with zoning protections, developers will simply build more luxury homes. The homes built following such a change in Arlington reflect this marketplace behavior. The litigation referred to in the article challenges this zoning change as increasing density without adequately considering impacts on transportation, traffic, schools, and other crucial services.
In the February PAW, a fellow Virginian described the commendable efforts of alumni to address the demand for housing. As president and board member of our neighborhood civic association in Arlington, we have been following this issue. So has Princeton. A prior notice in the PAW led us to Professor Aaron Shkuda, who is teaching a course on Affordable Housing in the United States.
We take no issue with the general concern that many would benefit from cheaper homes. This does not, however, mean that one size fits all.
At one end of the income scale, many recognize we do not have sufficient “affordable” housing (i.e., for those making less than area median income). However, low-income housing is extremely difficult to build in areas like Arlington, where land is expensive. At such lower income levels, we need more public funding. As Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has put it, “[o]utsourcing development to the private market” is not a solution to the affordable housing problem.
For middle- and upper-income residents, the issue is different. It is simply not clear that more housing lowers prices for everyone. As the article recognizes, some studies show that if we dispense with zoning protections, developers will simply build more luxury homes. The homes built following such a change in Arlington reflect this marketplace behavior. The litigation referred to in the article challenges this zoning change as increasing density without adequately considering impacts on transportation, traffic, schools, and other crucial services.