Happy holidays! As we close out 2023, I wanted to switch things up and offer some more festive content. Since the Christmas season has just begun and the excitement of Christmas Day may be wearing off, I thought it would be fun to create a list of increasingly outlandish ideas to make our cities more affordable, functional, and free. Here are 12 suggestions for making our cities better places to live, work, and play.
1. Price-Based Builder’s Remedy: California’s “builder’s remedy” policy allows developers to build residential projects of unlimited density in communities that are not complying with state housing laws. A price-based approach would establish an objective standard based on housing prices to determine eligibility for builder’s remedy projects.
2. Block Voting: This policy would allow small groups of property owners to vote to upzone their neighborhoods without city approval. Homeowners would support upzoning to increase the value of their land, and the city would benefit from increased housing stock.
3. Secret Upzoning: Slip through reforms without drawing attention to them. An example is the Live Local Act in Florida, which allows developers to build housing in commercial and industrial areas with a set percentage of affordable housing.
4. USPS: Real Estate Titan: The United States Postal Service owns land in desirable urban areas, exempt from local zoning laws. Selling development rights for housing on postal properties would generate revenue for the USPS and add new homes in high-demand locations.
5. Legalize Corruption: Instead of under-the-table deals, let developers pay a set price for regulatory relief. Developers would make more money, the public would get more housing and tax revenue, and politicians would avoid prison.
These ideas may be unconventional, but they present alternative approaches to addressing housing and urbanism challenges. Wishing you and your loved ones a happy holiday season and a prosperous New Year! Remember to subscribe to Rent Free for more urban coverage.