Cruickshank highlights that the YIMBY movement has garnered bipartisan support, with legislation facilitating housing development passing in states like Montana, Washington and California, often with Republican backing. He underscores the fundamental economic principle that restricting housing supply leads to increased costs, advocating for policy changes that permit the construction of more homes to address affordability issues.
The article cites Minneapolis as a successful example, where reforms such as eliminating single-family zoning and easing the development of multifamily housing have led to increased housing production and stabilized rents. Cruickshank argues that without addressing the underlying shortage, regulatory measures alone will be insufficient to resolve the housing crisis.
Cruickshank asserts that to effectively tackle housing affordability, policymakers must prioritize increasing housing supply by removing restrictive regulations, thereby enabling the construction of homes that meet the needs of the population.
