A group of techies is using data skills to alter Seattle's housing affordability
The YIMBY movement (Yes, in my back yard!) is starting to be visible. And about time. (And, I&#x27;m a boomer, fwiw.)<p>Check out this article.  <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.citylab.com&#x2F;equity&#x2F;2018&#x2F;04&#x2F;where-yimbys-can-win&#x2F;559001&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.citylab.com&#x2F;equity&#x2F;2018&#x2F;04&#x2F;where-yimbys-can-win&#x2F;...</a><p>The idea that the &quot;tech industry&quot; created this problem is just plain nonsense. Sure, the tech industry attracts young folks to creative urban centers and pays them a bit of money.  But their parents (my generation) gave them birth and gave them expectations of prosperity.It&#x27;s selfish to then blame them for wanting to live where the good jobs are.<p>This problem was created by restrictive zoning. And it will be solved by changing zoning laws.<p>And the restrictive zoning laws come from people who say, &quot;Oh no, those people moving into new apartments will crowd our schools and our streets. We can&#x27;t have that!&quot;  Whose schools are they? Whose streets are they?<p>The phrase &quot;affordable housing&quot; has come to mean &quot;cheap housing for poor people.&quot;  That&#x27;s stupid. Affordable housing is good for everybody. The basic law of supply and demand teaches us that increasing the supply of housing will lower the price. To address homelessness, build homes.<p>Government (who exist to serve people) can start to approach this problem by partly assessing property based on nominal beds per square foot.   Higher taxes on lower density housing will give an economic incentive to build more housing on existing land.<p>Powerful companies should unapologetically press politicians, hard, for changes to these NIMBY zoning rules.