The YIMBYs lost in California but they’re just getting started
<i>&gt; ...local regulations used by homeowners to block new development.</i><p>If the YIMBYs want to win they need to realize their opponents are not just homeowners. Low-income renters have issues with them too. YIMBYs are generally in some form of denial about that.<p>They like to believe that they are fighting the progressive fight against rich, old homeowners. They like to proclaim they are fighting for &quot;poorer, younger, and (frequently) non-white people&quot; (Stripe).[1] But when it comes to explaining why poorer and non-white renters aren&#x27;t always on their side, YIMBYs are caught flat-footed. If they&#x27;re not careful they end up sounding condescending. Like, <i>Didn&#x27;t you guys take economics? Supply and demand, bro!</i><p>That&#x27;s probably why the bill failed. There were significant amendments added to address the concerns of low-income housing advocates, who see a greater need for BMR units among other things. But these were added only after substantial protest.<p>One low-income housing activist said it best: &quot;The YIMBY movement has a white privilege problem.&quot;[2] They are kind of in denial about the effect of development-stimulated gentrification on rents in affordable neighborhoods. They like to think that young tech workers are in the same boat as minimum wage earners, all in need of &quot;affordable&quot; housing. They really don&#x27;t like to think about things like induced demand, where adding capacity can actually create more demand.<p>In the long run even the tech industry needs affordable housing for service industry workers to support its continued growth. It&#x27;s not just about economic justice or turning back gentrification. Quite simply, if cooks and teachers and artists can&#x27;t afford to work here it&#x27;s not going to be as desirable a place to live. If the market alone can&#x27;t solve that -- and many low-income housing advocates believe it can&#x27;t -- then we need to fight for BMR and other strategies to create and protect truly affordable housing.<p>[1] <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;item?id=16988398" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;item?id=16988398</a><p>[2] <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.latimes.com&#x2F;politics&#x2F;la-pol-ca-housing-bill-failure-equity-groups-20180502-story.html" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.latimes.com&#x2F;politics&#x2F;la-pol-ca-housing-bill-failu...</a>