Do you even live here? It’s the same attitude that’s gotten us into this mess. All the same arguments that they give at the community meetings where they prevent housing from being built. California is run by democrats with a super majority. People on the left make all the same arguments as you. We still have a massive problem. The people who benefit from the paralysis this creates are those who bought their homes for $80,000 in the 80s and now watch their $2 million home become a $4 million home.

Here’s the story. Housing is already really expensive and already something only the wealthy can afford. Normal people are either splitting rent 10 ways or living in cars and RVs on the streets. The situation can hardly get worse.

Developers need to be able to build, and they need to be able to build a lot. The housing crisis is a supply and demand problem. And, we need a megaton of supply. Let the developers build “luxury” apartments. That’s stupid marketing anyway and when they’ve all built “luxury” apartments to the point where there is a glut of them housing prices will moderate. In the interim, the people paying high prices for old housing stock will move into these newer nicer buildings, freeing up the old housing stock. And, due to regulations the newer buildings must include some percentage of affordable units. You’ll probably like that, though I don’t think it’s a great system as the income limits are rock bottom to get in and you have to win a lottery to be chosen. People wait 20 years for it, but ok.

By the way, the status quo doesn’t have to defend itself under CEQA. And, what are the environmental impacts of that? The same law is used to block projects good for the environment, like high speed rail and public transit. The cost has blown up in part because they’re fighting all these lawsuits.