The Revitalist

A recent op-ed in the San Francisco Chronicle elaborates on a recent discussion: density (and affordability) of housing v. green space and low-rise neighborhoods (via Planetizen). Now, the President and CEO of the Home Builders Association of Northern California is hardly an unbiased observer of the situation, but that doesn't mean that he doesn't make a good point. His point is that if Bay Area environmental groups are going to insist on putting more land into conservation, then housing prices are going to continue to go up. It's a classic case of demand increasing faster than supply. This is not to say that environmental activists don't also have a point about preserving greenspace for future generations and livable communities. But there is a conversation here that we need to have. Our kids are going to have to live somewhere when they grow up; and cities like San Fran, which is amongst the most desirable and expensive in the country, are going to need to provide more housing at more affordable rates to meet the demand. Where is it going to go? Density is an obvious answer, but we need to talk about priorities and what kinds of cities/neighborhoods we want to build for the future.