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I had lunch with our realtor friend yesterday, we usually chat about housing, as he's in the biz.  There is plenty of housing here, and plenty of new construction.  There really isn't some zoning inhibition here about said new construction as the developers usually own the zoning boards.  I've noted before, near me is a TON of new construction, nearly all apartments because for some reason they are easier to build, and younger folks don't  have down payments/credit.  This area is also "hyper=zoned".  

At least near me, zoning is NOT some inhibition to development.  Any time I'm in the 'burbs I see new developments going up everywhere.  Traffic of course is a mess.

LOTS of abandoned lots and fields in your typical big US city.  Why not build all this new multifamily housing there?  Because the big city school systems and the crime is bad?  Detroit is spending tens of million per year to tear down blighted homes.  They have identified upwards of 15,000 such properties.  Instead of just tearing down the blighted home why not put a new duplex there?  The idea that suburban zoning restrictions are causing the housing shortage is laughable.

LOTS of abandoned lots and fields in your typical big US city.  Why not build all this new multifamily housing there?  Because the big city school systems and the crime is bad?  Detroit is spending tens of million per year to tear down blighted homes.  They have identified upwards of 15,000 such properties.  Instead of just tearing down the blighted home why not put a new duplex there?  The idea that suburban zoning restrictions are causing the housing shortage is laughable.

well, ya gotta tear it down before you can build the duplex or 4-plex

Call me crazy but most business ventures are built on making money

Only if it's not a government project.

Isn't zoning nearly entirely a local affair?

I'm not talking about government spending money to build houses. I'm talking about government letting developers spend money to build houses so they can then sell them for a profit.

Yes, it's one of the great mysteries...why a developer would rather build an apartment complex in the suburbs than in the city where all the housing shorted people are and work.

Yes, it's one of the great mysteries...why a developer would rather build an apartment complex in the suburbs than in the city where all the housing shorted people are and work.

Is capitalism good? The real question of our times