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Boston’s chief planner is a true believer in the San Francisco model, in which you make it impossible to profitably build apartments by-right so developers are forced into a politicized discretionary negotiation with the city, which relaxes the rules in exchange for below-market units.

While this system does pretty effectively maximize the percentage of new apartments that are set aside as below market housing for low income people in new buildings, it does so at TREMENDOUS cost to broad housing affordability. cayimby.org/blog/califor...

Because the rents that poor people can afford are too low to pay off the cost of building new homes for them, these requirements act as a stealth tax on new housing. Taxing new homes means that only the highest-end projects get built and each subsidized unit costs tenants $800,000 in excess rent.

Subsidized housing is a good thing and we should publicly fund it instead of relying on kludgy, counterproductive market mechanisms that trade broad middle class housing affordability for a handful of means-tested units.

Wishes are free. If anti-affordability voices put their shoulders to the wheel on making public funding a reality, I would have more faith in their prescriptions. Not seeing it though.

In any case, SF anti-affordability advocates got their wish: affordability mandates have been cut to 5% and eliminated completely for developments of fewer than 25 units. The result will be the Manhattanization of San Francisco.

Cities should plan for class diversity, not exclusivity. Because class diversity is the lifeblood of a vital, interesting, and equitable city. A win-win for schooling, medical services, emergency services, commerce, you name it.

Inclusionary zoning does not actually work to preserve class diversity, though.

Cannot agree. I see it every day.

Do you think San Francisco has done a great job of preserving class diversity?

I think it has done, in recent times, a decent job of seeing that those displaced by gentrification are not forced to remove themselves to Vallejo. When did Yes In My Back Yard morph into Yuppies In My Back Yard.

I don't agree. 85% of low-income renters live in market rate housing. Median home price is $1,400,000. Median rent is $4,600 for a one bedroom. Median income is $140,000. The idea that SF's inclusionary zoning policy is doing a good job keeping working- and middle-class people in the city is absurd.

None of those are a consequence of affordability mandates, they are the consequence of a fifty year deficit in building, which will not be undone in short order. Failing to plan for low income rentals is a recipe for exclusion.

“85% of low-income renters live in market rate housing” In rent-controlled units.

Rent controlled housing is market rate housing.

LOL yes in a manner of speaking. On its face, I find that to be a preposterous statement. When did Yes In My Back Yard morph into Yuppies In My Back Yard.

No. The policy choice before us is whether we should buil exclusively for upper income segments or for all classes. “Class diversity makes cities vital” is a hill I’ll die on.

And don’t come at me with “a free market guarantees developers will build $1500/mo units instead of $7000 units.” It’s just not true. Have a nice day.