Steven Greenhut, the western region director at the R Street Institute, has voiced his opinion on land use liberalization. He suggests that public officials should consider street expansions to alleviate congestion. According to Greenhut, upzoning does not necessarily burden local infrastructure since municipalities can mandate developers to address any additional needs they create.
Greenhut believes that if developers are required to cover these costs, they should be allowed reasonable freedom in building on their land. He criticized restrictive building regulations in California, which he says have made many metropolitan areas unaffordable for middle and working-class residents. More lenient land-use policies, he argues, could make housing more affordable and offer choices between urban and suburban living environments.
“I think if we allow the market to work, we would get more of what everybody wants,” Greenhut stated. “And if you want to live in a gated community on a big lot, God bless you; that’s fine; no one should stop you. But that shouldn’t be the mandate for everybody.”
