Posted on 05/12/2014 3:49:05 PM PDT by jazusamo
A political battle that is shaping up in San Francisco has implications for other communities across the country.
The issue that will be on the June ballot is whether voter approval shall be required to change the height restrictions on buildings along the San Francisco waterfront. Like so many other political issues, this one is being debated in runaway rhetoric bearing no resemblance to reality.
Former San Francisco City Attorney Louise Renne, for example, says that "the people" own the waterfront and therefore should be "consulted." Really? Can one of "the people," who supposedly own the waterfront, decide that he wants to sell his share of it and pocket the money?
As for being "consulted," how many of "the people" — who have lives to lead, careers to pursue and families to take care of — are going to study the economic and other complexities created by height restrictions?
What we are really talking about are little coteries of self-righteous busybodies, who have been elected by nobody, wrapping themselves in the mantle of "the people," in order to oppose elected officials, who have been elected precisely in order to give such issues the professional attention they deserve, in a system of representative government.
Height restrictions have serious economic implications that are not immediately obvious to those who do not look beyond rhetoric about "saving" this or "preserving" that.
In a place with very high land prices, such as San Francisco, the difference between building a ten-story apartment building and being restricted to building a five-story apartment building can be a big difference in what rent will have to be charged, when there are only half as many renters to cover the costs of the land.
(Excerpt) Read more at creators.com ...
There’s another side to this coin. Advocates of the “New Urbanism”, favour higher density — and are against “urban sprawl”. Strange alliances could be formed.
Indeed. Seems this is yet another chapter of "liberals screaming at each other."
Indeed. Seems this is yet another chapter of "liberals screaming at each other." "
But, as always, Sowell cuts to the quick of it. A free market, informed, will make the best decisions about the use of the resource. The progressives just spin up influence in the name of the "public good" to distort the market with artificial rules.
But the land price might rise if 10 story buildings are allowed.
If I was still a member of the communist craphole known as deviantart, I’d post this to every commie who belches and farts about “workplace democracy”.
bkmk
Along with assessments and higher real estate taxes for the city.
“But the land price might rise if 10 story buildings are allowed.”
And rents could go down...
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