NIMBYism is the True Enemy of the American Dream

The single, largest force standing in the way of the American Dream is NIMBYism. NIMBY, by the way, is shorthand for “Not In My Backyard” and stands for anti-development political sentiment. You will find NIMBYs anywhere and everywhere in America—red, blue, city, town…it doesn’t matter, NIMBYs stand at the ready to block much-needed growth. Their favorite targets are dense multifamily projects—i.e. precisely what’s needed in most places around the country—but they will fight to block anything. 

The purported fears of the NIMBY class are many—dreaded traffic implications, environmental concerns, preserving the unique character of neighborhoods…—but it’s in the truth of their motivations that we see the rot in the American body politic. More on this later. 

Look, there’s plenty of blame to go around for our massive housing affordability problem here in America. But as much as we’d like to blame things like over-regulation, corrupt local politics, and high interest rates, we are deluding ourselves if we think NIMBYism isn’t the real problem! 

I’ve been thinking about all this because the City of West Hollywood is considering a major zoning reform that would essentially upzone all R1 neighborhoods in the city. R1 neighborhoods typically only allow for the development of single-family homes and often come with design and heigh restrictions. The proposed zone change is aimed at making it easier for developers to build denser (i.e. more affordable) housing.

I happen to live in of these R1 neighborhoods and, let me tell you, it’s a phenomenal place. It feels like a small suburban subdivision just got dropped right in the middle of some of the coolest, most walkable dense urban streets in the entire Los Angeles region. There absolutely is something very unique about the neighborhood and I’d love for it to keep its charm. I will not, though, be opposing the upzone!

Many of my neighbors are up in arms about the proposed changes and our local neighborhood association has been busy organizing a campaign of resistance. Here’s a little flavor of the dialogue on the thread.

Mind you, this is a neighborhood full of liberals, in one of the most liberal enclaves in the whole country. This is a place where you’ll never see a Trump sign, that’s for sure. 

Anyway, what’s happening here is a perfect example of why NIMBYism is such a pernicious political force. It seems to operate at an unconscious level. Why is it that everyone is pro-development up until the precise moment they become a homeowner or a project is proposed in their neighborhood? The response is uncanny. I cannot tell you the number of diehard pro-affordable housing liberals I know that have become virulent NIMBY advocates for their own neighborhoods. These people must not be able to see the obvious cognitive dissonance of their positions.

What gives?

NIMBYism is partially a function of raw self-interestedness—“I got mine so who cares about everyone else”—partially a somewhat rational economic concern—“If we just keep building more housing, what will happen to the value of the house I just bought?”—and partially the worst kind of political calculus—”Yeah, I care about others but not if it impacts or inconveniences me in any way. 

It is a force that manifests like a comprehensive worldview so strong that it will usurp even deeply held political ideology. Here in Los Angeles, you will find vehement NIMBY sentiment even among the most vocal champions of the largely pro-development liberal agenda. The only thing that separates NIMBY liberals from other liberals is that they happen to own a home. Much of the regulatory overreach blocking housing production is actually a function of a sick Frankenstein coalition that brings together leftist anti-capitalist politicians intent on driving profits to $0 for developers and free market homeowners all too willing to go along with the agenda to protect the precious character of their neighborhoods.

Historically, NIMBYs have been uber-successful for two reasons:

The first is a function of basic human psychology.  Local politicians are no different than you and I and NIMBYs figured out a long time ago that they tend to respond to the concerns of the loudest (most annoying) voices in the room.  The basic tried and true strategy, which you can see clearly in the comments above, is to overwhelm local politicians with complaints and concerns and make them feel like “No” is the majority position even when it is not.

The second is a structural and much more serious problem with our democracy.  Of course, it comes down to money.  This is classic real politics at work.  Wealthy homeowners just so happen to be the main funders of local political campaigns and time and time again, the majority (renters and aspiring homeowners) get overwhelmed by the financial might of the minority (anti-development homeowners).  Coincidence?  I think not.

NIMBYism is nasty because it gives cover to homeowner citizens to hide their true intentions and beliefs. The favorite phrase of the NIMBYs—“we want to preserve the unique character of our neighborhood”—is at best a veiled classist attack (“we don’t want poor people in our neighborhood”) and at worst the same straight up racism that got the whole movement started back in the desegregation era with red-lining and other pernicious practices. 

Unless and until we deal with the NIMBYs and the power structures supporting them, we will make no meaningful progress in solving our housing affordability problem.

Whatever you do, don’t be a NIMBY! Even better, become a YIMBY instead. Remember, there’s nothing real to the fear of growth and development and it’s downright unAmerican to block opportunities for others to thrive. 

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