NIMBYism is usually explained as selfishness: homeowners protecting property values, or neighbors who just hate change. But a growing body of research suggests something simpler and harder to argue with: aesthetics.
What if people oppose new housing not only because of who might move in or what it might do to traffic, but because the building just looks “wrong”?
In this episode, Jerusalem Demsas talks with UC Davis law professor Chris Elmendorf about new experiments that test what actually moves support for apartment buildings—design, context, symbolic cues like “luxury,” and even whether an architect is described as award-winning. They also get into what this means for YIMBY strategy and why some popular fixes don’t buy as much support as you’d think.
The Argument is a podcast dedicated to honest, unflinching debate about the biggest questions facing democracy, culture, and our future. As the host, Editor-in-Chief Jerusalem Demsas brings together voices across the political spectrum to argue, challenge, and persuade. Each episode is a space where disagreements are confronted directly, with clarity and conviction, rather than hidden or shouted down.
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Articles, studies, and posts referenced in the episode can be found on our website.
The Argument's production team includes Ranjani Chakraborty, Mylan Cannon, Isabella Pereira, Angela Tracy, Eli Richman, and Kate Crawford with music by Breakmaster Cylinder. If you want to hear more of The Argument, you can become a subscriber at The ArgumentMag.com.
