The Role of Local Governments in Housing Regulation

Local governments play a significant role in shaping housing regulations, resulting in a complex landscape for housing development. Many localities express support for local control, yet this often leads to restrictions on who can build and what can be built, creating barriers to increasing housing supply. For instance, a perception exists where localities favor affordable housing but only if it occurs elsewhere, resulting in a broad housing shortage. The concept of state preemption is proposed as a solution, aiming to empower states to override local regulations in order to foster more housing development and address the ongoing housing crisis.