Justice

Anatomy of a NIMBY

Restricting housing construction does not just hurt developers—it makes housing less affordable for everyone. But to overcome neighborhood resistance, you need to understand what drives it.
Birds sit on a telephone line near Skid Row Housing Trust's 102 pre-fabricated modular apartments under construction in Los Angeles.Lucy Nicholson/Reuters

Next week, Los Angeles will vote on Measure S, a ballot initiative that proposes a two-year moratorium on developments that required changes to land use.

The law could potentially limit both new developments and affordable housing. Even with an exception for affordable housing developments written into the law, critics say it could still further restrict affordability in the region.