Elite Liberal YIMBYs Destroy Family Homes

The Housing Crisis and the Yimby Movement

Housing has become a central issue in politics, often as contentious as debates over fashion or genetics. The recent primary victory of socialist Zohran Mamdani in New York was largely driven by concerns over housing affordability. Similarly, California recently passed legislation to reform environmental regulations that have hindered home-building. The influence of the Yimby ("Yes in My Backyard") movement appears to be growing, but there is an ironic twist: where the Yimby agenda has made the most progress, such as in California, housing affordability remains among the worst.

Yimbys are correct in identifying the core problem behind the housing crisis—the insufficient number of homes being built. In 2024, homebuilders constructed hundreds of thousands fewer homes than they did in 1972, despite having 130 million fewer Americans. One estimate suggests the U.S. housing market is short by approximately 4.5 million homes. However, their proposed solutions—focusing on high-density urban apartments—have not delivered the expected results.

High-density development, often seen as an alternative to "sprawl," does not necessarily lower prices due to higher land costs and construction fees. In fact, data from the U.S. shows a positive correlation between greater density and higher housing costs. This contradiction highlights a key flaw in the Yimby approach.

Housing affordability is not just a New York issue. Mainstream Yimbys, often supported by tech oligarchs and real estate interests, advocate for private sector solutions that prioritize high-density housing and apartment buildings. They seem less interested in people buying their own homes and show little concern for the fact that investors already own one in four single-family homes.

Yimbys frequently blame Nimbys ("Not in My Backyard") groups for poor housing affordability, including those who want to preserve low-density neighborhoods with detached family homes. Zoning reforms that allow taller buildings are a top priority for Yimbys, and they have pushed these policies in California, the Pacific Northwest, and the Northeast. However, the impact on home-building has been minimal, with the exception of accessory dwelling units (ADUs), which are self-contained spaces often used for relatives, offices, or rentals.

Despite this, California's housing construction rates remain among the lowest in the country. Only one California metropolitan area ranked in the top 20 for housing growth last year, while Texas and Florida had multiple areas on the list. In Los Angeles, just 1,325 new homes were approved citywide in the first quarter of 2025.

Yimbys believe that further deregulation and new housing laws will increase urban density. Much of this is based on exaggerated climate concerns about "sprawl." Surprisingly, this approach has gained support from the libertarian Right, despite the potential benefits of promoting small property owners. Instead, the focus seems to be on boosting corporate profits.

The challenge for Yimbys lies in market preferences: most people do not want to live in high-rise apartments but prefer houses with gardens. High-end dense housing has a limited market. Surveys, such as one conducted by political scientist Jessica Trounstine in 2019, found that the preference for lower-density, safe areas with good schools is widespread. A poll by David Binder showed that three out of four Californians opposed legislation that banned zoning for single-family homes.

This mismatch between what is being built and what people want is evident in the oversupply of apartments in the U.S. and Canada, leading to falling prices. Yet Yimbys continue to ignore the predominant desires of their citizens.

Their ideas also influence the "Abundance Democrats," a movement seeking to bridge the Left with prosperity and growth, inspired by a book by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson. Even moderate Yimby ideas in the book "Abundance" largely ignore suburbs and exurbs, where most Americans live, and avoid discussions about homeownership.

As attorney Jennifer Hernandez notes, "Abundance" reflects an elitist underbelly, favoring the values of hipster professionals while dismissing the preferences of those who want to live in detached homes and avoid shared walls or noise.

The failure of Yimby policies may lead to more radical approaches to housing, which could resemble cities like Moscow. The approach of public housing and rent control, as seen with Zohran Mamdani, might gain traction among progressives, despite the historical failures of public housing in the U.S.

Given the shortcomings of mainstream Yimbyism, the progressive shift toward a more socialist approach seems inevitable. Wealthy Yimbys and their corporate allies may not enjoy the outcomes.