6 Comments

It bothers me that you refer to mr. deffenbaugh as an “outsider.” He lives here. He works here. His roots are here. Why do you describe him as an outsider? You also used the word “upset”’ to describe his campaign. He proposed ideas to shift our direction. Did his ideas “upset” you or were you parroting the words of the “insiders?”’

Expand full comment

I thought he meant political outsider, would that be accurate? I have no idea I don't live in Sioux Falls anymore.

Either way, it's clear Deffenbaugh ran the better campaign.

Expand full comment

The best government money can buy.

Expand full comment

I find it curious that people would vote for a community organizer/activist (that's his job? really?) whose "solution" to inflated housing prices is to change zoning so people can be crammed into tiny houses and apartments.

Expand full comment

Research indicates that low-density housing can impact home prices in various ways:

1. **Decrease in Home Prices with Increased Density**: Studies show that an increase in residential density often leads to a decrease in home prices. For instance, in Singapore, a 10% increase in residential density led to a reduction in property prices by 1.3% to 2% [(Fesselmeyer et al., 2017)](https://consensus.app/papers/effect-localized-density-housing-prices-singapore-fesselmeyer/4b4a80010cea506da00bf34c2e75c457/?utm_source=chatgpt). This effect was most significant in low-density apartment projects, suggesting that residents may pay a premium for lower density.

2. **Consumer Preferences for Low-Density Housing**: There is evidence that consumers often prefer lower-density housing, which can fetch a price premium. This preference implies that lower-density areas might be associated with higher housing prices due to consumer demand [(Dong et al., 2019)](https://consensus.app/papers/zoning-density-rising-housing-prices-case-study-portland-dong/e01112ce2ee65eb2a6867e5bf1466fad/?utm_source=chatgpt).

3. **Impact of Urban Policies**: Urban planning policies that encourage higher-density development do not always lead to lower housing prices. For example, repeatedly upzoning areas in Brisbane did not significantly reduce prices, despite increased housing supply [(Murray & Limb, 2020)](https://consensus.app/papers/zoned-density-higher-house-prices-supply-price-effects-murray/bb2030b1b1495b86ab1e2defd1970447/?utm_source=chatgpt).

Expand full comment

That's a good question. I did a quick scholar search and it seems like higher density (crammed people) does actually reduce home price inflation. However, doing that as an urban planning project is less guaranteed to work.

Expand full comment