Home → CHAPTER VI — HOUSING, ZONING, AND URBAN DELIGHT

CHAPTER VI — HOUSING, ZONING, AND URBAN DELIGHT

Rebuilding the American Landscape Around People, Beauty, Connection, and Freedom

Introduction

Housing is not merely a commodity. It is the foundation of:

Yet housing in the United States is:

For most of the 20th century, America built fast, boldly, and affordably. We housed growing families, immigrants, workers, and retirees. Then we stopped—by choice.

This chapter reframes housing not as a local privilege or zero-sum battle, but as a national abundance problem whose solution unlocks prosperity and human flourishing.

We propose a revolution in:

Our goal is simple:

America should become the most beautiful, livable, family-friendly, human-centered, accessible, and delightful built environment in the world.

This chapter provides the blueprint.

1. Zoning Is Destiny

1.1 What Zoning Does

Zoning determines:

In most of America, zoning makes it illegal to build:

This scarcity is not natural; it is engineered.

1.2 The Problem: 75 Years of Wrong Turns

Since the 1950s, America built:

The result:

Zoning reform is not optional—it is essential.

2. Ending Single-Family-Only Zoning

2.1 The Reform

We propose:

A federal incentive structure to encourage all states and municipalities to end single-family-only zoning and allow “middle housing” everywhere.

Middle housing includes:

This does NOT ban single-family homes. It bans banning other options.

2.2 Why It Works

2.3 Federal Levers

We do not mandate local zoning; we incentivize reform:

3. Form-Based Codes: A New Regulatory Paradigm

3.1 What’s Wrong with Traditional Zoning

Traditional zoning regulates:

This often produces:

3.2 Form-Based Codes (FBCs)

FBCs regulate:

Outcomes:

3.3 Implementation

4. Human-First Streets

4.1 The Problem with Stroads

The “stroad” (street + road) is the worst invention in urban planning:

We propose:

Redesign America’s streets around people, not cars.

4.2 Human-First Design Principles

4.3 Federal Levers

5. Parking Reform: Ending the Hidden Tax

5.1 Parking Minimums Are Land-Use Poison

Parking minimums:

We propose:

6. Future Mobility Integration

6.1 The Future Is Multi-Modal

We assume integration of:

Cities should be designed now to absorb these safely.

6.2 Design Implications

7. Accessibility as a First-Class Design Variable

7.1 The Philosophy

A deeply inclusive society builds for:

Accessibility is dignity.

7.2 Policy

8. Housing Supply, Permitting & Construction Reform

8.1 The Permit Bottleneck

Permitting delays can add:

We propose:

8.2 Modern Construction Techniques

The federal government can accelerate adoption via grants and procurement.

9. Tackling Homelessness with Housing Abundance + Services

9.1 The Problem

Homelessness has complex drivers:

But the common factor is simple: Insufficient housing supply at the bottom of the market.

9.2 The Strategy

10. Critiques & Responses

10.1 From the Left

Critique: “YIMBYism risks gentrification.” Response: Scarcity causes displacement. Abundance prevents it.

Critique: “Federal incentives infringe on local control.” Response: Local control cannot justify national-level housing shortages.

10.2 From the Right

Critique: “This destroys suburban character.” Response: Single-family homes remain legal. We simply remove bans on options.

Critique: “Zoning reform is social engineering.” Response: The current system is social engineering—exclusionary and harmful.

11. Metrics for Success

12. Implementation Timeline

Years 1–2

Years 3–5

Years 6–10

13. What Success Looks Like in 20 Years

By 2045:

A nation that builds beautifully is a nation that believes in its future.

This is the housing vision of the United States of Awesome.