Chris Elmendorf on Aesthetics, Developers & Housing Politics

Why do so many Americans say housing costs are a top concern — but still oppose new housing in their neighborhoods? UC Davis law professor Chris Elmendorf shares surprising research revealing that aesthetics and feelings about developers may matter more than self-interest or NIMBYism.
In this conversation, we cover:

- Why just saying the word "developer" drops support for new housing by 4+ points
- How Hollywood has generated an estimated 1 billion negative representations of developers
- Why "small local homebuilder" gets a dramatically different reaction than "big real estate developer"
- What a video of a developer rescuing dogs has to do with housing policy
- Why ugly buildings hurt housing support even among renters who would benefit from lower rents
- The vacancy chain concept — and why it's one of the most persuasive arguments for building more housing
- The story of how a Twitter thread helped revive California's "builder's remedy" law
- What the pro-housing movement should actually focus on to win long-term

This is the Season 1 finale of Everybody Gets Pie. Tune in for another season soon!

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