Since the 1920s, urban planners have relied on zoning laws to mold the contours of civic life. Their grip is now tightening under the guise of the “smart growth” or “new urbanism” movement, which favors high-density living as a remedy for the sprawl promoted by the previous generation of urban planners.
Randal O’Toole is a Research Fellow at the Independent Institute and Director of the American Dream Coalition.
American HistoryEconomic History and DevelopmentEconomyEnergy and the EnvironmentEnvironmental Law and RegulationHousing and HomelessnessLaw and LibertyProperty Rights, Land Use, and ZoningTransportation