Older male homeowners who oppose new housing, that’s who.
A recent Boston-based study determined that decisions related to local housing policy are often biased by an unrepresentative group of individuals. Researchers tracked thousands of instances of community members speaking at planning and zoning board meetings concerning housing development in Boston and matched the individuals to a voter file to investigate local political participation in housing and development policy. They found that those most likely to participate at meetings are older, male, longtime residents, voters in local elections, and homeowners. These individuals overwhelmingly (and to a much greater degree than the general public) oppose new housing construction.
Many municipalities allow and encourage neighborhood participation in zoning and planning board meetings (and in Vermont these meeting are generally required by Vermont Open Meeting Law to be open to the public and include open comment periods), but the researchers found that “greater participation may amplify some voices more than others. The concentrated costs of development projects in particular may create strong incentives for neighborhood groups that are highly affected by a proposal to mobilize against development. In contrast, the diffuse benefits of an increased housing supply are less likely to motivate participation from the broader population of a city/region that might benefit from more housing.”
Although the study results may not be altogether surprising, it’s a good reminder that we need to make sure that the inclusive infrastructure and communications are in place to ensure that everyone in our communities: 1) Knows that they can have a voice in local decision-making, 2) Has access to timely information about local development processes and avenues for public participation, and 3) Feels welcome and safe speaking up at public meetings and/or has alternate ways to submit feedback.
Click here for the full article by Boston University Department of Political Science Assistant Professors Katherine Levine Einstein, Maxwell Palmer, and David Glick political scientists, which is forthcoming in the journal Perspectives on Politics.