Power to Build

Abstract

Growth controls and related regulations have been blamed for slowing economies and creating housing shortages and praised for preserving the environment. At first glance, these measures appear to challenge the priorities of the growth machines that dominate most urban governance. By analyzing a series of Southern California jurisdictions, the authors explain how growth takes place even under tight controls. Growth controls do not significantly limit development but, rather, enable local officials to generate higher public benefits from the growth that occurs. The specific conditions of growth under growth control help reveal how urban growth works in a more environmentalist era.