Island Press

M. Nolan Gray, author of “Arbitrary Lines: How Zoning Broke the American City and How to Fix It”

We’ve all heard of NIMBYism — the “Not In My Backyard” phenomenon that’s shaped the conversation around housing development in cities around the country. 

M. Nolan Gray has taken the opposite approach. Gray is the research director for an organization called California YIMBY — which stands for “Yes In My Backyard.” The organization is working to pass laws to make it easier to build housing.

He’s also the author of a new book called “Arbitrary Lines: How Zoning Broke the American City and How to Fix It.”

Arizona is desperately short of affordable housing — and housing in general. A Republican-sponsored bill in the state Legislature would force cities to allow more apartments to be built, for example. And Gov. Katie Hobbs introduced a plan last year that would address zoning, among other things. 

It’s the kind of approach Gray applauds. The Show spoke with him more about it. 

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