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Build More, Fight Less

Build More, Fight Less

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Why is it so hard to build housing in Chicago? David Lapidus, a member of the pro-housing Chicago Growth Project, joins A Four Star Podcast for a practical, ground-level conversation about the rules, politics and economics that shape what gets built, what doesn’t and why Chicago’s housing debate is no longer just a niche urbanist argument. David is also a member of the pro-housing Abundant Housing Illinois and Strong Towns Chicago organizations, but in this conversation only represents his personal views and not the views of these two organizations or Chicago Growth Project At the center of the conversation is the fight between YIMBYism and NIMBYism. YIMBY means “Yes In My Backyard,” a pro-housing view that argues cities need more homes, more density and fewer artificial barriers to building. NIMBY means “Not In My Backyard,” the familiar neighborhood resistance to new development, especially when it means more units, taller buildings, less parking or visible change on a block. Lapidus has spent 15 years developing multifamily housing in Chicago, which means this conversation is not theoretical. We get into what makes projects pencil out, why rehab work has become harder, how labor shortages affect quality and cost, and why new construction can sometimes make more sense than fixing what is already there. From there, the conversation turns to Chicago’s unique political bottleneck: aldermanic prerogative. David explains how one alder can effectively stop a zoning change in one ward, why neighborhood opposition carries so much influence, and how Chicago often functions like "50 different cities within one city" instead of one coherent housing market. We also dig into the Affordable Requirements Ordinance, public versus private development, prevailing wage rules, soft costs, environmental requirements, elevator mandates, building codes, fire safety, and the uncomfortable question underneath all of it: when do good intentions become rules that stop homes from being built? The conversation eventually widens into politics. David argues housing is no longer a traditionally left-versus-right issue. It cuts across Democrats, Republicans, developers, renters, environmentalists and neighborhood activists alike. The real divide, he says, is between those who believe we can grow the pie and those who believe everyone is fighting over the same limited pieces. New episodes of A Four Star Podcast drop Tuesday mornings at 6AM. https://abundanthousingillinois.org/ https://www.eventbrite.com/e/keep-families-in-the-city-building-neighborhoods-for-lifelong-chicagoans-tickets-1992152874876 00:00 Cold open 00:40 Meet David Lapidus 01:58 What stops Chicago from building 08:11 The rehab problem 11:13 How much density makes sense? 16:16 The aldermanic veto 24:19 Why alders are hard to move 33:14 Is YIMBY gaining ground? 41:08 Private, public, or both? 45:40 Affordable housing math 55:36 When rules beat results 01:00:19 Codes, stairs and dead projects 01:10:26 Build more, fight less 01:14:26 Can housing change politics? 01:28:57 Where to plug in Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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