Why zoning restrictions are in fact to the disadvantage of the poor

  Zoning restrictions for houses have been around for most of the last century and were mainly set up to segregate uses and buildings which are incompatible. Whilst they are supposed to protect certain residential areas and businesses, they have been criticized far and wide and with good reason.

  Ethnic and economic segregation is a common problem in urban areas of the United States. Zoning restrictions do nothing to help segregation, on the contrary, they are going to enhance it by a great deal.

  As housing is scarce anyway, the prices of housing will be heightened even more, due to high demand. Zoning restrictions prevent quick development of new housing in certain areas, due to different kinds of approvals which are mandatory to receive before being allowed to build.

  Moreover the height, densitiy and building restrictions will make housing even less affordable for the poor and the working class in certain areas, as it is cheaper to build higher building and buy less land.

  The lack of affordable housing in certain areas will lead  and has lead to a concentration of wealthy people on the one hand and a concentration of the working class and poor people on the other.

  As a consequence of this economic and often ethnic segregation, problems such as for example the decay of the housing in poor areas and a heightened crime rate will arise. It is also going to lead to frustration and aversion between the wealthy and the working class.

  To prevent further segregation and problems that could arise in shunted areas the local government will have to relax zoning restrictions to make housing more efficient and affordable.