Village Preservation Op-Ed: Putting the Lie to “Build Baby Build”… Facts Show Unbridled Market-Rate Development Spurs Gentrification

Buildings under construction in Mahattan, with the Empire State Building in the background

The incontrovertible evidence that simply building massive amounts of market rate housing does not make cities more affordable — and may make them more expensive and push out lower-income residents — continues to mount. But proponents of this theory inside and outside of government continue to buy into and spread this damaging misinformation, and push for policies built around this highly flawed approach.

Village Preservation has been on the front lines of the battle to combat this false theory, and to advocate for measures that preserve neighborhood character while addressing the pressing need for more affordability.

Our latest op-ed cites both new and long-standing data to debunk this misinformation campaign, call out its purveyors, and offer alternatives.

August 5, 2022