Density Wins Locally, Loses at Ballot

Pro‑housing zoning and density reforms often pass through city councils and planning bodies but fail when turned into ballot measures or confronted with popular referenda. This creates a policy gap where technocratic solutions exist but lack popular political cover, meaning supply fixes stall even when local officials support them. — It reframes the housing crisis as as much a democratic legitimacy problem as a technical or financial one, implying that builders and reformers must win public contests, not just regulatory votes.