Michael Lewyn is an associate professor at Touro University, Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center, in Long Island. His scholarship can be found at http://works.bepress.com/lewyn.
![Clse-up of "Just Say No To Over Development" yard sign on green lawn](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/6878680041_c5c2651077_c.jpg.webp?itok=QPUJPVmm)
Thinking About Right-NIMBYism
Some conservatives oppose new housing on the ground that exclusion will “save” their neighborhoods from poor people. Is there any response to these arguments?
![New York City Zoning Map](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/map9a.jpg.webp?itok=VIMH7RJn)
The Myth of Local Control
One common argument against statewide zoning reform is that local control of zoning is a venerable democratic norm. But in fact, state government often controls local land use in a variety of ways.
![Aerial view of planned community with houses and winding streets in Pearl City, Oahu](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/shutterstock_82742611.jpg.webp?itok=tNzylXQ8)
Sprawl and Democracy
One common defense of pro-sprawl government policies is that government reflects the will of the people. But is this really true?
![View down New York City alleyway at nighttime](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/shutterstock_1318059086.jpg.webp?itok=5j4n-P05)
Red Cities, Blue Cities, and Crime
Homicides rose across the nation in 2020 and 2021. But did they rise equally in all cities, or was the situation worse in some than in others?
![MacDougal Street](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/shutterstock_1297162741.jpg.webp?itok=uWGJCnKw)
Jane Jacobs and Zoning
Does the work of Jane Jacobs support restrictive zoning?