Advocates from Conservative States Pioneer Pro-Development Movements

In a significant shift, two-thirds of Republican trifecta states have passed pro-housing legislation this year, marking a notable trend in housing reform across the nation.

This wave of reforms has extended to both blue and red states, each with its own focus. For instance, Oregon has prioritised affordable housing, Kentucky is focusing on workforce housing, Minnesota is addressing historical injustices, and Tennessee is aiming to help people start families.

The approach to these reforms varies significantly. While the complex California bill has only facilitated a handful of projects, the simpler Florida bill has enabled the construction of tens of thousands of new apartments, resulting in a reduction in rents.

Montana, under the leadership of Republican Governor Greg Gianforte, passed the most ambitious package of pro-housing reforms ever adopted in 2023. This package included legalising accessory dwelling units, allowing single-stair buildings, and establishing that state courts should favor property use. Montana's reforms also included legalising duplexes and tiny homes, limiting design review, and streamlining subdivisions.

Not all states have followed suit, however. Some blue states, including those in the Northeast like Maryland and New York, have seen Republican resistance to easing onerous local regulations. Similarly, several red states with rapidly rising housing costs, such as South Carolina and South Dakota, have undertaken almost no pro-housing reform.

The challenge today is keeping up with the increasing number of Republican YIMBYs (Yes In My Backyard advocates). In states with divided government, Republican legislators have worked across the aisle to drive reform, such as in Arizona and North Carolina. Here, reforms have included ending prohibitions on apartments in commercial areas, reducing minimum lot sizes, and limiting the ability of opponents to delay new housing.

California's governor, Gavin Newsom, has also made strides in housing reform, successfully exempting more housing development from the state's environmental reviews this year.

The process of reform tends to be less complex in red states due to leaner Republican legislation. However, President Trump's vaguely NIMBY posture risks polarizing the housing issue, with conspiracy theories about density often crowding out cooler reasoning in local public hearings.

The Maine Policy Institute has opposed state-level pro-housing reforms, citing the potential abridgement of local governments' ability to impose large minimum lot sizes. M. Nolan Gray, the senior director of legislation and research at California YIMBY, emphasises the need for continued advocacy and collaboration to address the housing crisis.

As the pro-housing movement gains momentum, it will be interesting to see how this trend unfolds in the coming years. One thing is certain: the need for affordable housing is a pressing issue that requires the attention and action of policymakers across the nation.