[PrimalDual]

I like that you bring the legality of these housing restrictions into question. I understand that there is a use for zoning laws in maintaining neighborhood quality; however, I think that what the Bay Area has is a defacto immigration control system. Notice that this doesn't mean expensive neighborhoods are illegal in general. The problem comes when government regulations are the direct cause of elevated housing prices that stop the majority of Americans from being able to live there. I'm probably wrong but I'd like to know of its even theoretically possible for the federal or state governments to do something about this.