| I live in a town that has seen an explosive influx of people that past 30 or so years, and RE prices have doubled in just 10 years. A lot of developers want to build high-rises and blocks, because it makes more sense - but it's a constant fight. I've heard projects that have taken as much as 15 years, from start to first shovel in ground. It's a fight because you're getting bombarded with complaints and protests, from the people that already own houses in the area. Usually it's something in the lines of: - People will lose sunlight. Could be 5 mins of sunlight in the morning, but they don't care - they'll protest. - New buildings don't match the aesthetics of the neighborhood - Visual pollution (a bit more harsh than the above complaint) - More traffic etc. These homeowners are 50-60 year olds that want to keep their suburb feel in the middle of a city. They want their large gardens. Of course, because of these actions, their homes are now worth 10-20x of what they paid, 30 years ago. |