[jrumbut]

That only works if you have 4 new people who want to live there.

We could probably achieve that through immigration for a while, but there is still a sustainability problem that keeping some constraints on housing construction solves. I say this as someone who would love cheap housing in a desirable area.

Empty buildings tend to create problems, and the energy to tear them down/convert them to something else often isn't there once the population begins decreasing.

[1stcity3rdcoast]

Most California cities are 40-70 years (years!) behind demand in housing production. There aren’t 4 people waiting for that development; there are 40.

The population of the US continues to grow. Empty buildings are not something you need to be concerned about when the current supply is so inadequate.

[kelnos]

> That only works if you have 4 new people who want to live there.

I don't know about the rest of California, but in the bay area you can find those 4 people with your eyes closed.