[milkytron]

> it seems to me that an influx of residents into the area might give our neighborhood more pull in local elections as we'd form a voting-block with some aligned interests (services & infrastructure in our neighborhood) even if we differ in other interests.

It might give more pull in local elections, but the one major benefit of having more residents is an increased tax base and being a more desirable place for businesses. There are lots of benefits of increasing the density of an area, like you mentioned. The NIMBY resistance has a lot of time and money on their side so it can be hard to overcome.

I'm also in a very similar spot as you, between expensive suburbs and a major urban core. Despite the city I live in voting to restrict new housing, they were able to approve an exception for my area. Definitely appears to be helping, lots of townhomes and apartments are going up and new businesses have been coming in.