[seanmcdirmid]

> It very much is. You can take any two cities and account for things like median income and population density and when you're done you'll consistently find that the one with more restrictive zoning has higher rent.

If it were that simple can you give some good examples? Hong Kong has little regulation and crazy high prices, Tokyo is expensive for people on local salaries even if it looks cheap to us (and having structures depreciate to zero value over 20 years makes the market weird).

[kiba]

If it were that simple can you give some good examples? Hong Kong has little regulation and crazy high prices, Tokyo is expensive for people on local salaries even if it looks cheap to us (and having structures depreciate to zero value over 20 years makes the market weird).

Tokyo is considered to have relatively affordable housing.

Hong Kong's lack of regulation is not particularly relevant to the situation. It is mainly a political issue. Much of the land in Hong Kong remains unused.

[seanmcdirmid]

Much of the land in Hong Kong remains unused because they are mountains. You already have pockets of urbanity, then a few mountains, then more urbanity, all connected via tunnels. Yes, you could always explode the mountains with a few nukes, but that sent very realistic.

[kiba]

It is a political issue due to how the government in Hong Kong chooses how to fund itself. It is not a land shortage issue.

[seanmcdirmid]

I don’t know. I’ve been to the SAR many times and have never seen this available land for building. It might be hidden behind one of those mountains though?