The Politics of Smart Growth: Strengths & Weaknesses

1. The Politics of Smart Growth Strengths & Weaknesses Ed Braddy January 23, 2009

2. About Us • American Dream Coalition promotes market-oriented alternatives to urban issues such as transportation, land-use, and property rights • We defend freedom, mobility, and affordable homeownership • We believe markets, not mandates, are the best approaches consistent with free people living in a free society

3. About Us • Executive Director of the ADC • Annual Conference & Strategic Partnerships • City Commissioner from 2002-2008 • Gainesville, Florida – mid-size city (120,000)

4. About Us • Exceptionally Effective!

5. Qualifications • Not an economist • Not a planner • Not an engineer • Not a developer • Basically, I got here with nothing … • … and I still have most of it left! • Perspective is that of elected official who had to communicate with voters

6. Smart Growth • Why is Smart Growth politically popular? • Why is it appealing? • Strengths • Emotional • Rhetorical • Weaknesses • Emotional • Rhetorical

7. On its own terms … • “In general, smart growth invests time, attention, and resources in restoring community and vitality to city centers and older suburbs.” (Why Smart Growth: A Primer) • Downtown centered • Transit & pedestrian oriented • Mixed uses – commercial, housing, retail • Open space & environmental protection

8. On its own terms … • Create a range of housing & transportation choices • Foster distinctive communities with an unique sense of place • Make development decisions cost-effective • Direct development towards existing communities • Take advantage of compact building design • Smartgrowth.org & the Sustainable Communities Network

9. On its own terms … • Utilizes comprehensive planning: integrating land use, transportation, housing, infrastructure, conservation, recreation, and other elements • In Florida, Dept of Community Affairs mandates 10-year plans, allowing only two major amendments per year • Characteristics – urban growth boundaries, high densities, compact development, transit orientation • Weapons Tools - road diets, impact fees, inclusionary zoning mandates, eminent domain

10. Smart Growth’s Appeal • Smart Growth is the doctrine of Stalinist activist urban planners … but • It is a politicalreactionto real concerns of average citizens • Do people really want local government to greatly restrict property rights, increase congestion, escalate housing costs, damage the environment, and impose a simplistic one-size-fits all formula aimed at changing your entire way of living?

11. It’s the Sizzle,Not the Steak • We know the effects (substance) of Smart Growth • But Smart Growth is politically popular because of its intent • Smart Growthers sell the sizzle to a hungry population • Hungry for what?

12. Smart Growth’s Appeal • People desire order and predictability • People believe in planning because they do it in their private lives • People do not draw the distinction between public v. private planning • See Randal O’Toole’s Best Laid Plans

13. Smart Growth’s Sizzle • Smart Growth is a political promise that your community will grow in an orderly and predictable manner • Smart Growth promises a dynamic economy, vibrant society, and healthy environment • The growth of Smart Growth, despite its opposite outcomes, is proof of its sizzle (emotional and rhetorical appeal)

14. By way of analogy …

15. By way of analogy …

16. Sexy Smart Growth

17. Sexy Smart Growth

18. Words Work • Like any effective political movement, it utilizes rhetorical and emotional strategies • Title Trump • Smart Growth – Who’s for Dumb Growth? • Alternatives = Opposites • Clever Slogans • “You can’t build your way out of congestion” • “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”

19. Campaign Messaging • Like any effective political movement, it utilizes rhetorical and emotional strategies • Nostalgic promises – pre-auto America • Heroic purpose – Help Save Planet Earth! • Deceptions – omission (housing costs) and commission (reduce congestion) • Element of fear – The suburbssprawl is paving over the planet!

20. The Politics ofSmart Growth • Smart Growth’s stated goal is to stop sprawl • The term “sprawl” has become a substitute for “suburbanization” • Creates a negative image whereas, historically, “suburbs” do not • By stigmatizing suburbs and exploiting our fears, Smart Growthers have legitimized excessive land use regulations • Smart Growth is really about control in order to re-order society

21. Political Indoctrination • Not everyone is a control freak • Sincere people get suckered • “Real Estate Principles” – college textbook • Chapter 5, Learning Objective 1: “Cite three reasons why the market system may not operate to maximize the net social benefits of land use” • #4: “Identify three possible adverse effects of traditional zoning” • #6: “Identify four tools of land use control widely adopted since 1970 and contrast new urbanism with traditional land use”

22. Smart Growth Weaknesses • We need the sizzle! • Rhetorical & Emotional • The numbers are on our side • We’ve got the big guns pounding the beachhead

23. Smart Growth Weaknesses • Put faces on the numbers • Mom & Pop Shops • Minority Businesses • Entrepreneurs • Slogans “You can’t regulate your way into prosperity”

24. Smart Growth Weaknesses • We need the sizzle! • Rhetorical & Emotional • It’s not just jobs! • There’s a transaction at the end of every car trip • Economic, social, cultural, religious, recreational, familial, educational, etc.

25. The Cost of Smart Growth • In 2007, the median price of a home was $219,000 • Smart Growth Cities: • Boulder, CO - $615,000 • Denver, CO - $400,000 • Minneapolis, MN - $415,767 • Portland, OR - $317,500 • San Jose, CA - $1,145,000 • Seattle, WA - $555,839 Source: National Association of Realtors

26. The Cost of Smart Growth Smart Growth Cities • Boulder, CO - $615,000 • Denver, CO - $400,000 • Minneapolis, MN - $415,767 • Portland, OR - $317,500 • San Jose, CA - $1,145,000 • Seattle, WA - $555,839 Planning Penalty • Boulder, CO - $117,440 • Denver, CO - $57,831 • Minneapolis, MN - $32,133 • Portland, OR - $60,460 • San Jose, CA - $513,002 • Seattle, WA - $132,965 Sources: Randal O’Toole, The Planning Penalty, ADC Publication

27. More faces, fewer numbers “… women and minorities hardest hit”

28. Americans love the underdog! (Home of Edith Macefield who refused to sell her home to developers, even for a million dollars. She passed away at age 86.)

29. Economics 101 • “The affordability of housing is overwhelmingly a function of just one thing: the extent to which governments place artificial restrictions on the supply of residential land.” • Donald Brash, Governor of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand. • Source: 4th Annual Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey (2008)

30. Naming Names • Planners are bureaucrats • Most Americans have distrustful/disdainful feeling for “bureaucrat” but not for “city planner” • “Well, the city’s bureaucratic planners are pushing light rail again.”

31. Sell the Sizzle • Suburbia is good! • Robert Bruegmann: “the preferred settlement pattern everywhere in the world where there is a certain measure of affluence and where citizens have some choice in how they live” • “As cities have become economically prosperous, they have spread outward at decreasing densities.”

32. Elitist know-it-alls love Smart Growth And Americans don’t like elites!

33. … even eco-elites

34. Play Emotional Hardball • Smart Growth Is All About Groupthink • Irving Janis, Groupthink: Psychological Studies of Policy Decisions & Fiascoes (1982): “members striving for unanimity overriding their motivation to realistically appraise alternative courses of action.” • Characteristics: holding defective beliefs; concurrence seeking; self-validation; exclude challenges to core beliefs; create “in-group”

35. Play Emotional Hardball • Planners find their validation in belonging to the planning profession • They share a vision among themselves that is at odds with the people they occasionally interact with • They believe regular people cannot understand their complex vision but will benefit from it

36. Symptoms of Groupthink • Illusion of invulnerability • Belief in their inherent morality • Collective rationalizations • Stereotypes of out-groups • Pressure on Dissenters • Incomplete survey of alternatives • Failure to reappraise In other words, this ain’t rocket surgery!

37. Play Emotional Hardball • Ridicule is a legitimate political strategy

38. Hit ‘em where they ain’t • Smart Growth: “unique sense of place” • Reality: Smart Growth is simplistic and formulaic • No matter where, Smart Growthersalways call for higher densities, mixed uses, compact design, and Starbucks orientation transit orientation • Smart Growth fosters a “Sense of Sameness”

39. We’re Unique … Just Like Everyone Else

40. Why Not Call It “McUrbanism”?

41. Franchising New Urbanism Think I’m Kidding? McUrbanism

42. Smart Growth Reality Urban Growth Boundary Mixed Use Development Common Areas Preservation of Open Space Walkable Neighborhoods Sustainable Energy Supply Wetland Restoration Unique Sense of Place What affordableMcUrbanism looks like

43. Ed Braddy 7th Annual Preserving the American Dream Conference – Bellevue, Washington April 19, 2009