This article explores why housing construction has become increasingly difficult in expensive cities despite widespread support for expanding supply. Using two original surveys—an exit poll of 1,660 San Francisco voters from the 2015 election and a national survey with over 3,000 respondents—the study provides experimental measurements of NIMBYism.

🔍 Measuring NIMBYism in San Francisco

The research analyzes how support for new housing differs between residents who prioritize city-level policy versus those focused on neighborhood-specific opposition. Surveys reveal that renters typically do not exhibit "Not In My Back Yard" (NIMBY) attitudes, while homeowners are more sensitive to proximity issues.

🏙️ Scale-dependent preferences in high-rent cities

However, the study finds a striking pattern: in expensive housing markets like San Francisco, renters demonstrate NIMBY-like behavior comparable to homeowners. This suggests that "price anxiety" plays a key role in amplifying opposition to local projects even among those who support overall supply increases.

💡 Implications for policy and representation

These findings help explain the deepening affordability crisis by showing how preferences can vary based on spatial scale. The research demonstrates how widespread public support for increasing housing supply does not necessarily translate into consistent backing at decision-making levels, highlighting a significant gap between stated opinions and actual preferences.