Here's your chance to spend some time with the author of one of the hottest land use and public policy books out there, Nolan Gray.
RSVP now (admission free, but space is limited) to join our Land Use class when we welcome Mr. Gray to respond to the question in the title of this post. Details:
Date: Wednesday, February 15, 2023Time: 5:30pm - 7:00 pm, Hawaii TimeLocation: University of Hawaii Law School (2515 Dole Street, Honolulu), Classroom #3.Cost: Free, courtesy of Grassroot Institute of HawaiiRSVP: You must register here to reserve your place in the room.Parking: modest fee, available at the adjacent UH parking structure.
As we noted when we featured his book "Arbitrary Lines: How Zoning Broke the American City and How to Fix It" (Island Press 2022) at the top of our dirt lawyer holiday gift guide recently, his work is an accessible summary of what zoning is and what it isn't and isn't simply a polemic, but a thoughtful laying out of why the author (a former planner for New York City) believes that zoning's time is up. The book also offers solutions for what might replace zoning (Houston, we're looking at you).
From the registration site:
Housing prices in Hawaii are through the roof. Demand outpaces supply, and many local families are saying “Aloha” to Hawaii simply because they cannot afford to live here.
So what can state and county lawmakers do to address this crisis?
Nolan Gray, a former city planner in New York City who now leads a “Yes In My Backyard” advocacy group in California, thinks a good first step would be to abolish zoning laws. In February, he will talk in depth about that provocative proposal at two events sponsored by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii.
Gray's presentation will be on Wednesday, Feb. 15, at the University of Hawaii at Manoa William S. Richardson School of Law, Classroom 3, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Admission is free and paid parking is available in the law school lot or the main UH parking structure.
Keli‘i Akina, Grassroot Institute president and CEO, will moderate the event, including a Q&A session.
Gray, who also is a Ph.D. candidate in urban planning at the University of California, Los Angeles, wrote about zoning codes and housing shortages in his new book, “Arbitrary Lines: How Zoning Broke the American City and How to Fix It.”
He said zoning codes go beyond general city planning, and that by micromanaging real estate usage and density have served to limit housing supply and make America’s metropolitan areas unaffordable for most residents. In addition, he said, zoning laws have contributed to greater urban sprawl and pollution.
Seating is limited, so please register early. For more information, contact Sean Mitsui at 808-864-1776 or info@grassrootinstitute.org.
Come, join us and open your mind to his intriguing proposals.
