The whole discussion about "fixing" cities is stupid. Dense cities can't be fixed, and using ad-hoc regulations like this is just like plugging the holes in a dike with fingers.
Next you'll find that you also need to do the same for schools. But schoolteachers won't be able to afford living near the areas that they serve. So you need subsidized housing for them.
Oh, and the same for kindergarten. But what about at-home childcare? And so on.
And no, "land value capture" won't fix it. You'll just move the complexity from giving out subsidies into assessing the value of kindergartens and schools.
The problem with US cities is that they're not dense enough. Most of the US has spent the past half-centry actively making new high-density construction illegal or incredibly expensive, so everything is operating within the bounds of 1970s-80s construction being reused over and over again because it was grandfathered in.
People being forced by economic forces to move into uncomfortable and unaffordable dense cities. This in turn creates disadvantaged underclass with no hopes for a better future. And even European social safety nets can only do so much.
While just hours away from dense cities, the apartments are often literally free. With copious space and easy access to basic services.
This results in rising crime. The downward trend that started in 90-s had been reversed. And the crimes of despair, mainly drug-related crimes, are rising faster than violent crimes.
If you get rid of a lot of inefficiencies (unnecessary parking, land use segregation increase travel distances, and restrictions on multi family apartments), there will be so much more space available that it would lower housing prices by a lot for everyone. The tax revenues can also offset other taxes like income or sales taxes which also reduce inefficiency.
Are you saying that cities can’t be fixed because they’re already fine, or because they’re irredeemably awful, or just that the notion of “fixing” them is inherently ridiculous?
I would dispute that, people move to cities primarily to work and earn more money. Often with the goal of being able to later buy a house in a less dense area that they would struggle to buy otherwise.
No. People are _forced_ to move into large cities. And people who refuse that are being subjected to ever-increasing economic pressure.
_Choice_ means that there is a viable option to _not_ do it.
And more and more people do not _have_ this option. They have to move into dense cities because it's the only location that has half-decent job options.
I don't have data for Europe, but in the US the gap is growing between people who _want_ to live outside the dense cities and people who do.
Next you'll find that you also need to do the same for schools. But schoolteachers won't be able to afford living near the areas that they serve. So you need subsidized housing for them.
Oh, and the same for kindergarten. But what about at-home childcare? And so on.
And no, "land value capture" won't fix it. You'll just move the complexity from giving out subsidies into assessing the value of kindergartens and schools.