NIMBYs Are Wrecking California—Here’s Proof

Keith Preston

1 year ago

“Protect our neighborhoods!”

“Historic preservation!”

“Save the planet!”

That’s what NIMBYs say they stand for.

But in reality…NIMBYism isn’t about any of those things.

It’s about red tape, gatekeeping, and locking in scarcity—which drives up costs and worsens inequality.

That’s why Independent Institute’s new Golden Fleece® report exposes how NIMBY activist groups like Sierra Club and Livable California have hijacked California’s regulatory system—especially CEQA—to sabotage new housing and entrench the state’s housing crisis.

But this report isn’t just an exposé. It’s a practical resource for activists and influencers working at the local level.

To save the Golden State, we must shift the conversation about NIMBYism and make housing actually affordable again.

Read the Report

What are the California Golden Fleece^® Awards? They are a series of in-depth reports from the Independent Institute that expose the waste, fraud, and abuse in California. Each report has three goals:

to expose government waste
to increase transparency into the inner workings of government
to hold government accountable at all levels when they swindle taxpayers or break public trust by giving the public meaningful information

A program, agency, policy, tax, or regulation must violate common-sense principles of responsible government to receive a California Golden Fleece® Award. That’s why the ignoble recipients of this 16th award are Sierra Club and Livable California.

To find out more about the California Golden Fleece^® Awards, the Independent Institute, and how you can be a part of real solutions, visit us online or follow us on X @CAGoldenFleece. Past reports have exposed the harmful impact of California’s CalGang database and gang laws on civil liberties and justice, the corruption that led to California’s higher gas prices; public policy failures that contributed to California’s wildfires, the stupidity and cruelty of automated license plate readers; and more.

REPORT AUTHOR

Christopher J. Calton is the Research Fellow in Housing and Homelessness at Independent Institute. He received his Ph.D. in History at the University of Florida, where his research focused on the history of the corporation. Dr. Calton has written extensively on a wide array of historical topics, including the criminal justice system, liberal and economic thought, higher education, economic policy, and entrepreneurship. His scholarly writings can be found in journals such as The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography and Libertarian Papers.

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