These sources provide a comprehensive overview and critique of American zoning laws, primarily drawing from the book Arbitrary Lines: How Zoning Broke the American City and How to Fix It by M. Nolan Gray. The central argument is that zoning is a fundamentally flawed policy that has severely damaged U.S. cities by making them unaffordable, economically stagnant, racially segregated, and environmentally unsustainable through mechanisms like single-family restrictions and mandated parking minimums. The texts trace the historical origins of zoning, noting its early use as a tool for economic and racial exclusion, and explore its detrimental effects on housing supply and national productivity. Gray advocates for zoning abolition and proposes a post-zoning future focused on comprehensive physical planning, direct regulation of nuisances (like noise and vibration), and mediation, citing Houston, Texas, as a successful unzoned model.
