Magical Thinking on the Left Coast

Dynamist has a great post with the following:
1. California is possessed by magical thinking--assuming you can just wish for things and get them, with no costs and no tradeoffs.
2. A great analysis of a condo association protesting the redevelopment of a set of nearby apartment buildings to create additional condos.

They have all sorts of concerns about "the scale and character of the existing stable neighborhood," which would in fact be slightly altered by the new construction. (In reality, the neighborhood's character is largely maintained by the single-family zoning that begins one block to the south.)

Here's the magical thinking paragraph: "The project will continue the decline in affordable housing on the Westisde. Replacing 10 highly desirable rental buildings in the range of $1000-$1700 per month, by condos offered for $500,000-$550,000, will adversely impact a renter profile of students, artists, young workers and seniors, who are being driven out of the Westside by high housing costs." [Weird commas in the original--vp.]

These concerned neighbors are not offering to sell their tiny bungalows for less than a half million dollars--or, for that matter, to rent them out for "affordable housing." Instead, they want to block an increase in the number of multifamily units, which offer relatively more space and luxury for the money. In the magical twist, they imagine that limiting supply while demand is skyrocketing is the way to create affordable housing.