I was on the StrongTowns Podcast | Transcript #3
Is Affordable Housing Possible Under Current Zoning Laws?
PART 3: Epilogue, Plutocratic Socialism, and New Media
Here on the StrongTowns’ national podcast, I discuss my background, how cities are positioning themselves as national leaders in housing, and the transformative potentiality of incrementalism.
Full Podcast Here | For part 1, click here
Abby Newsham, moderator:
So I think we'll leave it there. Aaron, thank you so much. Is there anything else on SCAD that you'd like to share? That obviously sounds like it comes to a vote pretty quickly, 10 days from the day of this recording, which is pretty exciting. Are you feeling confident?
Aaron Lubeck:
Yeah, it's been a long haul. I mean, it's been 18 months of really detailed work and great engagement and a great team to work with. And I'm excited for my city because we've got a lot of needs here, but a lot of willingness to roll up our sleeves and take it on. And that's exciting because I think most cities take the easy route out and that's how we got into the mess that we're in today. So I'm excited.
Abby Newsham, moderator:
Well, I'll be rooting for you guys in Durham on the 21st of August and hopefully that passes through and is transformative for the city. Before we finish today, it is time for The Downzone, which is the part of the show where we can share anything that we have been listening to, reading, watching, or just anything that we have been up to these days. So, Aaron, I'm going to put you on the spot. What do you have for the down zone of today?
Aaron Lubeck:
Sure. So I was reading a book by Mark Mitchell that was recommended to me by Geoff Graham and his brother Vince Graham, who had developed the I'On development down in Charleston. Geoff and I were talking about Southern Urbanism, and was talking about a group called Front Porch Republic, which is a small blog that talks about the need to reestablish the small and incremental. Strong Towns would be all about them, and encourage you and Chuck to engage with them.
Front Porch basically says big things generally are bad. Big corporations are evil, and big government is bad. And we need to reestablish these small civic bonds, whether in neighborhoods, churches, builder’s guilds, or whatever, to rebuild America.
Anyway, Mark Mitchell wrote this great book called Plutocratic Socialism. He's a professor, actually the head of Front Porch Republic, and it kind of talks about the small narrowband of people who are very active in undermining housing reform in every city.
While the book is not about housing reform specifically, it talks about the plutocratic group, which in my world tends to be the wealthy homeowner that has ruled housing politics for 50 years, combined now with an underclass of a typically anti-capitalist activist group that wants to stop development because it makes money, or delays the revolution, or whatever it might be. He talks about how those groups are really, on paper, at odds with each other, but they actually partner on these issues because they need each other for relevancy.
He documents the historical background of why this awkward bedfellowing partnership occurred, and why they're the leading problem in most cities. That relationship was outlined in this book. So, it's a little wonky, but a great read and I'd recommend it.
Abby Newsham, moderator:
I love it. Yeah, it's really fantastic. Well, thank you, Aaron. So glad you were able to join me. Come on anytime. If you have an article that you'd like to share or if you have friends that have articles they want to talk about, it would be great to bring you guys on.
Aaron Lubeck:
Yeah, for sure. And of course, all the writers we have at Southern Urbanism, many of which you know because a big overlap with the Incremental Development Alliance and NTBA and CNU, but flip through that magazine because pretty much any of them are available to you, would love to talk with you as well.
Abby Newsham, moderator:
Yeah, that would be great. All right, well thanks Aaron and thanks everybody for listening to another episode of Upzoned. Keep doing what you can to build a strong town. Thanks, Aaron.
Aaron Lubeck:
Thank you.
This transcript had light editing for clarification purposes.