The teardown phenomenon and its consequences has been boiling for a couple of years, but efforts to curb the trend are underway all across the US, from Edina, Minn., to St. Helena, Calif., from Dallas to Raleigh. This story (link here) lays down some of the political realities and policy potential.
Nut quote, referring to Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker's attempt to build a majority to ban teardowns:
...in October, Raleigh voters dumped two pro-builder council incumbents in favor of challengers Rodger Koopman and Nancy McFarlane, shifting power on the council to the pro-neighborhoods side and creating a "Meeker majority," as it's often known.
One insight: Neighborhood power -- epitomized, in many ways, by New Orleans neighborhoods taking the reins from the City Council in rebuilding the city -- is on the rise in city politics. Critics say such Luddite movements are unconstitutional and ill-advised. Yet this issue is ultimately about local self-determination, and that's a powerful force.
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