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Excluded: How Snob Zoning, NIMBYism, and Class Bias Build the Walls We Don't See
An indictment of America's housing policy that reveals the social engineering underlying our segregation by economic class, the social and political fallout that result, and what we can do about it
The last, acceptable form of prejudice in America is based on class and executed through state-sponsored economic discrimination, which is hard to see because it is much more subtle than raw racism.
While the American meritocracy officially denounces prejudice based on race and gender, it has spawned a new form of bias against those with less education and income. Millions of working-class Americans have their opportunity blocked by exclusionary snob zoning. These government policies make housing unaffordable, frustrate the goals of the civil rights movement, and lock in inequality in our urban and suburban landscapes.
Through moving accounts of families excluded from economic and social opportunity as they are hemmed in through “new redlining” that limits the type of housing that can be built, Richard Kahlenberg vividly illustrates why America has a housing crisis. He also illustrates why economic segregation matters since where you live affects access to transportation, employment opportunities, decent health care, and good schools. He shows that housing choice has been socially engineered to the benefit of the affluent, and, that astonishingly the most restrictive zoning is found in politically liberal cities where racial views are more progressive .
Despite this there is hope. Kahlenberg tells the inspiring stories of growing number of local and national movements working to tear down the walls that inflicts so much damage on the lives of millions of Americans.
The last, acceptable form of prejudice in America is based on class and executed through state-sponsored economic discrimination, which is hard to see because it is much more subtle than raw racism.
While the American meritocracy officially denounces prejudice based on race and gender, it has spawned a new form of bias against those with less education and income. Millions of working-class Americans have their opportunity blocked by exclusionary snob zoning. These government policies make housing unaffordable, frustrate the goals of the civil rights movement, and lock in inequality in our urban and suburban landscapes.
Through moving accounts of families excluded from economic and social opportunity as they are hemmed in through “new redlining” that limits the type of housing that can be built, Richard Kahlenberg vividly illustrates why America has a housing crisis. He also illustrates why economic segregation matters since where you live affects access to transportation, employment opportunities, decent health care, and good schools. He shows that housing choice has been socially engineered to the benefit of the affluent, and, that astonishingly the most restrictive zoning is found in politically liberal cities where racial views are more progressive .
Despite this there is hope. Kahlenberg tells the inspiring stories of growing number of local and national movements working to tear down the walls that inflicts so much damage on the lives of millions of Americans.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published July 11, 2023
67 people are currently reading
1028 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
July 8, 2023
This author writes a very impressive argument against exclusionary zoning whereby wealthy geographies use zoning laws to keep lower income earners out of their neighborhoods. Whenever someone from the opposite side of the political aisle can convey a persuasive case, I immediately have respect for them. The author is a deeply thoughtful person who has looked at the ramifications of exclusionary zoning from every perspective and addressed every case for and against it.
In terms of a reading experience, despite the clever title copywriting, this seems like a book for policy wonks as opposed to mainstream non-fiction readers. It's accessible, yes, but it's not a book filled with personal anecdotes highlighting the key points.
Still, if you care about the issues of unaffordable housing and how that impacts the economically deprived in this country, then this book has to be a definitive treatise on the topic. Every politician, local and national, regardless of party should pick this up and read it.
In terms of a reading experience, despite the clever title copywriting, this seems like a book for policy wonks as opposed to mainstream non-fiction readers. It's accessible, yes, but it's not a book filled with personal anecdotes highlighting the key points.
Still, if you care about the issues of unaffordable housing and how that impacts the economically deprived in this country, then this book has to be a definitive treatise on the topic. Every politician, local and national, regardless of party should pick this up and read it.
September 8, 2023
This is a 10-hour audio book that could probably be trimmed down to half of that. Kahlenberg places exclusionary zoning and its class-segregationist outcomes squarely on "the left" and "progressive cities", which I find untenable. Until Euclidian zoning in the 1920s, neighborhoods generally had a mix of housing types. When the Supreme Court blessed zoning, ALL growing cities embraced the concept and used it to segregate races. Banks and real estate colluded to red-line neighborhoods, probably helped by the zoning lines already drawn. The cult of Property Value stymied many progressive developments. This was the American Way for almost 100 years, red or blue. It's the blue states and cities today (California, Oregon, Minneapolis) that are embracing Middle Housing and eliminating exclusionary zoning.
August 30, 2023
This book puts a lot of the scholarship around housing inequality, socioeconomic discrimination, dream hoarding, and related topics together as a comprehensive and cohesive whole. I've been involved in advocacy around this myself, so there was little here that was truly revelatory to me. The book pulls and quotes liberally from Sheryll Cashin, Heather McGee, Color of Law, Raj Chetty, Richard Reeves. It read to me like a meatier and more comprehensive version of Matthew Desmond's Poverty By America from earlier this year. In the later chapters, Kahlenberg addresses common anti-zoning reform canards from the left and right, dissects YIMBY wins, and outlines a proposal for an Economic Fair Housing Act.
April 14, 2023
Loved it! Clear, thorough, and relevant to every American I know. Sooooo many statistics, which can make it feel a bit dry. As someone who has lived in many of the places mentioned, I’ve been waiting for years for someone to write this book. Such a huge problem in America that people seem to just accept without question. Kahlenberg really breaks it down and provides great suggestions for improving the situation.
June 5, 2024
Exclusionary zoning. That’s an important phrase and you’ll hear it nonstop in this book. Affordable housing has been important to me in recent years but this book really summed it up in a way I couldn’t verbalize previously. A very important read, especially as we’re in dire need of housing currently. It’s a problem every US citizen should be concerned about.
Read
July 26, 2024A well-researched book with a strong argument, but it felt somewhat repetitive and was a bit of a slog towards the end. Kahlenberg makes a strong case that exclusionary zoning (such as prohibitions on duplex housing in many neighborhoods) contributes towards the housing affordability crisis, reduces opportunities for poor children of all races, and traps people in poverty (not to mention exacerbating climate change). He ultimately concludes that the US needs a federal law to prevent local governments from stacking the deck against lower-income people. As an AP US Government teacher I'm excited to incorporate his examples when teaching Federalist 10 (how factions can too easily capture more localized government and the advantages of federal intervention). I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in making housing more affordable, but you might not need to read the whole thing.
July 8, 2025
This book is what Abundance wishes it was. For those who don’t know, Abundance was a book that was recently released in 2025 by “leftists”, and the long and short of it is that we should deregulate a ton of things to create more housing, renewable energy, and all that good stuff. The problem is that deregulation is the wet dream of capitalist billionaires, and that would turn real bad real quick.
In this book from Kahlenberg, he goes through the history of how the lower classes have been excluded from housing. While he acknowledges and discusses the history of racism, he did a phenomenal job discussing class discrimination. Too often, people on the left shy away from the class discrimination discussion and will even say, “I don’t care about that until we handle the racial discrimination aspect.” The reality that Kahlenberg discusses is that class discrimination is just a sneaky way for people to be racist. In case you didn’t know, due to racism, many minorities are lower-class.
What the author points out is that while we have a ton of laws around racism, like the Fair Housing Act, we don’t have any laws against class discrimination. This allows NIMBYs and racists to create laws that keep out people of all races if they’re lower class while not getting into trouble with the law.
This was definitely one of those books that I couldn’t put down just because I was so furious. This book taught me so much about how NIMBYs and local governments restrict housing, and it totally screws people who don’t make insane amounts of money or weren’t born into generational wealth. I’ve had a lot of questions about housing, and this book answers most of them.
This book succeeds where Abundance failed by discussing deregulation in a mindful way. It points out all of the potential problems that deregulation can lead to, but the author makes strong arguments to back his ideas up. The fact that he even acknowledges this is miles ahead of the Abundance book. While I don’t know if his ideas would work, it’s done in a much more thoughtful way while acknowledging all of the race and class discrimination that our country has been dealing with for ages.
In this book from Kahlenberg, he goes through the history of how the lower classes have been excluded from housing. While he acknowledges and discusses the history of racism, he did a phenomenal job discussing class discrimination. Too often, people on the left shy away from the class discrimination discussion and will even say, “I don’t care about that until we handle the racial discrimination aspect.” The reality that Kahlenberg discusses is that class discrimination is just a sneaky way for people to be racist. In case you didn’t know, due to racism, many minorities are lower-class.
What the author points out is that while we have a ton of laws around racism, like the Fair Housing Act, we don’t have any laws against class discrimination. This allows NIMBYs and racists to create laws that keep out people of all races if they’re lower class while not getting into trouble with the law.
This was definitely one of those books that I couldn’t put down just because I was so furious. This book taught me so much about how NIMBYs and local governments restrict housing, and it totally screws people who don’t make insane amounts of money or weren’t born into generational wealth. I’ve had a lot of questions about housing, and this book answers most of them.
This book succeeds where Abundance failed by discussing deregulation in a mindful way. It points out all of the potential problems that deregulation can lead to, but the author makes strong arguments to back his ideas up. The fact that he even acknowledges this is miles ahead of the Abundance book. While I don’t know if his ideas would work, it’s done in a much more thoughtful way while acknowledging all of the race and class discrimination that our country has been dealing with for ages.
read-partially
August 29, 2023Що доброго є в американській системі, яка ледь не законодавчими обмеженнями встановлює, що більшість житлових районів - це райони виключно з окремими хатинками на одну сім'ю? - Так прямо серед житлових кварталів можуть жити всякі тварини, хоча б ті з них, хто не проти сусідити з людьми, не втрачають середовище.
Що в цій системі поганого? - Все інше.
Ця книжка, наприклад, фокусується на тому, як ці обмеження зонування посилюють класову й расову сегрегацію у суспільстві (навіть коли прямі расові обмеження уже поза законом). А ще стають на перепоні соціальній мобільності, бо важливим предиктором здобутого рівня освіти поміж бідними людьми є не власне економічне становище сім'ї, а те, чи вони живуть у гомогенно бідному районі чи в районі з різними за економічним становищем мешканцями. Ця остання опція, очевидно, можлива лише там, де суворі обмеження зонування все-таки зняли і дозволяють поруч з односімейними будинками будувати дуплекси, триплекси, а то й квартирні будинки.
Всю книжку цілком читати не буду, бо з основним посилом я і так, очевидно, погоджуюсь, а аргументи про всі окремі аспекти, чому з цим посилом треба погоджуватися, мені не дуже цікаві.
Що в цій системі поганого? - Все інше.
Ця книжка, наприклад, фокусується на тому, як ці обмеження зонування посилюють класову й расову сегрегацію у суспільстві (навіть коли прямі расові обмеження уже поза законом). А ще стають на перепоні соціальній мобільності, бо важливим предиктором здобутого рівня освіти поміж бідними людьми є не власне економічне становище сім'ї, а те, чи вони живуть у гомогенно бідному районі чи в районі з різними за економічним становищем мешканцями. Ця остання опція, очевидно, можлива лише там, де суворі обмеження зонування все-таки зняли і дозволяють поруч з односімейними будинками будувати дуплекси, триплекси, а то й квартирні будинки.
Всю книжку цілком читати не буду, бо з основним посилом я і так, очевидно, погоджуюсь, а аргументи про всі окремі аспекти, чому з цим посилом треба погоджуватися, мені не дуже цікаві.
August 4, 2023
This book is a must-read. "Excluded: How Snob Zoning, NIMBYISM, And Class Bias Build The Walls We Don't See" takes the work of Richard Rothstein covered in his book "The Color of Law" into even more detail about how zoning laws contribute to inequities (from education, jobs, housing, etc.). I learned a lot about how even liberal communities can be the most resistant to mixed income or changed zoning laws. This author's "a ha" moment came at a School Board Meeting in Charlotte to focus on a plan to improve student achievement. Kahlenberg spent 20 years writing about education focused on the fact that one of the best predictors of academic success is not the per pupil spending in a school district but instead whether students have the opportunity to attend schools with an economically mixed group of classmates rather than schools where most of the students are poor. The author walks us through a meticulously researched journey on how education issues are shaped by housing policy and that mostly invisible zoning rules (and community resistance) dictate which economic groups can live where. Liberals like myself do not come off well in this book -- we still suffer from a class elitism problem and so we need to also recognize what part we play in this systemic problem. I was heartened to see the incredible work done by a coalition of different stakeholders in Minneapolis to allow multi-family dwellings (many communities have zoning that only allow single family dwellings and a specific density. The examples throughout the book give me hope while at the same time helped me start to ask myself - how can I be part of the solution as opposed to being a part of the problem. I recommend this book.
Thank you to Netgalley and PublicAffairs for an ARC and I left this review voluntarily.
Thank you to Netgalley and PublicAffairs for an ARC and I left this review voluntarily.
July 21, 2023
In the book excluded by Richard D Collinberg he talks about all the ways those in charge try to keep out the low income and or undesirables but let me just say I live in a mixed income neighborhood called Claiborne Beech Grove homes and their new houses with three and four bedrooms and they have been renting them out since 2008 I have lived here for five years and I cannot wait to move out. They have neighbors that drive tesla‘s and those that drive work trucks but it’s the ones that don’t work and hang out smoking weed in front of the children that play in the road it’s the parents that don’t teach their children to respect their neighbors property The gunshots were here at least once a week and there is no way an application is going to tell you if once someone gets a Home they’re going to do that it’s because more and more people like me who pay regular rent or moving out and they’re giving more homes to section 8 and eventually this neighborhood will be like many others and solely under the rule of HUD and the problem goes on. They are going to blame it on prejudice racism ET see but in the book this type of neighborhood was one of his resolutions and I am a witness to the fact it is failing. Let me just say I am one of a few High income families that still live here but just like the rest of them I will be gone by October. I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.
August 29, 2023
The author doesn’t dare to say that the reason for class discrimination is white supremacy. White privileged liberals want to protect their white privilege. Also, by excluding black people, poor whites are excluded.
France was frequently referenced a country that has made affordable housing law; however, the author either does not know or perhaps doesn’t explore how this law is done in practice. The French government imposed a certain quota of affordable housing on communes. If they fail to build the affordable housing they are fined. Many of the rich communes pay the fine because they can then tax it on their wealthy inhabitants. However, this leaves more modest and lower income communes in a bind because they cannot afford to do this. Therefore, they keep building, but space is already scarce in many areas. Thus, this is creating further overpopulation, and segregation.
France was frequently referenced a country that has made affordable housing law; however, the author either does not know or perhaps doesn’t explore how this law is done in practice. The French government imposed a certain quota of affordable housing on communes. If they fail to build the affordable housing they are fined. Many of the rich communes pay the fine because they can then tax it on their wealthy inhabitants. However, this leaves more modest and lower income communes in a bind because they cannot afford to do this. Therefore, they keep building, but space is already scarce in many areas. Thus, this is creating further overpopulation, and segregation.
December 9, 2023
This book is, unfortunately, going to be preaching to the choir for most people who read it. The central premise is that zoning is bad, which anyone interested in the subject already knows.
The up to date exploration of successes in US zoning reform movements and a potential economic fair housing act are interesting.
Overall, I would have preferred less focus on anecdotes and excessive quotations for people who may or may not be worth quoting on the subject. The biggest weakness of the book is its nearly random use of politically loaded terms like "liberals" or "progressives" when actually referring to people who vote for the Democratic Party. This bastardization of political terms is unhelpful to readers outside the US where liberalism is an ideology, not an identity.
The up to date exploration of successes in US zoning reform movements and a potential economic fair housing act are interesting.
Overall, I would have preferred less focus on anecdotes and excessive quotations for people who may or may not be worth quoting on the subject. The biggest weakness of the book is its nearly random use of politically loaded terms like "liberals" or "progressives" when actually referring to people who vote for the Democratic Party. This bastardization of political terms is unhelpful to readers outside the US where liberalism is an ideology, not an identity.
November 29, 2023
Richard Kahlenberg helps you understand better the idea that we should not only protect the rights of folks by race, but by economics as well. He says, “Reducing exclusionary zoning is deeply egalitarian because it says people should not be discriminated against by local governments because of their race or income. Reducing exclusionary policies taps into the fundamental American idea that even if people don't make the same amount of money, they are social equals.”
November 27, 2025
Richard Kahlenberg has written quite a decent book on the problem of housing costs, exclusionary zoning, and race and class exclusion in the United States.
Housing issues and zoning reform in particular have become one of my main interests to read about in the news and on Substack, so I am actually quite familiar with the issues surrounding these very important topics. It's also a topic that affects me and likely anyone else who is reading this review or this book, so it is also a relevant issue to be discussing. Since Excluded was published in 2023, the problem of expensive and limited housing has only gotten worse, and has become a central pillar of any political movement that is attaching itself to abundance or affordability. Indeed, we have allowed the problem of housing affordability to become so bad that a remarkable amount of voting constituencies are now on board with zoning reform and building housing. Some may remember the eccentric political candidate who made the news a decade ago running on the slogan "the rent is too damn high". Perhaps he should consider running again. It appears his slogan's time has come.
Kahlenberg is good at weaving together a convincing argument for zoning reform that does a good job at mostly convincing educated progressive readers to join the side of more YIMBY policy and zoning reform. Functionally, this book then is attempting to convince the very people who might live in some of the most progressive but yet most exclusionary municipalities and towns in the country, as it is a statistical fact that states and cities with Democratic voting blocs and legislators are some of the most exclusionary in terms of zoning and housing accomodation. I applaud this effort for sure, and I think we are already seeing the fruits of the labor of this kind of thinking in new legislation across multiple states and increased candidate attention on this issue.
This book then, will not necessarily be super convincing to anyone trapped in a reflexive right-wing attitude, but it could also be feasible that libertarians, liberals, and non-affiliated voters could be convinced by Kahlenberg's work. Since there is such a huge backlash against "woke" rhetoric these days (Excluded focuses quite a lot on the racial impact of zoning), though, perhaps a more market oriented version of this book could be a better persuader across the aisle, which I am almost certain exists and I certainly would be interested in reading.
No matter your position on the political spectrum, you can absolutely feel that the rent is TOO DAMN HIGH especially as non-rent-controlled units see their rents tick up due to inflation each year, and that the units available to you are either crappy, run-down 20th century houses or luxury apartment units built from 2010 onwards that are super expensive. In this era of high interest rates as well, you also know it is more expensive to pay for a mortgage to buy a house, and that the actual prices of many houses are astronomical, with little in the way of middle and beginner tier housing available to new homebuyers. You may also know the absolute SCOURGE that is the modern day HOA that oftentimes are run by psychopaths who rule with an iron fist. And you also see the blight of drugs, crime, homelessness, and poverty that continue to plague American cities.
Well guess what: building more housing, especially when zoning reform is implemented, can fix all of that. There is a semi-joke in certain market-oriented circles called the Housing Theory of Everything, which posits that the absolutely terrible state of American housing is the cause of literally every other problem in the United States. The more I read about this issue, the more I'm convinced this joke might actually be for real.
A high recommend from me if you are a progressive and/or live in a progressive-oriented city or neighborhood. This is absolutely a book that should be required reading for you!
Housing issues and zoning reform in particular have become one of my main interests to read about in the news and on Substack, so I am actually quite familiar with the issues surrounding these very important topics. It's also a topic that affects me and likely anyone else who is reading this review or this book, so it is also a relevant issue to be discussing. Since Excluded was published in 2023, the problem of expensive and limited housing has only gotten worse, and has become a central pillar of any political movement that is attaching itself to abundance or affordability. Indeed, we have allowed the problem of housing affordability to become so bad that a remarkable amount of voting constituencies are now on board with zoning reform and building housing. Some may remember the eccentric political candidate who made the news a decade ago running on the slogan "the rent is too damn high". Perhaps he should consider running again. It appears his slogan's time has come.
Kahlenberg is good at weaving together a convincing argument for zoning reform that does a good job at mostly convincing educated progressive readers to join the side of more YIMBY policy and zoning reform. Functionally, this book then is attempting to convince the very people who might live in some of the most progressive but yet most exclusionary municipalities and towns in the country, as it is a statistical fact that states and cities with Democratic voting blocs and legislators are some of the most exclusionary in terms of zoning and housing accomodation. I applaud this effort for sure, and I think we are already seeing the fruits of the labor of this kind of thinking in new legislation across multiple states and increased candidate attention on this issue.
This book then, will not necessarily be super convincing to anyone trapped in a reflexive right-wing attitude, but it could also be feasible that libertarians, liberals, and non-affiliated voters could be convinced by Kahlenberg's work. Since there is such a huge backlash against "woke" rhetoric these days (Excluded focuses quite a lot on the racial impact of zoning), though, perhaps a more market oriented version of this book could be a better persuader across the aisle, which I am almost certain exists and I certainly would be interested in reading.
No matter your position on the political spectrum, you can absolutely feel that the rent is TOO DAMN HIGH especially as non-rent-controlled units see their rents tick up due to inflation each year, and that the units available to you are either crappy, run-down 20th century houses or luxury apartment units built from 2010 onwards that are super expensive. In this era of high interest rates as well, you also know it is more expensive to pay for a mortgage to buy a house, and that the actual prices of many houses are astronomical, with little in the way of middle and beginner tier housing available to new homebuyers. You may also know the absolute SCOURGE that is the modern day HOA that oftentimes are run by psychopaths who rule with an iron fist. And you also see the blight of drugs, crime, homelessness, and poverty that continue to plague American cities.
Well guess what: building more housing, especially when zoning reform is implemented, can fix all of that. There is a semi-joke in certain market-oriented circles called the Housing Theory of Everything, which posits that the absolutely terrible state of American housing is the cause of literally every other problem in the United States. The more I read about this issue, the more I'm convinced this joke might actually be for real.
A high recommend from me if you are a progressive and/or live in a progressive-oriented city or neighborhood. This is absolutely a book that should be required reading for you!
March 19, 2023
Excluded: How Snob Zoning, NIMBYISM, And Class Bias Build The Walls We Don't See, by Richard D. Kahlenberg, examines the deep struggles many Americans face in their quest to simply own a home in today's economic climate. This is a very well-researched book, and Kahlenberg does a great job of explaining how the U.S. got to this place, and also offers specific ideas to get us to a more equitable one.
I felt that the author was fair, and gave many examples of how both liberals and conservatives show bias and prejudice (and how they do so in different ways). There were a few times when the ideas and research presented had me examining my own inherent biases.
I especially enjoyed reading the personal stories of actual people, and wished there had been more time allotted to their journeys. By the end of the book, I did feel like there was perhaps too many statistics, research study facts, and repeated information. While they did give credibility to his argument, at times it just felt redundant. I think this book would benefit from a few more specific personal narratives and a few less statistics.
I did really enjoy reading this book, and it really made me think about class bias in our country and how it affects poverty, home ownership, education, and quality of life for so many people. Other issues examined included the difficulties young adults face buying starter homes; out-of-control rent (in relation to the percentage of one's income); exclusionary zoning laws and the ridiculous requirements in neighborhood design.
I also found it fascinating (and horrifying) just how inflated and out of control the housing crisis is in California. The author describes how "in California, the median price of a single-family home is more than $800,000. Affordability has become such a crisis that in Milipitas, California, that the school district in 2022 sent a note to parents asking them to allow teachers to move and rent a room."
One passage that stuck out to me:
"There is often an underlying cultural assumption that people live where they deserve to, as one commentator noted, 'that affluent space is earned and hood living is the deserved consequence of individual behavior'"
Thank you to Netgalley and PublicAffairs for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for my honest review.
I felt that the author was fair, and gave many examples of how both liberals and conservatives show bias and prejudice (and how they do so in different ways). There were a few times when the ideas and research presented had me examining my own inherent biases.
I especially enjoyed reading the personal stories of actual people, and wished there had been more time allotted to their journeys. By the end of the book, I did feel like there was perhaps too many statistics, research study facts, and repeated information. While they did give credibility to his argument, at times it just felt redundant. I think this book would benefit from a few more specific personal narratives and a few less statistics.
I did really enjoy reading this book, and it really made me think about class bias in our country and how it affects poverty, home ownership, education, and quality of life for so many people. Other issues examined included the difficulties young adults face buying starter homes; out-of-control rent (in relation to the percentage of one's income); exclusionary zoning laws and the ridiculous requirements in neighborhood design.
I also found it fascinating (and horrifying) just how inflated and out of control the housing crisis is in California. The author describes how "in California, the median price of a single-family home is more than $800,000. Affordability has become such a crisis that in Milipitas, California, that the school district in 2022 sent a note to parents asking them to allow teachers to move and rent a room."
One passage that stuck out to me:
"There is often an underlying cultural assumption that people live where they deserve to, as one commentator noted, 'that affluent space is earned and hood living is the deserved consequence of individual behavior'"
Thank you to Netgalley and PublicAffairs for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for my honest review.
February 4, 2024
Excluded is a book against class-based or "snob" zoning. What is snob zoning? Well, that's sort of the problem here.
I admire the structure of the book. The author is setting out to explain why single-family zoning has a less sanguine history and deep economic ramifications. He does so by first giving stories of individuals that he can refer back to for framing, explains what it is, the history of it, and spends a solid third of the book discussing and countering the critiques against his position and setting up a picture of what the author thinks a way forward looks like. The start dawdles a bit, but I do wish that more polemics were this organized and thorough. I do not feel like I can assess the persuasiveness of the author's arguments, but on the whole I felt that they were comprehensive and well supported.
However, this book feels like it has a missing book to it, establishing the idea of class in the United States. As much as single-family zoning is a third rail in politics, so is class, with the left wanting to center race and identity and the right wanting to believe in the power of capitalism to make class so fluid it is functionally irrelevant. There is a lot of know-it-when-you-see-it going on here, along with a certain willingness to use social or economic versions of class interchangeably as benefits the particular argument.
Second, while the author does cover proposals of what to do, (again a welcome addition to the usual style here), one of that table's legs amounts to 'this time it will work!" as regards economic solidarity across races. Maybe that ought to be third book in the series here. Granted, I think that the author's argument was to point to the times that it has worked, but even then the real discussion is about that, or why then zoning reform for that, than reform in itself.
I admire the structure of the book. The author is setting out to explain why single-family zoning has a less sanguine history and deep economic ramifications. He does so by first giving stories of individuals that he can refer back to for framing, explains what it is, the history of it, and spends a solid third of the book discussing and countering the critiques against his position and setting up a picture of what the author thinks a way forward looks like. The start dawdles a bit, but I do wish that more polemics were this organized and thorough. I do not feel like I can assess the persuasiveness of the author's arguments, but on the whole I felt that they were comprehensive and well supported.
However, this book feels like it has a missing book to it, establishing the idea of class in the United States. As much as single-family zoning is a third rail in politics, so is class, with the left wanting to center race and identity and the right wanting to believe in the power of capitalism to make class so fluid it is functionally irrelevant. There is a lot of know-it-when-you-see-it going on here, along with a certain willingness to use social or economic versions of class interchangeably as benefits the particular argument.
Second, while the author does cover proposals of what to do, (again a welcome addition to the usual style here), one of that table's legs amounts to 'this time it will work!" as regards economic solidarity across races. Maybe that ought to be third book in the series here. Granted, I think that the author's argument was to point to the times that it has worked, but even then the real discussion is about that, or why then zoning reform for that, than reform in itself.
November 19, 2024
“Excluded” by Richard Kahlenberg is a must-read for anyone seeking to understand the complex issues surrounding class and zoning in America. Kahlenberg argues that class, rather than race, is the primary force dividing people, and he backs this up with strong research and passion. He delves into exclusionary zoning—such as banning duplexes in certain neighborhoods—and shows how these policies drive up housing costs, trap families in poverty, and even contribute to climate change. Kahlenberg doesn’t just highlight the problems; he calls for bold federal action to prevent local governments from using zoning laws to exclude lower-income communities. He also sheds light on a lesser-known aspect of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy—his advocacy for fair housing, which King was actively pursuing before his assassination in 1968. In fact, King noted that his stance on fair housing earned more backlash than his positions on voting rights and fair employment laws. It’s staggering that we’re still grappling with this issue, even 56 years after his death!
What truly sets this book apart is the depth of Kahlenberg’s research. He presents compelling evidence that makes his arguments hard to dismiss. Zoning laws, which most people overlook, play a major role in perpetuating inequality and segregation, especially in housing and schools. Kahlenberg also takes on NIMBYism (Not In My Backyard), exposing the elitism behind it and offering practical solutions for a more inclusive future. This book is essential for anyone new to land use policy and a must-read for those who support building more housing. If you care about social justice or want to dismantle outdated policies, you “have” to read this book. Highly recommended!
A huge thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read this advanced copy.
What truly sets this book apart is the depth of Kahlenberg’s research. He presents compelling evidence that makes his arguments hard to dismiss. Zoning laws, which most people overlook, play a major role in perpetuating inequality and segregation, especially in housing and schools. Kahlenberg also takes on NIMBYism (Not In My Backyard), exposing the elitism behind it and offering practical solutions for a more inclusive future. This book is essential for anyone new to land use policy and a must-read for those who support building more housing. If you care about social justice or want to dismantle outdated policies, you “have” to read this book. Highly recommended!
A huge thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read this advanced copy.
January 30, 2023
Well Documented Examination Of How Class Is Used To Separate More Than Race In Modern Era. Seriously, this is one of the better documented texts I've read in quite some time, clocking in at about 37% documentation. And given its claims that some might find extraordinary - such as "In a 2014 analysis, one researcher found that the level of segregation between poor Black and affluent Black families was actually greater than that between Black families and White families" - the extraordinary documentation is needed in order to more fully prove the case, which Kahlenberg does quite well indeed here. As Kahlenberg notes early, zoning isn't really something most Americans think about too much unless they happen to buy a piece of property (and how many of us actually do that these days??) and have some issue with the local zoning board. But zoning directly impacts the availability of housing - which is something quite a few Americans are worried about in the early part of the 2020s. Kahlenberg pulls no punches here, and shows how elites - no matter their Party or race - have been using these issues to overcome previous (and wrong and correctly outlawed) race-based barriers. As a white dude who grew up in the 80s and 90s in a trailer park, and whose wife once lived in a duplex - both forms of housing that are routinely being zoned out of existence in more recent years - I've been in and around this all my life, but Kahlenberg finally puts an academic focus on what I've observed "on the street" and shows that the problem is actually far worse than even I had realized. Truly an outstanding work, and one anyone concerned about the housing market or "social justice" needs to read. Very much recommended.
September 18, 2023
This is a valuable reference for its many facts and reasoned explanations.
Toward the end of the book, the author points to examples of success in moving away from exclusionary zoning in some US localities and the coalition-building necessary for making that happen. Unfortunately, I think that the subtitle about "snob zoning, NIMBYism and Class Bias" sets a tone of antagonism that is not necessarily helpful. Exclusionary zoning is the cultural norm Americans are swimming in; it's just the way things are and it's been the law for a long time. I think that starting with the YIMBYism successes would have been better, and focusing more on how that is tearing down the invisible walls and how that benefits society in general without significant individual costs.
Then the author could get into all his many solid fact-based arguments in favor of greater socioeconomic integration of neighborhoods and his rebuttals of the standard tropes in favor of the status quo. For me, the sad anecdotes of excluded people are not that powerful because anybody reading this probably accepts to begin with that we have unjust inequality as a problem.
Broadening the focus from racism to classism is superimportant in the US, where traditionally we pretend we have a classless society, so anything like the "invisible walls" that keep the poor concentrated in low-opportunity zones has been taboo to talk about. The recent public attention to "redlining" has raised some awareness, but as another factor in the past and related to race, as opposed to the force of exclusionary zoning, which operates now and on all races.
Toward the end of the book, the author points to examples of success in moving away from exclusionary zoning in some US localities and the coalition-building necessary for making that happen. Unfortunately, I think that the subtitle about "snob zoning, NIMBYism and Class Bias" sets a tone of antagonism that is not necessarily helpful. Exclusionary zoning is the cultural norm Americans are swimming in; it's just the way things are and it's been the law for a long time. I think that starting with the YIMBYism successes would have been better, and focusing more on how that is tearing down the invisible walls and how that benefits society in general without significant individual costs.
Then the author could get into all his many solid fact-based arguments in favor of greater socioeconomic integration of neighborhoods and his rebuttals of the standard tropes in favor of the status quo. For me, the sad anecdotes of excluded people are not that powerful because anybody reading this probably accepts to begin with that we have unjust inequality as a problem.
Broadening the focus from racism to classism is superimportant in the US, where traditionally we pretend we have a classless society, so anything like the "invisible walls" that keep the poor concentrated in low-opportunity zones has been taboo to talk about. The recent public attention to "redlining" has raised some awareness, but as another factor in the past and related to race, as opposed to the force of exclusionary zoning, which operates now and on all races.
October 13, 2024
I was inclined to be a fan of this book, given my general hatred for NIMBYism, but I found it to be even more than a political work as an academic debunking of anti-development myths. Taking on "the walls we don't see" and the largely coastal liberals who have upheld them, rooted in the ideology's "serious elitism problem that needs correcting," this is a great introduction to land use as a governmental topic. For people unfamiliar with the topic and concerned about issues like overdevelopment and gentrification, this is a fascinating place to start, while it provides plenty of evidence and ammunition for the already converted YIMBYs and pro-density advocates.
Over recent decades, "class-based segregation has been increasing," despite general progress on civil rights. The book indicates many reasons that this is a problem, including the importance of economic diversity in various areas of life. It is not immune to criticism, given how very highly it believes in the market naturally calibrating on issues like parking and housing prices, but it's fairly fact-based. While coupled with a dark history, I found this to be a pretty optimistic book and I think fans of such books will appreciate how it presents real solutions for a bright future.
Over recent decades, "class-based segregation has been increasing," despite general progress on civil rights. The book indicates many reasons that this is a problem, including the importance of economic diversity in various areas of life. It is not immune to criticism, given how very highly it believes in the market naturally calibrating on issues like parking and housing prices, but it's fairly fact-based. While coupled with a dark history, I found this to be a pretty optimistic book and I think fans of such books will appreciate how it presents real solutions for a bright future.
January 26, 2025
This is a well-researched, well-written, and timely book on the subject of exclusionary zoning. Kahlenburg is an experienced academic and does a good job of combining sociological research, ethical arguments, and policy suggestions. He also contextualizes his work with other researchers who have written on the same topics. This will be a rich and informative read, though probably more so for those already familiar with the subject matter.
My criticism of the book is that Kahlenburg tries to do too much and engages too many disparate arguments - he clearly has a highly nuanced perspective on exclusionary zoning, but sometimes his arguments become too convoluted or referential. A more thematically streamlined book may have been more accessible to a wider audience.
There are two major strains of discourse around zoning in the US, though they overlap heavily. 1) Exclusionary zoning: Zoning practices bare the legacy of racially exclusionary zoning which today expresses itself in economic and class-based exclusionary zoning. This is an issue of civil rights, equality, and social justice. 2) Zoning in the US is an inefficient, broken, system which restricts land use types and discourages mixed-use development. This drives up home prices, creates inefficient land use and poor urban form. This discourse is common in urban planning as well as economic development circles.
Now, of course, these points are both true and are deeply interconnected. Kahlenberg attempts to speak to both, but does a far, far, better job of arguing the first point. Kahlenberg comes from a background of research in liberal political organizing, with a special focus on education reform. He does not have an urban planning or community development background, which perhaps gives him a more balanced perspective on the subject. However, many of his arguments feel overly grounded in partisan politics or policy. He also seems to be afraid of making any arguments that could make him come off as even slightly conservative. He is very forward about his own political leanings and engagement with the FDR-Kennedy-Civil Rights political tradition. All of these bolster his arguments for point 1) but fit awkwardly in his arguments for point 2). Often, it feels like Kahlenburg is preaching to his 'left-of-center' choir. I admire his commitment to his political convictions and tradition, but the overly partisan rhetoric in this book may turn off some readers trying to understand this topic.
On the topic of 1), one of the concepts that Kahlenburg most successfully argues for is economic integration, that economic and class-based exclusion is as detrimental as racial exclusion and ought to be treated with the same severity. In the final chapter of the book, he makes an excellent policy argument for an Economic Fair Housing Act, similar to the one passed in 1968, which focused on race. Banning exclusionary zoning would be a central part of this act. He also demonstrates how economic exclusionary zoning has preserved racism past the civil rights era. Really, however, exclusionary zoning is a single piece of economic and class exclusion within housing. I think if Kahlenburg had kept this book more focused on this area of argumentation, it would have felt less disorganized and more streamlined.
To return to 2), Kahlenburg often gets in his own way here. Is it surprising that exclusionary zoning is worse in large, liberal cities, with heavy regulation? Nope, not even slightly. Though Kahlenburg acts as if this should surprise us. Is it strange that zoning reform in Minneapolis and Oregon was appealing to both progressive liberals and free-market libertarians? I certainly don't think so. I say this because our zoning system is deeply broken and dysfunctional in ways that are obvious to people of many different ideologies. Just because a Kahlenberg-New Deal leftist and a free-market-Reaganite conservative agree on zoning reform doesn't mean it negates either of their individual political beliefs. Kahlenberg spends large passages of this book arguing for various types of political coalition-building, which is perfectly fine, but I think he misses the simple fact that this reform transcends partisanship and has wide appeal. I do acknowledge the need for coalition-building in passing legislation, but I feel that Kahlenberg misses a simpler answer. For a general reader simply trying to better understand zoning reform, this book may create more confusion rather than be informative.
I'd compare and contrast "Excluded" with "Evicted," by Matthew Desmond (the evocative title choice certainly seems to suggest we do the same.) "Evicted" brilliantly depicts the eviction crisis by telling individual stories which clearly demonstrate the harmful systems that are in place. However, besides a general policy overview in the epilogue, Desmond does not give us answers. He begs the reader, and, by extension, policymakers, to draw conclusions. Kahlenberg seems to show us the problem and give us the answer, and, specifically, his answer. Desmond is a sociologist and Kahlenberg is a policy researcher, so maybe each is emphasizing their own discipline. I just found Kahlenberg's tactics to isolate (dare I say, exclude) some of his potential audience in a way that Desmond did not.
Regardless of my criticisms, the integrity of scholarship in this book is clear. I have a professional background in urban studies and community development, and this is one of the most engaging works I've read in the past few years. Its specificity of subject matter is exciting, since many similar works are broader in scope or historical. As a professional who's work is impacted by exclusionary zoning, Kahlenberg gives me vital context and tools that I can use to make this change in my own city. And, admittedly, I am in the choir that Kahlenberg is preaching to. Perhaps I am a better audience for this book than the average reader, and maybe that's a failure of Kahlenberg's part. Regardless, this book is worth the read and the focus required, and is an important contribution to the ongoing conversation on zoning in this country.
My criticism of the book is that Kahlenburg tries to do too much and engages too many disparate arguments - he clearly has a highly nuanced perspective on exclusionary zoning, but sometimes his arguments become too convoluted or referential. A more thematically streamlined book may have been more accessible to a wider audience.
There are two major strains of discourse around zoning in the US, though they overlap heavily. 1) Exclusionary zoning: Zoning practices bare the legacy of racially exclusionary zoning which today expresses itself in economic and class-based exclusionary zoning. This is an issue of civil rights, equality, and social justice. 2) Zoning in the US is an inefficient, broken, system which restricts land use types and discourages mixed-use development. This drives up home prices, creates inefficient land use and poor urban form. This discourse is common in urban planning as well as economic development circles.
Now, of course, these points are both true and are deeply interconnected. Kahlenberg attempts to speak to both, but does a far, far, better job of arguing the first point. Kahlenberg comes from a background of research in liberal political organizing, with a special focus on education reform. He does not have an urban planning or community development background, which perhaps gives him a more balanced perspective on the subject. However, many of his arguments feel overly grounded in partisan politics or policy. He also seems to be afraid of making any arguments that could make him come off as even slightly conservative. He is very forward about his own political leanings and engagement with the FDR-Kennedy-Civil Rights political tradition. All of these bolster his arguments for point 1) but fit awkwardly in his arguments for point 2). Often, it feels like Kahlenburg is preaching to his 'left-of-center' choir. I admire his commitment to his political convictions and tradition, but the overly partisan rhetoric in this book may turn off some readers trying to understand this topic.
On the topic of 1), one of the concepts that Kahlenburg most successfully argues for is economic integration, that economic and class-based exclusion is as detrimental as racial exclusion and ought to be treated with the same severity. In the final chapter of the book, he makes an excellent policy argument for an Economic Fair Housing Act, similar to the one passed in 1968, which focused on race. Banning exclusionary zoning would be a central part of this act. He also demonstrates how economic exclusionary zoning has preserved racism past the civil rights era. Really, however, exclusionary zoning is a single piece of economic and class exclusion within housing. I think if Kahlenburg had kept this book more focused on this area of argumentation, it would have felt less disorganized and more streamlined.
To return to 2), Kahlenburg often gets in his own way here. Is it surprising that exclusionary zoning is worse in large, liberal cities, with heavy regulation? Nope, not even slightly. Though Kahlenburg acts as if this should surprise us. Is it strange that zoning reform in Minneapolis and Oregon was appealing to both progressive liberals and free-market libertarians? I certainly don't think so. I say this because our zoning system is deeply broken and dysfunctional in ways that are obvious to people of many different ideologies. Just because a Kahlenberg-New Deal leftist and a free-market-Reaganite conservative agree on zoning reform doesn't mean it negates either of their individual political beliefs. Kahlenberg spends large passages of this book arguing for various types of political coalition-building, which is perfectly fine, but I think he misses the simple fact that this reform transcends partisanship and has wide appeal. I do acknowledge the need for coalition-building in passing legislation, but I feel that Kahlenberg misses a simpler answer. For a general reader simply trying to better understand zoning reform, this book may create more confusion rather than be informative.
I'd compare and contrast "Excluded" with "Evicted," by Matthew Desmond (the evocative title choice certainly seems to suggest we do the same.) "Evicted" brilliantly depicts the eviction crisis by telling individual stories which clearly demonstrate the harmful systems that are in place. However, besides a general policy overview in the epilogue, Desmond does not give us answers. He begs the reader, and, by extension, policymakers, to draw conclusions. Kahlenberg seems to show us the problem and give us the answer, and, specifically, his answer. Desmond is a sociologist and Kahlenberg is a policy researcher, so maybe each is emphasizing their own discipline. I just found Kahlenberg's tactics to isolate (dare I say, exclude) some of his potential audience in a way that Desmond did not.
Regardless of my criticisms, the integrity of scholarship in this book is clear. I have a professional background in urban studies and community development, and this is one of the most engaging works I've read in the past few years. Its specificity of subject matter is exciting, since many similar works are broader in scope or historical. As a professional who's work is impacted by exclusionary zoning, Kahlenberg gives me vital context and tools that I can use to make this change in my own city. And, admittedly, I am in the choir that Kahlenberg is preaching to. Perhaps I am a better audience for this book than the average reader, and maybe that's a failure of Kahlenberg's part. Regardless, this book is worth the read and the focus required, and is an important contribution to the ongoing conversation on zoning in this country.
February 29, 2024
I could not finish this. The Leftist ideology and repetitiveness drove me insane. The author makes a point and repeats it over and over again. There's valid criticism to be had over zoning policies but literally every statement is white people made a racist policy, black people are victims (oddly enough, 13% of the American population is the only one called out. The author's entire focus is on Black victimology). There's no room for ideas about school choice or that black people are not victims whose only solution to bad neighborhoods is escaping them instead of improving them. There's no sense that black or poor people can get ahead unless the benevolent government is giving them freebies. I made it to 70 pages before I gave up. Kahlenberg's solution for dense housing works out so well when the government handles it, right? The Projects are a great place to live!
Read
March 16, 2024Kahlenberg wrote about how gerrymandered school lines and zoning increases housing costs because it reduces supply. We’re at the lowest overall homeownership ever. Profit margins for developers are better on condos. Middle class millennials can’t get starter homes. Single homes are so important because they represent that American dream. Richard Florida's paradox of land- there are endless amounts of land in the world but not enough where it’s needed the most. An apartment in SOHO could purchase 50 homes in Ohio. Rather than neighborhoods whole regions and cities have gentrified— think NYC and SF. Used a great word- Atavistic to describe challenges with nimbyism- connotes a sort of primitive built in human behavior. I wouldn’t mind trading a white picket fence for a Brooklyn Brownstone. I’d rather have 4 rooms in NYC than 14 in Dallas.
January 18, 2024
If you care about resolving homelessness and the affordable housing crisis, this book is for you. If you care about ending institutional racism, this book is for you. If you care about lessening economic inequality, this book is for you. If you care about combating climate change, this book is for you.
Kahlenberg makes a compelling argument backed up by a wealth of data that single-family zoning policies are at the very root of many of our most urgent social problems. The book is highly readable, heavily footnoted, and even-handed: Kahlenberg points at both the left and the right as being part of the problem. This book offers readers a pragmatic approach to addressing some of our society's biggest, most intractable challenges.
Kahlenberg makes a compelling argument backed up by a wealth of data that single-family zoning policies are at the very root of many of our most urgent social problems. The book is highly readable, heavily footnoted, and even-handed: Kahlenberg points at both the left and the right as being part of the problem. This book offers readers a pragmatic approach to addressing some of our society's biggest, most intractable challenges.
May 2, 2024
This is a baller book and very important for anyone dealing with inequality issues today. Housing affordability/justice is probably the most relevant, most attainable goal today in the field of social justice and Kahlenberg does a great job of outlining how we got here, where we are, and how to move forward. Some people say it's boring but sweetie if you don't like reading about municipal zoning codes for 230 pages you need to get a new career.
Only criticism I have is that homeboy likes to slip in a lot of stuff about school choice and I know that a lot of people that would be into this book probably aren't cool with that as a policy. I'm not writing it off as a bad thing, but I just wanted to point that out.
Only criticism I have is that homeboy likes to slip in a lot of stuff about school choice and I know that a lot of people that would be into this book probably aren't cool with that as a policy. I'm not writing it off as a bad thing, but I just wanted to point that out.
November 30, 2024
What an eye-opener. Kahlenberg's closing discussion of continuing Dr. King's unfinished Poor People's Campaign makes for a compelling finish. The example of a Columbus mother navigating our economically segregated school districts provided an interesting pairing with local (mostly Columbus City) discussions around zoning reform. Helpfully, Kahlenberg weighs a variety of policy proposals to counteract economic segregation in housing and puts forward one of his own, an economic fair housing plan to build on the 1968 Fair Housing Act. I would like to hear more anecdotes of people living within, working around, or eradicating snob zoning; greater discussion of the transformations of class in the U.S.; and criticism around Kahlenberg's class-focused view on housing reform.
July 17, 2023
A look into how America’s zoning policies create segregation, especially among classes. I really liked the first couple chapters of this book! It was so interesting (and depressing). The later chapters were more hypothetical/how things could be improved. While I appreciated the author’s intention to include this, I feel like the people reading this book are probably not the people that solutions need to be thrown at (since they care enough to read about the topic). Despite that, the first couple chapters are definitely worth a read!
I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
October 25, 2023
This had been on my to-read list since it came out as a generic YIMBY/zoning reform book. I was a bit impressed when I actually started it, however, to realize that Kahlenberg Richard D. is actually an education researcher who came at the topic from a more general social justice perspective, which I think added to the value of the book. While I'm not sure whether his "Economic Fair Housing Act" proposals in the later chapters are politically viable, they certainly seem to make sense, at least in theory.
January 4, 2025
This book explained how exclusive zoning and other overly restrictive regulations can cause negative impacts such as increased housing costs, environmental impacts and lower social and economic mobility in the U.S.. The author has a variety of solutions he proposes to help alleviate these problems.
While I didn’t agree with everything in the book, it opened my eyes to more deeply understand a problem few people probably think about. Only critiques would be I feel like this book could have been shorter and less policy heavy to appeal to broader audience, and he seemed to cherry pick certain studies and not offer a convincing rebuttal against some of the counter arguments.
While I didn’t agree with everything in the book, it opened my eyes to more deeply understand a problem few people probably think about. Only critiques would be I feel like this book could have been shorter and less policy heavy to appeal to broader audience, and he seemed to cherry pick certain studies and not offer a convincing rebuttal against some of the counter arguments.
November 11, 2023
The book is at its best when it discusses elitism, the solution of legislation encouraging the use of the courts as a means to promote social change, and articulating a complex topic in layman’s terms.
This book is at its worse when it uses the word ‘snob’ instead of ‘the rational interests of the ruling class’. He brushes too much away the idea that there are individuals with legitimate and rational interests in preserving the status quo, making bipartisanship unlikely. Not enough structural arguments that involve a critique of capitalism.
This book is at its worse when it uses the word ‘snob’ instead of ‘the rational interests of the ruling class’. He brushes too much away the idea that there are individuals with legitimate and rational interests in preserving the status quo, making bipartisanship unlikely. Not enough structural arguments that involve a critique of capitalism.
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