Smashing the NIMBYs created modern capitalism • Hacker News Board

Re: Smashing the NIMBYs created modern capitalism

#21

Post by HDThoreaun » Sun, Jun 21, 2026, 9:15 PM UTC

pydry wrote: post #20

HDThoreaun wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

NIMBYism is even more rational when there is a land tax. When things get built near your land your tax burden will increase. Your example doesn’t work because getting rid of the laundromat will make the area more desirable and increase property value even if new housing is built.

getting rid of the SF laundromat had no impact on the area's desirability. it simply increased the supply of apartments to live in the area. if your property's value remains unaffected by the supply of properties nearby you will be indifferent to it. in fact, if it's desirable not to you but to others you will be inclined to yield it because your tax bill jumped.

> getting rid of the SF laundromat had no impact on the area's desirability.

I think this is a crazy take. Why do some areas become more valuable? Clearly it is because dilapidated amenities leave and in demand ones move in. Removing the laundromat was textbook gentrification. New housing is itself an amenity and it also brings people with money who will support and grow other nearby amenities which increases desirability.

Re: Smashing the NIMBYs created modern capitalism

#22

Post by pydry » Sun, Jun 21, 2026, 10:21 PM UTC

HDThoreaun wrote: post #21

pydry wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

getting rid of the SF laundromat had no impact on the area's desirability. it simply increased the supply of apartments to live in the area. if your property's value remains unaffected by the supply of properties nearby you will be indifferent to it. in fact, if it's desirable not to you but to others you will be inclined to yield it because your tax bill jumped.

> getting rid of the SF laundromat had no impact on the area's desirability. I think this is a crazy take. Why do some areas become more valuable? Clearly it is because dilapidated amenities leave and in demand ones move in. Removing the laundromat was textbook gentrification. New housing is itself an amenity and it also brings people with money who will support and grow other nearby amenities which increases desirab…

I believe it's common knowledge that SF got popular for reasons that are entirely unrelated to its redevelopment of historic laundromats.

Re: Smashing the NIMBYs created modern capitalism

#23

Post by hashmap » Mon, Jun 22, 2026, 3:38 PM UTC

lithocarpus wrote: post #19

hashmap wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> NIMBYs want to protect some aspects of a particular place usually because it is their home. this is the reflex, and it's a sensible one to have. but the perception of what is or isnt a threat can range from something legitimate across the board ("I dont want a giant thing taking all the power and pumping my head full out sound 100% of the time near my home") to the truly detrimental ("I should get to be the last on…

Totally agree - I don't mean to promote or defend all NIMBYism - and a lot of it is simply "I got mine and don't want to share". And there's also something to be said for NIMBYs protecting the habitat they live in or near.

There is. That is one of those cases that it truly is good to surface, because it provides a watermark to clear. Whatever you are doing, you should have to prove that it is worth the destruction you will cause to do it. People getting to live somewhere clears that line much of the time; excesses like golf courses and yet another datacenter become gross when put into relief.