Zoning divides a city into districts that allow for different uses of property, like industry, housing, commercial, and so on. Changing zoning codes can have big impacts on a city's housing affordability, industrial practices, and overall economy. Prior to Bloomberg's tenure as mayor — which lasted from 2002 to 2013 — the last overhaul of New York City's zoning code happened in 1961. [...]
Doctoroff acknowledged in the book that gentrification was a serious side effect of all this change. But he also defended it, saying that gentrifying neighborhoods prove the virtuous cycle of growth — more people moving in, more money raised for the city, more services offered — is working. [...]
Zoning is a delicate balance: go overboard and you end up with a San Francisco-like situation, where building new housing is so difficult that the city starts to become unlivable. Allow lax zoning and you end up with what's happened in Houston, where sprawl takes over. Some people have recently argued that the hands-off zoning approach there also made the city extra-vulnerable to flooding.
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