The housing system is broken- can upzoning save it? (with Ben Metcalf)

Why is housing so expensive — and what are states doing about it? Well... California has passed SB 79 to spur transit-oriented development. This upzoning will leverage infrastructure investments to increase supply and build more sustainable cities. To unpack what that means, host Kate Gasparro sits down with Ben Metcalf, Managing Director of the Terner Center for Housing Innovation at UC Berkeley and one of the nation’s leading experts on housing policy, zoning reform, and development feasibility. 

Ben brings a rare, full-spectrum view of the housing system — from his experience as a developer, to shaping national policy at HUD under the Obama Administration, to leading California’s Department of Housing and Community Development. Together, Kate and Ben explore:

• What SB 79 actually does and why it’s a big deal
• How upzoning and land use reform are becoming bipartisan tools to address the housing shortage
• The political tension between state mandates and local control
• Lessons from other states pursuing transit-oriented development (TOD) and pro-housing policy
• What cities, planners, and developers need to prepare for implementation
• How national cost pressures — construction inflation, interest rates, labor shortages — shape what gets built

If you follow housing policy, zoning reform, TOD, state housing laws, land use planning, or the future of affordability, this episode breaks down the trends shaping America’s housing landscape and how SB 79 could become a national model.

Listen in to learn how policy reform and industry innovation can unlock more homes, stronger transit systems, and more equitable cities.

Resources:

Gov. Newsom signs law overhauling local zoning to build more housing (Cal Matters)

State housing policy changes are more random than you think (Mercatus Center)

Framing Futures: pro-housing legislation goes vertical in 2025 (Mercatus Center)

How Minneapolis became the first to end single-family zoning (PBS)

Unlocking additional housing through accessory dwelling units (American Legislative Exchange Council)

Unlocking the power of transit-oriented development (Building Better Cities)

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