E34: Noah Smith on YIMBYism, California Land Use, and the Best-Run City

Economist and writer Noah Smith returns to the podcast to talk to Dan Romero and Erik Torenberg about housing, politics, land use, and policing in California and beyond. Moment of Zen is part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more at www.turpentine.co or email [email protected]

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Episode Preview

(01:07) Antonio is the Dennis Rodman

(01:42) Noah’s new podcast with Turpentine: Econ 102

(02:05) The left and right version of “it’s time to build” i.e. Ezra Klein vs Marc Andreessen

(04:50) California skewed political identities

(07:00) California vs Texas GOP stance on immigration

(09:30) Should Gary Tan strategize from the left or the right, structurally

(11:11) Can the Asian block become a machine in SF? In California?

(12:50) Is LA better run than SF?

(17:40) What’s the best-run city in the US

(20:58) Sponsor: NetSuite

(22:15) Best format for affordable housing in cities

(26:30) California is a class society based on land

(28:40) House-rich progressives in California

(31:00) Prop 13, property tax, and SALT debates

(39:30) The tide of YIMBYism

(51:10) Effective building in Japan

(58:00) YIMBY movement in SF lost because of crime

(59:00) The future of San Francisco

(01:09:00) Policing

(01:16:00) WWII and the atom bomb

(01:22:00) Will patriotism come back?

(01:25:00) Biggest misconception about Japan?

LINKS:

Noah's Substack https://www.noahpinion.blog/

Book Recommendation on Prop 13: Golden Gates https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Gates-Fighting-Housing-America/dp/0525560211

X / TWITTER:

@noahpinion (Noah)

@dwr (Dan)

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@moz_podcast

SPONSORS:

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