It's been an exciting past two days for me, and a time when the Libertarian community in Richmond has been heard loud and clear on a very important subject.
Last night, I attended the Public Square hosted by the Richmond Times-Dispatch on affordable housing (or lack thereof) in Richmond. Honestly, I had no idea what to expect. All I knew what that it was sponsored by the local newspaper and was open to the public. I expected maybe a few attendants with a few prepared speakers, something small.
When I arrived at the Public Square, there were hundreds of people packing into a small conference room off the 1st floor lobby of the Times-Dispatch. I got in right before the police ordered no more people in due to a fire hazard. Standing room only.
The event was moderated by Times-Dispatch Editor Thomas Silverstri. Microphones were placed around the room, where people preceded to line up and give prepared speeches. Speakers were members of non-profit orgs, a professor with some graduate students, a Green Party member, and other citizens. Sometime during the event, Richmond Mayor Doug Wilder slipped into the room. (I guess the fire marshal made an exception for him.)
I had prepared a few notes before coming, in case the Spirit move me to make a speech. It did, and I did. I got in line, nervously looking over my facts and arguments on zoning laws.
I spoke about how prices had grown for the right reasons and the wrong reasons. The right reasons were that Richmond is a great place to live and work, full of good people. The wrong reasons were artificial constraints on land use due to zoning laws by the local Boards of supervisors and planning commissions. I posed the hypothetical that if you wanted to buy your own plot of land to build your own house, if you didn't have much money, you may choose to buy a smaller plot of land with a smaller yard. Then I informed the audience that in modern-day Richmond, such a choice was now off-limits. In large amounts of the area, for example, houses MUST have a 35' front yard, a 40' back yard, and side yards of 12'. Thus a house must take up anywhere from 1/4 of an acre to a full 1 acre. (See e.g. Henrico's R-0 to R-3 zoning regulations here , laid out in sketches here). Gone are the days when you can build Levittowns and other affordable tract housing--small houses on small plots. Gone are the days when you can build close together housing like The Fan or the areas near Maymont or Byrd Parks. The incongruity caused by zoning laws leads to higher home prices, higher commuting costs, class divisions, and inevitably racial divisions.
After ending my spiel, I listened to what others had to say. I'll admit I was disappointed. there were general appeals that "we have to come together" and "all do something" but few ideas (let alone justification) for collectivized action. The tone of the speeches was that the government had to step in and do something. I may have been the only one that night who said that the government has done too much.
I attempted to mingled a little afterwards. I said hello to a social worker turned realtor, who's commitment on helping the poor I found admirable. I also got a chance to shake Mayor Wilder's hand. "Good sales pitch you made tonight," he said to me. "Thank you," I said, adding "Try to do something about zoning laws" as we parted. "Ok," he said, or some such thing. The evening's mood was marred, however, when I tried to say hello to a representative of mortgage brokers who also spoke. In no uncertain terms, she told me she hated Libertarians and everything they stand for. (In her defense, she may have been angry from being booed at the crowd when she ranted against builders and blamed high housing costs on mortgage applicants having bad credit.) "Well, everyone who wants less government is a libertarian, whether they know it or not." I said, trying to be friendly. "Well, I want more government, and I'm a willing taxpayer," she responded. I left that evening feeling like something important got done, but that we all still had a long way to go.
And I found out the next day I wasn't the only one. While driving back from a work assignment, I heard The Mac Watson Show on 1140 AM WRVA, our local Clear Channel talk-radio news station. Right at the start of his show, he was talking about the Public Square. He was especially appalled by the woman complaining that she was renting an apartment for 30 years, and that she would soon have to move out to make room for "yuppie condominiums." He dared asked why she didn't have the wherewithal to invest equity in a home when prices were manageable. Since I'd already made a spectacle of myself once, I saw little harm in doing it again. I called in on the show, and surprisingly, got on the air with Mac. (This was around 3:45 pm, for those of you who may have been listening.) I repeated what I said about zoning. To paraphrase, he responded "Yes, I agree, listeners on my show know I have libertarian views. But how do you communicate these views to people who complain to the government for everything." To paraphrase, I said "Well Mac, you and I need to get the message out there." He then went on to other issues.
The Times-Dispatch's recount of the Public Square is here. Audio of the event can be heard as parts one and two. My comments are on the second part, from about minutes 3:20 to 6:40 of the track. Two caveats/retractions: (1) I tried to give our website (not knowing his "no advertisement rule"), and Mr. Silvestri cut me off, and (2) I think I said I was "a member of the Henrico Libertarian Party, the Communications Director for the Libertarian Party", when I am only the Communications Director for the Henrico LP, and (3) the Levittowns were built after WWII. Still, I have to say, not bad for someone who was nervous as hell.
I would definitely encourage Libertarians to attend these Public Square Meetings in the future, and possibly attend as a group, as many non-profits and political groups had done. Also, calling in on radio shows is a great way of making libertarian views known and reaching out to the public. Please do so if encouraged. It's the little things you say which will slowly build a great party and great political movement.
