On gentrification

 Gentrification exists anywhere where it becomes viable for one household to buy out and combine two units. It's a normal process of urban regeneration. But it's hugely controversial because we've supressed the other half of the cycle--the conversion of depreciated single family residential into multi-family.

On Vancouver

Vancouver costs aren't too high--they are just too high for missing middle. (Sen̓áḵw suggests the 'market density' is 600 units per acre). As one of the excluded, I'm actively hostile to the interests of long-term residents--it's always in the interest of the incumbent to exclude both competitors (for amenities or parking). I think the examples of both Japan and California clearly show that major cities can't be trusted with the power of zoning--the potential for abuse is simply too great, and that state/provincial pre-emption is going to be the rule going forward. On an equity basis, I am actively hostile to allowing the limited supply of buildable land in proximity to quality urbanism to be squatted by an inheritor/oligarch/elite worker class.