“More housing at any income level lowers nearby rents. We progressives should therefore be fighting for new housing with every bone in our bodies.”

With housing serving as the bedrock of many New York City policy discussions over the last few months, it has become increasingly clear that many fundamentally misunderstand the way that housing markets operate—and, therefore, many self-styled progressives unknowingly make political decisions counter to their stated values. It is time for that to change.

A review of the most contentious land use processes in the last few years—including SoHo/NoHo, Innovation Queens, One45 in Harlem, 9th Street in Gowanus, and the Bruckner rezoning in the Bronx—reveals that opponents repeatedly cite the same concerns: new housing will increase local rents and, therefore, displace existing residents in a community.

To fight for vulnerable residents is the righteous choice—but it must be guided by facts. And the facts are clear. More housing at any income level lowers nearby rents. We progressives should therefore be fighting for new housing with every bone in our bodies.

Consider recent research highlighted by NYU’s Furman Center that shows the economic reality of housing development has the opposite effect on the market from the rhetoric we typically hear.