28. Zoning, Housing Supply & the Hidden Rules Shaping Our Communities

Zoning might sound technical—but it quietly shapes where we live, what gets built, and why housing costs keep rising.

In this episode of Housing Matters, host Matt Pouliot sits down with Sara Bronin — architect, attorney, George Washington University law professor, and Founder & CEO of Land Use Atlas, Inc. — to unpack zoning in a clear, practical way.

Together, they explore how local land use rules influence housing supply, affordability, environmental outcomes, and the choices available to families, seniors, and workers. Sara shares insights from her work building the National Zoning Atlas, including surprising findings about Maine’s regulatory complexity and why well-intentioned policies sometimes fall short at the local level.

You’ll learn:

• What zoning actually is (Zoning 101) • Why “one-size-fits-all” single-family zoning limits housing options • How local rules can quietly block ADUs and new housing • What the National Zoning Atlas reveals about communities nationwide • Practical ways policymakers, developers, and residents can engage and drive change

Whether you’re a homeowner, real estate professional, developer, planner, or policy wonk, this conversation will change how you see the rules shaping housing in America.

Guest: Sara Bronin Author of Key to the City: How Zoning Shapes Our World Founder & CEO, Land Use Atlas, Inc.

Learn more: zoningatlas.org preservationatlas.org