Inclusionary Zoning may have caused Lawrenceville to produce 909 less housing units, failed to prevent a nearly 25% decline of the Black population since 2019

Building houses increases supply relative to demand and gives renters and buyers more bargaining power which drives down housing prices or atleast stall prices.

Lower prices attract lower middle class and working class people to live there as they can afford it.

The black community has a much higher percentage of their population be lower middle class and working class.

So any reduction in the production of housing even if it is to protect poor minorities ultimately hurts minorities far more than just building housing.

If you explained this in terms of buying a car then its easy to understand for people. In 2020 and 2021 Car production dropped because of a shortage of chips caused by automakers underestimating demand and canceling chip orders. Car prices skyrocketed both new and used because demand outstripped supply. Poor people were hurt by the reduction in cars even though they don’t buy new cars often because wealthier people were buying cars the poor used to buy. When production and supply stabilized in 2023 and 2024 car prices dropped both in the new and used car markets. Less cars gives sellers bargaining power and more cars gives buyers bargaining power.

The same applies for housing. More houses helps buyers by giving them bargaining power and no amount of minority friendly policies will change that.