GASLIGHTING

When you push back on Middle Housing, you’re told you’re “anti-housing” or “exclusionary.” But the truth is, planners and policymakers are changing the language to make density sound like something it isn’t.

This isn’t debate. It’s gaslighting.

1. The Rebrand Trick

The most powerful tool in the planner’s toolbox isn’t zoning — it’s words.
“Middle Housing” sounds new and neutral, but it’s really just multifamily rentals.
Duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes aren’t “new choices.” They’ve been built, bought, and sold for decades. The name change is meant to mislead homeowners into thinking something innovative is happening.

2. “Homes Built” vs. “Units Added”

Planners love to brag about “homes built” or “new homes created.” But read the fine print:
They don’t mean homes for purchase.
They mean apartments and rental units.
By calling every unit a “home,” they blur the difference between homeownership and renting — making it sound like families are gaining opportunities when they’re not.

3. Blaming the Car

When parking mandates were removed, planners didn’t say: “We’re cutting parking.”
Instead, they framed it as: “Your car is the problem.”
The language shifts responsibility onto residents, not planners — while ignoring safety, congestion, and reality.

4. The Land Ownership Spin

Planners love to say: “The City only owns 2% of land.”
That framing makes it sound like government is a small player. But here’s the reality:
The City owns 30%+ of available land, once you count Greenways, watershed acquisitions, and other properties.
They don’t pay property taxes on this land, claiming “we’d just be taxing ourselves.”
Yet the City bills the Greenways Levy $4.5 million every year — money taken from taxpayers — to cover Parks Department employee costs.
In other words, the City minimizes its holdings in public, while maximizing the revenue it extracts from them in private. That’s textbook gaslighting.

5. Why It Matters

This kind of language twist hides the real story:
Less land available for housing = higher prices.
More land locked up by the City = fewer opportunities for ownership.
Levy money diverted to payroll = taxpayers footing the bill twice.
When you hear “only 2%,” remember the other 30% they left out.

6. What You Can Do

Listen for the words — ask what they really mean.
Challenge the labels — “homes built” isn’t ownership.
Stay Informed — The Real Issues Podcast exposes the language games behind housing policy.