The local opponents of construction don’t have the ability to stop building in the United States as a whole, which hums along at roughly the rate of new household formation. When California’s anti-growth activists restrict building in California, then construction increases in Atlanta, Dallas and Houston. These three areas are both among the nation’s five most carbon-intensive living areas and among the four fastest-growing metropolitan areas. To be complete, California’s mandated environmental-impact reviews should ask not only about the impact on the local environment if a project proceeds, but also about the impact on global environment if the project is moved elsewhere.

The enemies of growth in California emphasize the state’s water crisis. But the bulk of California’s water is used for agricultural purposes, not homes. If the state sensibly charged farmers the true social cost of their water, there would be plenty of water for homeowners.