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Currently trying to build a house in San Diego county. Red tape, permitting, and waiting on the county to review things has consumed no less than 18% of our total budget. I'm happy that California protects our environment from negative environmental impacts, but the way in which they do it makes new housing almost entirely uneconomical.

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I've always suspected if not the overt aim, then a "side benefit" of this kind of activity was to restrict the inflow of people into desirable areas (rather than just protecting the environment or collecting taxes or else general bureaucratic nonsense).

I'd love to live in San Diego. If I could afford it and live like I do now I'd be there in a heartbeat. Not the case with San Fransisco which I'd have to be paid a whole lot more than could reasonably be expected to go near.

I live in North County San Diego and there are various communities of new construction available. From what I've seen, places are more willing to accept planned communities where you can account for traffic, water/sewer, schools, etc.

I'm not sure if you're talking about building a new home that replaces an existing one, or building a new home where no home has ever been built. I assume the latter, but if so, there is certainly a lot involved.

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