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Comment by zozbot234 | Hacker News Reader

So you're saying that it is about the status quo, where living in a multi-unit dwelling means having to put up with terrible neighbors. This will not be as much of a problem if you own a condo, where the HOA is there to enact policies that deal with these issues as they arise.

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I don't consider wanting to avoid the dizziness, headaches, and nausea I get as a non-smoker from prolonged exposure to tobacco smoke to be the same thing as me trying to preserve the status quo. It may be my "status quo" to not be constantly exposed to tobacco smoke, but it's not "the" status quo.

Condos _are_ better, but they are also more expensive. As far as I can tell, where I live, condos are closer in cost (including fees) to townhomes or even single-family homes than they are to apartments in regular complexes. They may have benefits, but affordability isn't one of them.

Affordability is relative, a condo unit can still be more affordable than a SFH sitting on the exact same lot. It makes sense to have a range of options rather than force everyone to pick either the lowest (rented flat) or most exclusive (single-family dwelling) quality of housing.

Yeah, I think you're getting at the other big reason for zoning inflexibility: property value. High asset prices and a dearth of other reliable ways to grow wealth have caused many to prioritize the sticker prices of their houses over the livability of their neighborhoods.

I think smoking has become much less common. I rent in Cambridge, MA and my lease prohibits smoking of any kind, which I think is standard. Once the landlord sent out an angry email threatening eviction if someone in our building didn't stop smoking. Smoking in the outdoor courtyard is also specifically forbidden.

My most recent rental experiences are from 2021 (urban MD) and 2023 (suburban MS).

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