Illinois has passed a “builder’s appeal” act, similar to “fair share” legislation nationwide [40-B “anti-snob zoning” in Massachusetts or Fair Share/Mt. Laurel laws in New Jersey]. The legislation is weaker than 40-B — it gives credit to municipalities for well-laid plans, even if there’s little chance of implementation — but the spirit of the law is undeniably important.

The “builder’s appeal” tack on fair and affordable housing is doubly interesting because it, like New Urbanist code reform projects, seeks quintessentially liberal ends through deregulatory means. That’s a cool way to bridge the political divide and to curry political capital with the building-trades crowd.