
In this episode of New Frontiers, host Paul Johnson welcomes Nick Ponder, a lobbyist with the League of Arizona Cities and Towns, for an intense and illuminating debate on Arizona’s housing woes. With insights from economist Elliot Pollack and real-world developer experience, Paul exposes how excessive city regulations, permitting delays, and zoning bottlenecks are inflating home prices and driving supply shortages. Nick pushes back, highlighting legislative trends, land constraints, and the role of corporate investors. Together, they dissect the causes, clash over solutions, and explore whether cities can be part of the fix—or are part of the problem.