Isn't land use and zoning the real problem? (Interesting that there is no occurrence of "land" in the article.) Who cares how the houses are built when you have nowhere to put them anyway. The most recent housing developments are in the literal fucking middle of a hill where you have to drive for 30 minutes for any signs of human life.

That's absolutely it. The most absurd case is of course San Francisco, where literally one single building allowed by recent state law overriding local zoning is adding 100 years worth of total housing units and 15 years worth of affordable housing construction at current rates to the Marina district (https://www.sfchronicle.com/realestate/article/sf-safeway-to...), but the same problem exists in a lesser form across the state.