I’m not saying it’s the only cause. But as a basic fact of supply and demand when expanding housing supply vertically is prohibited and horizontal space is at a premium that’s inevitably going to place upward pressure on prices.

I’m not arguing that higher buildings make a place more pretty. Just that allowing them let’s supply keep up with demand.

This is a complex issue but it’s well known and established that it’s largely an issue of supply

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/11/us-housing-gap-cost-affordability-big-cities/672184/