According to a recent publication by the James Madison Institute, Florida is "a national leader" in the so-called smart growth movement. But the authors conclude that the state's policies on the subject have had few good results and several negative ones.

The goals of smart growth are, in the words of the authors of the report, "Statewide Growth Management and Housing Affordability in Florida" (PDF), "inconsistent with the realities of housing development."

The possible outcomes of following smart-growth policies include higher housing prices. A statistical analysis by Leonard C. Gilroy, Samuel R. Staley and Sara Stedron finds that "as much as 16% of housing price inflation can be attributed to planning under the state's GMA, a result consistent with previous analysis and research."

The subprime mess has popped the real estate bubble of recent years, taking some of the froth out of the housing market. But even so, government policy that purposely inflates the price of housing deserves a stern look if not outright rejection.