Because discretionary review over new housing requires legislative vote, groups members speak publicly at these meetings. By either opposing or supporting the housing proposal, groups can pressure developers to deliver their members benefits. Here’s an example: 2/10

But when do take on this costly public action? We look at labor unions, groups with clear ties to housing. To measure when union members participate in the entitlement process, we use LocalView — a database of transcripts from local meetings (Barari & Simko). 3/10