An ex of mine mentioned to me that she was going to join a local community group trying to prevent development on an empty lot near her apartment. I asked why she would want to do that? Her concerns, and the concerns of the people she was showing me on facebook, were:

1. "They didn't do an environmental review" 2. She didn't want to hear construction noise. 3. She didn't want the construction to cause rats to leave the lot and go to buildings. 4. She also said she didn't want her rent to go.

I believe it was this lot: https://web.archive.org/web/20250821002539/https://www.nytim...

I think it is common for people to organize, even in the most urban and educated areas in America, against their own interest.