There is "rent seeking" (a microeconomics term for a market inefficiency using politics for wealth creation instead of true wealth creation) by having zoning laws which keep land use density artificially reduced as well as over-using "historic landmark" laws. The zoning restrictions on land use and the overuse of historic landmark laws effectively make very wealthy landlords and other landowners wealthier still at the cost to others. See writings of Harvard economist Edward Glaeser for more details.

This is something that can be fixed by reducing the market inefficiency of "rent seeking" through state law which overrides the desires of wealthy landowners at the city level.