I guess the fundamental dispute is between those who think the change has to do with particular institutions of local democracy vs preferences and enfranchisement of people that will find expression under nearly any stable economic order. @dsquareddigest.bsky.social and i think it more the latter.

(note that the old “growth machine” urban politics were not primarily infill of already desirable, prosperous, enfranchised neighborhoods. eventually austins become houstons or dallases as a matter of scale and already-developedness, despite friendly zoning regimes.)