I'm also not especially optimistic that decades of policy favoring auto-centric development and limiting or outright banning anything else will turn around very quickly. And judging from responses I often get on this blog, I'm not optimistic that it's easy to convince people of what the problem is. I don't mean that I've failed to get everyone on board with my "move everyone to Manhattan" plan, I mean that people seem to reject that notion that car-centric development is, in part, the result of policies that are in place and not simply the a reflection of consumer preferences. As I say repeatedly, but don't feel like people quite get, in my urban hellhole it would be illegal to build my block today as it is currently configured. Dedicated off street parking would be required. Of course even in the urban hellhole some people want properties with dedicated off street parking, but this is not left for the market to decide, instead it is mandated by law.
Also, as Matt says, even people who want to live in dense urban hellholes are strangely resistant to any increased density. Personally I'd welcome it. My neighborhood could use more residents. More residents create more local demand and provide business for local establishments, giving me a greater variety of local options within walking distance. I'm not saying I'd want my urban hellhole to become Manhattan dense, but I would certainly welcome some more neighbors.
