In its inaugural public opinion survey meant to guide regional planning decisions, the Baltimore Metropolitan Council found many unsurprising things. Baltimore area residents are, for example, frustrated by a high cost of living, would like to be paid more, are unhappy with traffic-clogged streets, and generally support the redevelopment of Harborplace and construction of the Red Line. But here’s an interesting conflict in local views that deserves greater attention: While residents bemoan the high cost of housing — with most of the 1,200 adults surveyed seeing it as a “major problem” — a majority also believes there should be more restrictions on housing and development, that the region is “growing too fast.”

That’s an intriguing disconnect given that the Baltimore area actually lost population last year to about 2.8 million, according to U.S. Census numbers. Most of that population decline was in Baltimore and Baltimore County. Yet when a representative sample of Baltimore County residents was asked about restrictions on development, respondents were solidly in the “more, please” camp. The survey conducted by GQR found that while 79% of Baltimore County respondents believe housing costs are either a major or minor problem, a hefty 53% believe the state is growing too quickly and more regulations are needed to allow roads and schools to “catch up.”

Part of the problem may be how the questions are worded — specifically flagging schools and roads. Who wants either to be overcrowded? But that also begs the question: Where do you think you or future generations will find housing if it’s not built? It’s reasonable to lament how wages haven’t kept pace with inflation, but what about how local governments aren’t keeping up with housing demand? The region loses population when people can’t afford to buy a place to live. Why would employers want to invest in such a place? How can seniors stay if there isn’t suitable housing for them? Why should families stick around if they can’t fulfill the American dream of home ownership?

Hey, we get it. It’s human to want your community to stay exactly the same way you found it. But we can’t help but wonder if too many are afraid of newcomers — particularly those who may speak another language or look a little different from them, a view that seems to have been amplified this presidential election cycle. The BMC survey, known as “The Pulse,” is expected to be conducted annually. We look forward to learning if such incongruities like this mixed view of housing are fixed or if Baltimore area residents might be more open-minded.