Gibbons is dead right. There has always been a housing shortage there and still is.
AS for CC government, it is not anti business, it is pro business; the hostile business environment is related to certain specific types of business in certain locations and it is a conglomeration of groups and individuals, none of whom are in the government but all of whom monitor it and rake it across the coals.
This principally relates to a few large scale promotions that needed the input of the local government in terms of zoning regulations and traffic control and tax breaks to help with raising finances.
THe city government is so cash starved that it will sign on with incentives for anyone that convinces it that it will raise property values that will generate more revenue.
Advice: don't try to do anything that would involve tearing up or shutting down access to a beach, tearing up a landmark or harming any wildlife, particularly of the feathered variety.
This area gets a lot of birders from all over the world and enviro tourism is ripe for making some money.