A Bold New Vision for America’s Future

In a time of firestorms and failing infrastructure, political paralysis, and rising housing costs, Robert Simpson’s Why the Hydrants Failed and The Future of Housing in The West delivers a commanding wake-up call and blueprint for change.

With the precision of an engineer and the passion of a patriot, Simpson takes readers through a scathing analysis of California’s water management disasters, exposing how systemic failure rooted in bureaucratic negligence and government overreach left entire communities defenseless during catastrophic wildfires.

When fire hydrants in Pacific Palisades went dry during one of the most destructive fire seasons in state history, the world witnessed more than a natural disaster. Simpson argues it was a manufactured failure avoidable, predictable, and ultimately unforgivable.

But Why the Hydrants Failed is more than just a post-mortem on infrastructure breakdown. It’s a sweeping critique of the entrenched monopolies that control California’s water, land, and housing supply and a call to action that reaches far beyond state lines.

The main idea in this book is to build “Freedom Cities,” new towns on unused government land, away from heavy rules and political control. Inspired by President Trump’s idea for fresh thinking and local decision-making, Simpson explains using real stories and simple plans how America can build more homes, help families find places they can afford, and bring back the dream of owning a home.

Drawing from the wisdom of Civil War veteran and geologist John Wesley Powell, Simpson weaves together past and present to highlight one central truth: you cannot build sustainable communities without local control over water. Powell’s warning in 1879 that land and water must remain connected rings truer today than ever before. Simpson argues that ignoring this principle has created both ecological and political instability across the West.

Simpson’s analysis is grounded in lived experience. From his early days as a framer in Southern California to his years managing large-scale development projects, he understands first-hand how policy failures affect working families. His story, like his book, is shaped by resilience, hard work, and a refusal to accept decline as destiny.

In an age of technocratic stagnation and partisan gridlock, Why the Hydrants Failed is a rallying cry for citizens, engineers, policymakers, and entrepreneurs. With clarity, courage, and conviction, Robert Simpson lights the path forward starting with water, expanding to housing, and ending with freedom.

The hydrants failed. But we don’t have to.

About the Author

Robert Simpson, born in Oklahoma and raised in Southern California, has spent decades in construction and development across the Western U.S. A hands-on builder and consultant, he worked his way through college and became known for practical problem-solving in the field. After the 2008 housing crash, he turned his focus to affordable housing and infrastructure reform. Why the Hydrants Failed is his first book driven by personal experience and a deep commitment to restoring the American Dream.