The City of Kyōto estimates that the number of machiya in 2016 was at 40 000, with 2 per cent of them being torn down every year. Previous laws and ordinances enabled high-rise buildings of up to 45 metres, with bonuses that allowed even higher buildings of up to 60 metres. As such buildings are much more profitable in terms of rent than are small two-storey town houses, many high-rise apartment buildings were built between the 1970s and 90s, not only eradicating a great number of machiya, but also making it harder for the surrounding neighbours to live in their houses due to a disruption of the social ties in the neighbourhoods or blocking the houses from the sunlight. Most importantly, Kyōto's traditional townscape was almost entirely lost except for some areas such as Gion, Nishijin or Pontochō.
In 2007, however, the city council unanimously approved of a set of new rules known as the New Landscape Policies (shin keikan seisaku 新景観政策). Consisting of several ordinances, the new local laws aim at ameliorating the city's general look by lowering the maximum allowable building heights throughout the entire city, by protecting important vistas throughout the city area, and by detailed and strict regulations on the design of buildings which are based on the design of Kyōto's vernacular architecture, mainly on that of the machiya.
Also, the city actively seeks to protect and preserve those town houses that are still left by implementing rules and guidelines to ensure their continued existence.
The most important role in this so-called "machiya boom" play, however, citizens' groups and businesses. There are quite a few groups which specialise in the renovation of machiya or which run networks to facilitate the communication between owners of machiya and craftsmen who specialise in traditional Japanese building techniques. The groups also mediate between owners who wish to sell their property and potential buyers who are looking for a machiya.
Companies do their part to the revitalisation of machiya as well, renting or buying the houses and then renovating them to open their shops, cafés and restaurants in them. While this ensures the continued usage of the houses and their maintenance, the alterations that are necessary are often extensive and, while acknowledging the importance of preservation, there are many who are worried about the sustainability of those houses if the shop or café should move out.
While there are still quite a lot of machiya which are demolished every year, great efforts are made as to not see them get extinguished from the city, and the traditional town houses have made their comeback as a central and very important symbol of Kyōto.