The feud over a relatively small housing proposal has come to symbolize larger political fights over who has the power to approve new housing development, a Council custom of deferring to local representatives on land-use issues and the need to address the city’s deep affordable housing crisis. She said the proposal to turn a vacant hospital building into supportive housing seems to have majority support. It would be operated by the nonprofit Fortune Society, which provides housing and services to people leaving jails and prisons. “I’m over here trying to create more housing by finding an alternate location for Just Home,” she said. Housing policy experts have blamed member deference for killing housing plans because lone lawmakers have effective veto power over land-use decisions in their districts.