National Politics

How Wealthy Neighborhoods Avoid New Housing

Posted November 30, 2021 by

Why Cities Favor Parks Over Housing “You could build housing here and a few hundred people can enjoy the view,” explained Leslie Alspach, president of the Francisco Park Conservancy. “Build a park here and millions can enjoy the view for
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Public Space, Private Initiative

Posted November 30, 2021 by

(This piece first appeared in Streetsblog USA) A quiet revolution in public space management is spreading throughout New York City — and it is not being undertaken by the city bureaucrats who are paid to oversee our streetscape, but by
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What Does “Pro-Housing” Mean?

Posted November 9, 2021 by

Bridging the YIMBY-Tenant Advocate Divide After the latest Twitter battle in San Francisco between YIMBYs and tenant advocates over what it means to be “pro-housing, ” I wanted to start a needed debate: Can you be “pro-housing” while opposing most
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Will Voters Back Housing on Nov. 2?

Posted October 26, 2021 by

Voters Can Increase Affordability Next Tuesday is Election Day. Voters in Boulder, Cambridge and Seattle—three cities I write about in Generation Priced Out: Who Gets to Live in the New Urban America  — —will decide whether to pursue more inclusionary
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U.S. Has More Car-Free Areas Than You Think

Posted October 26, 2021 by

This story first appeared in Streetsblog USA Even the most transit-poor U.S. cities have significant numbers of neighborhoods where almost no one drives, new research suggests — and where such neighborhoods are located often suggests a dire need for more
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Top 5 Lessons of Newsom’s Big Win

Posted September 15, 2021 by

66% No Vote Lays Groundwork for Future Victories Six weeks ago, conventional wisdom said that California Governor Gavin Newsom would either be recalled or narrowly avoid that fate. Instead, anti-recall forces won in a landslide. Here’s five big messages from
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