Chris Elmendorf
@cselmendorf.bsky.social
The law prof at UC Davis. Dad. Denizen of San Francisco. Patron of Amtrak. Tweets are my own, not statements of UC. (he/him)
Reposted by Chris Elmendorf
NEW PAPER w/ @cselmendorf.bsky.social & @jkalla.bsky.social:
An under-appreciated reason why voters oppose dense new housing, especially in less-dense neighborhoods: they think it looks ugly and want to prevent that, even in other neighborhoods.
Some of what we think is NIMBYism might not be!
An under-appreciated reason why voters oppose dense new housing, especially in less-dense neighborhoods: they think it looks ugly and want to prevent that, even in other neighborhoods.
Some of what we think is NIMBYism might not be!
November 25, 2025 at 8:12 PM
NEW PAPER w/ @cselmendorf.bsky.social & @jkalla.bsky.social:
An under-appreciated reason why voters oppose dense new housing, especially in less-dense neighborhoods: they think it looks ugly and want to prevent that, even in other neighborhoods.
Some of what we think is NIMBYism might not be!
An under-appreciated reason why voters oppose dense new housing, especially in less-dense neighborhoods: they think it looks ugly and want to prevent that, even in other neighborhoods.
Some of what we think is NIMBYism might not be!
Reposted by Chris Elmendorf
@cselmendorf.bsky.social told me about this paper last week and I think it's a paper that every developer should force their architects to read.
NEW PAPER w/ @cselmendorf.bsky.social & @jkalla.bsky.social:
An under-appreciated reason why voters oppose dense new housing, especially in less-dense neighborhoods: they think it looks ugly and want to prevent that, even in other neighborhoods.
Some of what we think is NIMBYism might not be!
An under-appreciated reason why voters oppose dense new housing, especially in less-dense neighborhoods: they think it looks ugly and want to prevent that, even in other neighborhoods.
Some of what we think is NIMBYism might not be!
November 25, 2025 at 8:56 PM
@cselmendorf.bsky.social told me about this paper last week and I think it's a paper that every developer should force their architects to read.
👀 Since 2018, 15 major foundations have donated "$260 million ... to nonprofits across California that have actively opposed pro-housing legislation"
New from me for Inside Philanthropy: California foundations need to decide whether they genuinely want to improve housing affordability or would rather keep funding NIMBY obstructionism in Sacramento. www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/philant...
Philanthropy Needs to Pick a Side on the Housing Construction Debate
Despite California’s severe housing shortage, foundations are still funding on the wrong side of the housing fight there, guest author Ned Resnikoff writes.
www.insidephilanthropy.com
November 20, 2025 at 10:27 PM
👀 Since 2018, 15 major foundations have donated "$260 million ... to nonprofits across California that have actively opposed pro-housing legislation"
Reposted by Chris Elmendorf
Professor Chris taught me that the Bay Area Council was in the 90’s the sponsor of what is now known as the Builders’ Remedy!
"One way or the other, the answer was going to be yes."
Great reporting by @conordougherty.bsky.social on the resuscitation of California's builder's remedy.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/b...
Great reporting by @conordougherty.bsky.social on the resuscitation of California's builder's remedy.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/b...
The Housing Strategy That Has California NIMBYs in a Corner
www.nytimes.com
November 20, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Professor Chris taught me that the Bay Area Council was in the 90’s the sponsor of what is now known as the Builders’ Remedy!
Reposted by Chris Elmendorf
This is a great article from @conordougherty.bsky.social on the Builder's Remedy. The only detail I would've added is that @cselmendorf.bsky.social told the world about the Builder's Remedy in a tweet thread on **New Year's Day** because that's how hard that man is working to get homes built.
The Housing Strategy That Has California NIMBYs in a Corner
www.nytimes.com
November 20, 2025 at 7:07 PM
This is a great article from @conordougherty.bsky.social on the Builder's Remedy. The only detail I would've added is that @cselmendorf.bsky.social told the world about the Builder's Remedy in a tweet thread on **New Year's Day** because that's how hard that man is working to get homes built.
More thoughts here on possible solutions to rent control advocates' credible commitment problem. I appreciate the thoughtful engagement from @bharathhariharan.bsky.social & @nealemahoney.bsky.social.
threadreaderapp.com/thread/19912...
threadreaderapp.com/thread/19912...
November 20, 2025 at 4:56 PM
More thoughts here on possible solutions to rent control advocates' credible commitment problem. I appreciate the thoughtful engagement from @bharathhariharan.bsky.social & @nealemahoney.bsky.social.
threadreaderapp.com/thread/19912...
threadreaderapp.com/thread/19912...
"One way or the other, the answer was going to be yes."
Great reporting by @conordougherty.bsky.social on the resuscitation of California's builder's remedy.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/b...
Great reporting by @conordougherty.bsky.social on the resuscitation of California's builder's remedy.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/b...
The Housing Strategy That Has California NIMBYs in a Corner
www.nytimes.com
November 20, 2025 at 4:50 PM
"One way or the other, the answer was going to be yes."
Great reporting by @conordougherty.bsky.social on the resuscitation of California's builder's remedy.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/b...
Great reporting by @conordougherty.bsky.social on the resuscitation of California's builder's remedy.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/b...
"One way or the other, the answer was going to be yes."
Great reporting by @conordougherty.bsky.social on the resuscitation of California's builder's remedy.
Great reporting by @conordougherty.bsky.social on the resuscitation of California's builder's remedy.
November 20, 2025 at 4:49 PM
"One way or the other, the answer was going to be yes."
Great reporting by @conordougherty.bsky.social on the resuscitation of California's builder's remedy.
Great reporting by @conordougherty.bsky.social on the resuscitation of California's builder's remedy.
Reposted by Chris Elmendorf
This great story is a testament to the invaluable work of @cselmendorf.bsky.social on California's builders remedy: www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/b...
The Housing Strategy That Has California NIMBYs in a Corner
www.nytimes.com
November 20, 2025 at 3:51 PM
This great story is a testament to the invaluable work of @cselmendorf.bsky.social on California's builders remedy: www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/b...
Reposted by Chris Elmendorf
The posting-to-policy pipeline is real, at least when @cselmendorf.bsky.social wields his pen. We love to see it! Deepest sympathies to the oppressed homeowners in Beverly Hills...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/b...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/b...
The Housing Strategy That Has California NIMBYs in a Corner
www.nytimes.com
November 20, 2025 at 2:42 PM
The posting-to-policy pipeline is real, at least when @cselmendorf.bsky.social wields his pen. We love to see it! Deepest sympathies to the oppressed homeowners in Beverly Hills...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/b...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/b...
New results on how feelings toward developers shape housing policy preferences, and what can change those feelings (w/ downstream effects on policy preferences).
threadreaderapp.com/thread/19900...
threadreaderapp.com/thread/19900...
Thread by @CSElmendorf on Thread Reader App
@CSElmendorf: New results! In "The Symbolic Politics of Housing," @dbroockman @j_kalla & I showed that public opinion about housing policies correlates w/ affect towards the groups that the policies m...
threadreaderapp.com
November 16, 2025 at 6:47 PM
New results on how feelings toward developers shape housing policy preferences, and what can change those feelings (w/ downstream effects on policy preferences).
threadreaderapp.com/thread/19900...
threadreaderapp.com/thread/19900...
On rent @nealemahoney.bsky.social & @bharatramamurti.bsky.social's case for "temporary" price controls, threadreaderapp.com/thread/19901...
Thread by @CSElmendorf on Thread Reader App
@CSElmendorf: I have great respect for @nealemahoney & @BharatRamamurti, but I just about pulled my hair out reading their op-ed this morning. Price controls aren't going to be "a way out" unless thei...
threadreaderapp.com
November 16, 2025 at 6:43 PM
On rent @nealemahoney.bsky.social & @bharatramamurti.bsky.social's case for "temporary" price controls, threadreaderapp.com/thread/19901...
Reposted by Chris Elmendorf
The thing about state and local government pension reform (boring, unpopular) is that it can enable lots of stuff that’s interesting and popular.
The People Want to Read: on the massive budget cuts proposed for Chicago Public Library. What's at stake and what you can do, whether or not you live in Chicago.
buttondown.com/wellsourced/...
buttondown.com/wellsourced/...
The People Want To Read: On Massive Budget Cuts Proposed in Chicago
If passed, Chicago Public Library will lose half their budget for acquiring new books and materials.
buttondown.com
November 16, 2025 at 4:51 AM
The thing about state and local government pension reform (boring, unpopular) is that it can enable lots of stuff that’s interesting and popular.
Fantastic profile of @scottwiener.bsky.social in @motherjones.com.
www.motherjones.com/author/adam-...
www.motherjones.com/author/adam-...
Adam Rogers
www.motherjones.com
November 14, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Fantastic profile of @scottwiener.bsky.social in @motherjones.com.
www.motherjones.com/author/adam-...
www.motherjones.com/author/adam-...
Reposted by Chris Elmendorf
it's nuts that most cities don't have an office of economic analysis and that the state housing agency doesn't do economic analysis
November 14, 2025 at 3:38 AM
it's nuts that most cities don't have an office of economic analysis and that the state housing agency doesn't do economic analysis
Reposted by Chris Elmendorf
I’ve found the impulse to “break up the massing” to be a received wisdom of planners regardless of the frontage width or any other considerations such as construction quality and maintainability.
The fact that it was identified as basically unsupported by public so early is even worse somehow.
The fact that it was identified as basically unsupported by public so early is even worse somehow.
November 9, 2025 at 5:30 AM
I’ve found the impulse to “break up the massing” to be a received wisdom of planners regardless of the frontage width or any other considerations such as construction quality and maintainability.
The fact that it was identified as basically unsupported by public so early is even worse somehow.
The fact that it was identified as basically unsupported by public so early is even worse somehow.
Cross-posting my discovery of the day. This guy could have been the Shoup of design review.
He's was a random architect working from home in Bernal Heights. Never had a faculty position.
He churned out scores of academic papers and one great book.
threadreaderapp.com/thread/19873...
He's was a random architect working from home in Bernal Heights. Never had a faculty position.
He churned out scores of academic papers and one great book.
threadreaderapp.com/thread/19873...
Thread by @CSElmendorf on Thread Reader App
@CSElmendorf: I stumbled across the work of Arthur E. Stamps III this morning and, wow, my eyes have been opened! He's was (is?) an architect in San Francisco who wrote scores of academic papers on th...
threadreaderapp.com
November 9, 2025 at 2:01 AM
Cross-posting my discovery of the day. This guy could have been the Shoup of design review.
He's was a random architect working from home in Bernal Heights. Never had a faculty position.
He churned out scores of academic papers and one great book.
threadreaderapp.com/thread/19873...
He's was a random architect working from home in Bernal Heights. Never had a faculty position.
He churned out scores of academic papers and one great book.
threadreaderapp.com/thread/19873...
Reposted by Chris Elmendorf
One way to reduce condo defect liability: stop forcing architects to design buildings that leak. HCD’s “objective design standards” guide *encourages* making building envelopes more complex, heightening leak and therefore defect lawsuit risk cao-94612.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/documents/Ap...
November 7, 2025 at 2:42 AM
One way to reduce condo defect liability: stop forcing architects to design buildings that leak. HCD’s “objective design standards” guide *encourages* making building envelopes more complex, heightening leak and therefore defect lawsuit risk cao-94612.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/documents/Ap...
Reposted by Chris Elmendorf
If you want a zoning code that delivers abundant and affordable housing, pass a ballot initiative that requires your city to hire a city economist, and directs them to study the economic impacts of all proposed ordinances and publicly disclose the results. #SanFrancisco voters did. It’s paying off!😀
November 1, 2025 at 9:15 PM
If you want a zoning code that delivers abundant and affordable housing, pass a ballot initiative that requires your city to hire a city economist, and directs them to study the economic impacts of all proposed ordinances and publicly disclose the results. #SanFrancisco voters did. It’s paying off!😀
Reposted by Chris Elmendorf
@ucdavis.bsky.social Law Professor @cselmendorf.bsky.social via @sfchronicle.com
🔗: www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/open...
#UCDavisLaw #UCDavis #LawSchool #Faculty #Law
🔗: www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/open...
#UCDavisLaw #UCDavis #LawSchool #Faculty #Law
October 30, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Driving to Davis to teach a Saturday morning class is not my idea of a good time, but it was so fun welcoming prospective
@ucdavislaw.bsky.social students today w/ the story of California's builder's remedy.
Especially b/c I got to feature my former students Jordan Wright & Marissa Fuentes!
@ucdavislaw.bsky.social students today w/ the story of California's builder's remedy.
Especially b/c I got to feature my former students Jordan Wright & Marissa Fuentes!
November 1, 2025 at 6:43 PM
Driving to Davis to teach a Saturday morning class is not my idea of a good time, but it was so fun welcoming prospective
@ucdavislaw.bsky.social students today w/ the story of California's builder's remedy.
Especially b/c I got to feature my former students Jordan Wright & Marissa Fuentes!
@ucdavislaw.bsky.social students today w/ the story of California's builder's remedy.
Especially b/c I got to feature my former students Jordan Wright & Marissa Fuentes!
On paths forward for the Housing Element Law. (Leg attention needed!)
threadreaderapp.com/thread/19839...
threadreaderapp.com/thread/19839...
Thread by @CSElmendorf on Thread Reader App
@CSElmendorf: The SF City Economist report on city's housing-element rezone is a nice bookend to the Court of Appeal's decision last month in New Commune v. Redondo Beach. Put them together, and it's ...
threadreaderapp.com
October 30, 2025 at 7:56 PM
On paths forward for the Housing Element Law. (Leg attention needed!)
threadreaderapp.com/thread/19839...
threadreaderapp.com/thread/19839...
October 30, 2025 at 7:55 PM
Or just authorize @california-hcd.bsky.social to issue interpretations that are binding until a court disagrees. (Similar to status of a disapproved housing element.)
California should pass a law to clean up #AB2097, which removed most minimum parking mandates near transit. UCLA's Amy Lee, A. Millard-Ball and M. Manville have given us a road map for how to do that. Basically, put the "expansive interpretations" in this table into law.
October 24, 2025 at 9:40 PM
Or just authorize @california-hcd.bsky.social to issue interpretations that are binding until a court disagrees. (Similar to status of a disapproved housing element.)
Relaying a message from the mayor.
October 23, 2025 at 4:00 AM
Relaying a message from the mayor.