Matthew Lewis is ready for progressive federalism
@mateosfo.bsky.social
I make things, including bike rides, state housing laws, bread, and trouble. Quality varies with rainfall, political winds, and tire pressure. Run comms at @cayimby for the love of cities.
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Today on Volts: you may have noticed that some climate/energy types (like me) have become obsessed with housing & urban land use lately. Why? Why are they climate issues? What's the connection? The great @mateosfo.bsky.social and I attempt to answer those questions.
Why housing is a pass/fail question for climate
Housing is a climate issue we can't afford to ignore — Matthew Lewis explains why.
www.volts.wtf
This was a lot of fun, both because we covered a lot of topics and because David and I have known each other so long and so the conversation flowed.
But the whole tl;dr of the thing is:
Housing policy is (still) climate policy. And the climate movement should do more to acknowledge this, IMO.
But the whole tl;dr of the thing is:
Housing policy is (still) climate policy. And the climate movement should do more to acknowledge this, IMO.
Reposted by Matthew Lewis is ready for progressive federalism
Emerging trend on Oakland NextDoor of drivers posting handheld video filmed while driving past the upgraded, delineated bike lane on 55th Avenue next to Mills Northeastern, complaining that they can’t use the bike lane to overtake congestion any longer and then getting flamed in the comments.
November 25, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Emerging trend on Oakland NextDoor of drivers posting handheld video filmed while driving past the upgraded, delineated bike lane on 55th Avenue next to Mills Northeastern, complaining that they can’t use the bike lane to overtake congestion any longer and then getting flamed in the comments.
Reposted by Matthew Lewis is ready for progressive federalism
The fatal flaw in using bitcoin as a currency on.ft.com/4p3t1dF | opinion
The fatal flaw in using bitcoin as a currency
There is a crypto parallel in the aftermath of Europe’s 14th century bubonic plague
on.ft.com
November 26, 2025 at 5:37 AM
The fatal flaw in using bitcoin as a currency on.ft.com/4p3t1dF | opinion
... and this is felony menacing, which also carries long prison sentences.
If we get out of this thing, IMO we need to rain hellfire on the kind of Democrats who will argue we should "move on" instead of locking up ~ 95% of ICE agents who will go back to stochastic terrorism, bombing churches etc.
If we get out of this thing, IMO we need to rain hellfire on the kind of Democrats who will argue we should "move on" instead of locking up ~ 95% of ICE agents who will go back to stochastic terrorism, bombing churches etc.
If I pointed a loaded assault rifle at someone in the street with the obvious intent of intimidating them, I would be arrested and charged with assault (or worse).
November 26, 2025 at 5:26 AM
... and this is felony menacing, which also carries long prison sentences.
If we get out of this thing, IMO we need to rain hellfire on the kind of Democrats who will argue we should "move on" instead of locking up ~ 95% of ICE agents who will go back to stochastic terrorism, bombing churches etc.
If we get out of this thing, IMO we need to rain hellfire on the kind of Democrats who will argue we should "move on" instead of locking up ~ 95% of ICE agents who will go back to stochastic terrorism, bombing churches etc.
This is just straight up hideous and brutal crimes. Kristi Noem can and should be indicted for dozens of counts of kidnapping and torture, which would lead to multiple life sentences, which would be appropriate.
NEW:
The DOJ tells Judge James Boasberg that Kristi Noem made the decision that flights that had departed should continue on to El Salvador, in contravention of the court’s orders.
The DOJ tells Judge James Boasberg that Kristi Noem made the decision that flights that had departed should continue on to El Salvador, in contravention of the court’s orders.
BREAKING:
“After receiving that legal advice, Secretary Noem directed that the AEA detainees who had been removed from the United States before the Court’s order could be transferred to the custody of El Salvador. “
“After receiving that legal advice, Secretary Noem directed that the AEA detainees who had been removed from the United States before the Court’s order could be transferred to the custody of El Salvador. “
November 26, 2025 at 5:23 AM
This is just straight up hideous and brutal crimes. Kristi Noem can and should be indicted for dozens of counts of kidnapping and torture, which would lead to multiple life sentences, which would be appropriate.
When I meet David Sirota, he was a coal industry lobbyist.
That's it. That's the whole post.
That's it. That's the whole post.
November 26, 2025 at 5:20 AM
When I meet David Sirota, he was a coal industry lobbyist.
That's it. That's the whole post.
That's it. That's the whole post.
Pretty sure the folks who oppose market-rate housing and only want subsidized affordable housing simply don't understand how anything works, but one consequence of their successful advocacy is,
We subsidize homes for families making well over six figures. Coulda had a market-rate apartment, but 🤷♂️
We subsidize homes for families making well over six figures. Coulda had a market-rate apartment, but 🤷♂️
Just to highlight some regional variance (and how rich the inner Bay Area is compared to much of the state) just want to point out that this is almost double the median household income in Sacramento lol
A family of four earning $160,900 per year qualifies for a “low-income” three bedroom apartment in San Mateo County!
open.substack.com/pub/jeremyl/...
open.substack.com/pub/jeremyl/...
November 25, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Pretty sure the folks who oppose market-rate housing and only want subsidized affordable housing simply don't understand how anything works, but one consequence of their successful advocacy is,
We subsidize homes for families making well over six figures. Coulda had a market-rate apartment, but 🤷♂️
We subsidize homes for families making well over six figures. Coulda had a market-rate apartment, but 🤷♂️
Will apparently does not understand what "prices" are, and so he probably also does not understand what the word "choice" means.
But these are not unknowables. Americans understand housing prices! www.nytimes.com/2023/03/02/r...
But these are not unknowables. Americans understand housing prices! www.nytimes.com/2023/03/02/r...
November 25, 2025 at 6:48 PM
Will apparently does not understand what "prices" are, and so he probably also does not understand what the word "choice" means.
But these are not unknowables. Americans understand housing prices! www.nytimes.com/2023/03/02/r...
But these are not unknowables. Americans understand housing prices! www.nytimes.com/2023/03/02/r...
"Suburban Experiment didn’t just change our geography. It rewired our culture. It trained us to experience isolation as prosperity, consumption as citizenship. By the time internet arrived, we were living in systems too large to understand, too brittle to repair." www.panoptica.ai/the-gutenber...
The Gutenberg Moment
Every communication revolution births chaos before it births order. Gutenberg's press collapsed the gatekeepers of knowledge in the fifteenth century—and it took centuries of war, displacement, and in...
www.panoptica.ai
November 25, 2025 at 5:29 PM
"Suburban Experiment didn’t just change our geography. It rewired our culture. It trained us to experience isolation as prosperity, consumption as citizenship. By the time internet arrived, we were living in systems too large to understand, too brittle to repair." www.panoptica.ai/the-gutenber...
Reposted by Matthew Lewis is ready for progressive federalism
the left nimby crashout bc Zohran actually wants to build more housing is genuinely so funny
November 24, 2025 at 11:59 PM
the left nimby crashout bc Zohran actually wants to build more housing is genuinely so funny
The funniest stupid thing (stupidest funny thing?) that violent drivers always say:
"All these bicycles are causing traffic!!"
Ah so ... you'd prefer if we were all in cars in front of you?
"All these bicycles are causing traffic!!"
Ah so ... you'd prefer if we were all in cars in front of you?
November 25, 2025 at 5:32 AM
The funniest stupid thing (stupidest funny thing?) that violent drivers always say:
"All these bicycles are causing traffic!!"
Ah so ... you'd prefer if we were all in cars in front of you?
"All these bicycles are causing traffic!!"
Ah so ... you'd prefer if we were all in cars in front of you?
Reposted by Matthew Lewis is ready for progressive federalism
Seeing how much of the right-wing on Twitter is just bot farms, kinda lays bare how much hate and hatred is a project that needs to be constantly maintained, a fire that needs to be fed all the time lest it go out for a moment, so much time, effort, and resources to keep people angry and hateful.
November 24, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Seeing how much of the right-wing on Twitter is just bot farms, kinda lays bare how much hate and hatred is a project that needs to be constantly maintained, a fire that needs to be fed all the time lest it go out for a moment, so much time, effort, and resources to keep people angry and hateful.
Reposted by Matthew Lewis is ready for progressive federalism
People keep saying that driverless cars will end congestion.
In reality, all driverless cars do is change the math so that instead of roads being jammed with cars with just 1-2 people in them, the roads will be jammed with cars with 0-1 people in them.
In reality, all driverless cars do is change the math so that instead of roads being jammed with cars with just 1-2 people in them, the roads will be jammed with cars with 0-1 people in them.
Waymo privatized another public street:
Chanel approaching 4th, San Francisco
Possibly queued for a Billie Eilish show at Chase Center ~half mile away.
The light rail train on 4th seen passing in front of this roboherd has more passenger capacity than all of them combined.
OP: .tiktok.renaspam18
Chanel approaching 4th, San Francisco
Possibly queued for a Billie Eilish show at Chase Center ~half mile away.
The light rail train on 4th seen passing in front of this roboherd has more passenger capacity than all of them combined.
OP: .tiktok.renaspam18
November 25, 2025 at 3:57 AM
People keep saying that driverless cars will end congestion.
In reality, all driverless cars do is change the math so that instead of roads being jammed with cars with just 1-2 people in them, the roads will be jammed with cars with 0-1 people in them.
In reality, all driverless cars do is change the math so that instead of roads being jammed with cars with just 1-2 people in them, the roads will be jammed with cars with 0-1 people in them.
I think most people would be shocked by the degree of regulatory capture the US car industry exerts over "safety" regulators.
NHTSA is well known for its "revolving door" policy for car industry executives. www.cartalk.com/blogs/jim-mo...
NHTSA is well known for its "revolving door" policy for car industry executives. www.cartalk.com/blogs/jim-mo...
November 25, 2025 at 12:44 AM
I think most people would be shocked by the degree of regulatory capture the US car industry exerts over "safety" regulators.
NHTSA is well known for its "revolving door" policy for car industry executives. www.cartalk.com/blogs/jim-mo...
NHTSA is well known for its "revolving door" policy for car industry executives. www.cartalk.com/blogs/jim-mo...
This looks kind of incredible.
🚨We analyzed 138 million geocoded property tax records to quantify how municipal boundaries spatially overlap onto economic segregation in every US metro area—creating disparities in localities’ ability to fund public goods. And we made an interactive map of our results! [1/16]
November 24, 2025 at 4:46 PM
This looks kind of incredible.
Reposted by Matthew Lewis is ready for progressive federalism
*sydette just shrugs at this point *
We need to have a convo about research and access and approaches because people spent a lot of 2020- 2024 shoving folks asking for different methodologies because we don’t trust META and they said
We didn’t “understand”
We need to have a convo about research and access and approaches because people spent a lot of 2020- 2024 shoving folks asking for different methodologies because we don’t trust META and they said
We didn’t “understand”
“Meta shut down internal research into the mental health effects of Facebook after finding causal evidence that its products harmed users’ mental health, according to unredacted filings in a lawsuit by U.S. school districts against Meta and other social media platforms.”
Meta buried 'causal' evidence of social media harm, US court filings allege - The Economic Times
Meta reportedly halted internal research into the mental health impacts of Facebook and Instagram after finding causal evidence of harm. Internal documents revealed users reported lower depression and...
m.economictimes.com
November 24, 2025 at 1:32 AM
*sydette just shrugs at this point *
We need to have a convo about research and access and approaches because people spent a lot of 2020- 2024 shoving folks asking for different methodologies because we don’t trust META and they said
We didn’t “understand”
We need to have a convo about research and access and approaches because people spent a lot of 2020- 2024 shoving folks asking for different methodologies because we don’t trust META and they said
We didn’t “understand”
If anyone knows anyone at the @sfchronicle.com can you let them know that cars have drivers, and that drivers could simply choose to not crash their cars? Obviously, these drivers want to crash! If they didn't want to crash, they would drive in a way that does not result in crashes!!!
kthxbai
kthxbai
November 23, 2025 at 10:15 PM
If anyone knows anyone at the @sfchronicle.com can you let them know that cars have drivers, and that drivers could simply choose to not crash their cars? Obviously, these drivers want to crash! If they didn't want to crash, they would drive in a way that does not result in crashes!!!
kthxbai
kthxbai
If you wanna go full meta on the "right-wing online MAGA is mostly foreign actors stoking fascism," let's go back to 1995, when a fascist Australian billionaire launched what is still, today, the number one source of TV news in the United States.
November 23, 2025 at 8:27 PM
If you wanna go full meta on the "right-wing online MAGA is mostly foreign actors stoking fascism," let's go back to 1995, when a fascist Australian billionaire launched what is still, today, the number one source of TV news in the United States.
Reposted by Matthew Lewis is ready for progressive federalism
It’s hilarious and revelatory that a bunch of giant MAGA/America First X accounts are actually based in Eastern Europe and Nigeria.
Top MAGA Influencers Accidentally Unmasked as Foreign Actors
A new feature on Elon Musk’s X has given deeper insight into the online “America First” movement.
www.thedailybeast.com
November 23, 2025 at 3:07 PM
It’s hilarious and revelatory that a bunch of giant MAGA/America First X accounts are actually based in Eastern Europe and Nigeria.
Reposted by Matthew Lewis is ready for progressive federalism
X rolled out a new feature overnight showing where accounts are based. This network of “Trump-supporting independent women” that claimed to be “real Americans” are based in Thailand.
The photos were stolen from European models & posts pushed pro-Trump lines while targeting Islam and LGBTQ people.
The photos were stolen from European models & posts pushed pro-Trump lines while targeting Islam and LGBTQ people.
November 23, 2025 at 12:55 PM
X rolled out a new feature overnight showing where accounts are based. This network of “Trump-supporting independent women” that claimed to be “real Americans” are based in Thailand.
The photos were stolen from European models & posts pushed pro-Trump lines while targeting Islam and LGBTQ people.
The photos were stolen from European models & posts pushed pro-Trump lines while targeting Islam and LGBTQ people.
I have some really good news and in keeping with vibes, will share it here, and not there:
A few months ago I noticed how New York City has been positively conquered by bicycles. It's true, and it's amazing. More work to do, but the tides have turned.
The good news: It is happening in Berkeley!!
A few months ago I noticed how New York City has been positively conquered by bicycles. It's true, and it's amazing. More work to do, but the tides have turned.
The good news: It is happening in Berkeley!!
November 23, 2025 at 7:47 PM
I have some really good news and in keeping with vibes, will share it here, and not there:
A few months ago I noticed how New York City has been positively conquered by bicycles. It's true, and it's amazing. More work to do, but the tides have turned.
The good news: It is happening in Berkeley!!
A few months ago I noticed how New York City has been positively conquered by bicycles. It's true, and it's amazing. More work to do, but the tides have turned.
The good news: It is happening in Berkeley!!
Reposted by Matthew Lewis is ready for progressive federalism
WATCH: If you really STILL don’t understand how car-dependent suburbia is HEAVILY SUBSIDIZED by downtown & all the urban parts of your city, please watch this EXCELLENT video by #NotJustBikes helped by #UrbanThree & @StrongTowns.org. And then please SHARE it as much as possible. youtu.be/7Nw6qyyrTeI
November 22, 2025 at 4:57 PM
WATCH: If you really STILL don’t understand how car-dependent suburbia is HEAVILY SUBSIDIZED by downtown & all the urban parts of your city, please watch this EXCELLENT video by #NotJustBikes helped by #UrbanThree & @StrongTowns.org. And then please SHARE it as much as possible. youtu.be/7Nw6qyyrTeI
Reposted by Matthew Lewis is ready for progressive federalism
Why is Corte Madera imposing fire protection impact fees only on new housing when all evidence shows that older housing has the highest risk, and at a higher rate for multifam ($6.03 psf) than single-fam ($2.50 psf) despite the latter having higher risk? www.marinij.com/2025/11/20/c...
Corte Madera approves new housing fees to support fire agency
The Central Marin Fire Authority sought the extra funding in anticipation of population growth.
www.marinij.com
November 21, 2025 at 2:10 PM
Why is Corte Madera imposing fire protection impact fees only on new housing when all evidence shows that older housing has the highest risk, and at a higher rate for multifam ($6.03 psf) than single-fam ($2.50 psf) despite the latter having higher risk? www.marinij.com/2025/11/20/c...
Reposted by Matthew Lewis is ready for progressive federalism
Grand opening, grand closing.
X quietly disabled a new feature that showed which country an account was posting from when it revealed that lots of popular right wing MAGA accounts were being run from foreign countries like India and Nigeria.
X quietly disabled a new feature that showed which country an account was posting from when it revealed that lots of popular right wing MAGA accounts were being run from foreign countries like India and Nigeria.
November 22, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Grand opening, grand closing.
X quietly disabled a new feature that showed which country an account was posting from when it revealed that lots of popular right wing MAGA accounts were being run from foreign countries like India and Nigeria.
X quietly disabled a new feature that showed which country an account was posting from when it revealed that lots of popular right wing MAGA accounts were being run from foreign countries like India and Nigeria.
Reposted by Matthew Lewis is ready for progressive federalism
On one side of my family we have zero knowledge of our lineage before my grandpa. There was just nobody left to ask. He wasn’t even sure if his last name was real or made up. And there’s a story like this in almost every Ukrainian household.
Today is Holodomor Remembrance Day
Today is Holodomor Remembrance Day
🕯 Eternal memory to all victims of Holodomor. A moment of silence.
November 22, 2025 at 5:31 PM
On one side of my family we have zero knowledge of our lineage before my grandpa. There was just nobody left to ask. He wasn’t even sure if his last name was real or made up. And there’s a story like this in almost every Ukrainian household.
Today is Holodomor Remembrance Day
Today is Holodomor Remembrance Day
I hope people who take climate seriously eventually realize the oil industry's political power is almost entirely derived from NIMBYism in places like, say, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles etc.
Americans don't *have* to give $5 trillion per year to oil/car industries. NIMBYs *force* them to.
Americans don't *have* to give $5 trillion per year to oil/car industries. NIMBYs *force* them to.
With the disappointing progress at Cop30, evergreen reminder it isn't "we" or "humanity" failing to address the climate crisis — oil-producing nations and fossil fuel interests are actively obstructing action, despite heroic efforts by developing nations, Indigenous peoples, and many, many others.
End of fossil fuel era inches closer as Cop30 deal agreed after bitter standoff
Wealthy countries should triple funds for countries to tackle climate impacts, but deforestation and critical minerals blocked from final deal
www.theguardian.com
November 22, 2025 at 9:15 PM
I hope people who take climate seriously eventually realize the oil industry's political power is almost entirely derived from NIMBYism in places like, say, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles etc.
Americans don't *have* to give $5 trillion per year to oil/car industries. NIMBYs *force* them to.
Americans don't *have* to give $5 trillion per year to oil/car industries. NIMBYs *force* them to.