Owen
@oweninvan.bsky.social
The best laid schemes o' Mice an' Men gang aft agley, an' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain, for promis'd joy!
Vancouver, BC
Vancouver, BC
Reposted by Owen
Downzoning was used by cities around the world to preserve neighborhood aesthetics & protect property values.
New evidence from Chicago in @findingspress.org ⏬ shows downzoning's effects over several decades:
—Massive drop in housing construction
—Higher home prices
—Increased racial segregation
New evidence from Chicago in @findingspress.org ⏬ shows downzoning's effects over several decades:
—Massive drop in housing construction
—Higher home prices
—Increased racial segregation
Downzoning Chicago: How Local Land Use Policy Has Reduced Housing Construction and Reinforced Segregation | Published in Findings
By Yonah Freemark, George Kisiel. Downzonings were used by US cities in the postwar period to preserve neighborhood character. These land-use policies were associated with lower housing supply, higher...
findingspress.org
December 1, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Downzoning was used by cities around the world to preserve neighborhood aesthetics & protect property values.
New evidence from Chicago in @findingspress.org ⏬ shows downzoning's effects over several decades:
—Massive drop in housing construction
—Higher home prices
—Increased racial segregation
New evidence from Chicago in @findingspress.org ⏬ shows downzoning's effects over several decades:
—Massive drop in housing construction
—Higher home prices
—Increased racial segregation
Wow, like 1500 to 2.
Ex-official explained this in a way that will stick with me forever: Within fire departments, the EMTs are overworked and underpaid and don’t have time to advocate for policy. The fire chiefs, on the other hand, have a lot more time on their hands. So fire response, not medical, dictates policy.
November 30, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Wow, like 1500 to 2.
It's Blake Friday! What are you watching?
November 28, 2025 at 4:31 PM
It's Blake Friday! What are you watching?
Reposted by Owen
Interesting new working paper that studies chains of movers after the construction of a new apartment building in Honolulu.
Paper finds that the project resulted in the opening up other, lower cost, housing on the island, benefiting the housing market overall.
Paper finds that the project resulted in the opening up other, lower cost, housing on the island, benefiting the housing market overall.
uhero.hawaii.edu
November 28, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Interesting new working paper that studies chains of movers after the construction of a new apartment building in Honolulu.
Paper finds that the project resulted in the opening up other, lower cost, housing on the island, benefiting the housing market overall.
Paper finds that the project resulted in the opening up other, lower cost, housing on the island, benefiting the housing market overall.
Reposted by Owen
Send your support for Vancouver's Social Housing Initiative TODAY before 5pm! The public hearing is tonight.
Zoning is supposed to regulate the use & not the user, but public hearings for social housing often turn ugly & discriminatory. This zoning improvement will lead...
1/2
Zoning is supposed to regulate the use & not the user, but public hearings for social housing often turn ugly & discriminatory. This zoning improvement will lead...
1/2
November 27, 2025 at 7:51 PM
Send your support for Vancouver's Social Housing Initiative TODAY before 5pm! The public hearing is tonight.
Zoning is supposed to regulate the use & not the user, but public hearings for social housing often turn ugly & discriminatory. This zoning improvement will lead...
1/2
Zoning is supposed to regulate the use & not the user, but public hearings for social housing often turn ugly & discriminatory. This zoning improvement will lead...
1/2
People who stand by the door on the bus should be proficient at getting out of the way.
You should have to take a course then pass an annual test to keep your license.
You should have to take a course then pass an annual test to keep your license.
November 26, 2025 at 3:48 PM
People who stand by the door on the bus should be proficient at getting out of the way.
You should have to take a course then pass an annual test to keep your license.
You should have to take a course then pass an annual test to keep your license.
Reposted by Owen
Great news, Vancouverites doubled up more between 2021 and 2024, so based on that baseline we now need fewer homes to accommodate future population growth!
Metro Vancouver still working hard to coordinate the worsening of our housing shortage...
Metro Vancouver still working hard to coordinate the worsening of our housing shortage...
November 26, 2025 at 6:41 AM
Great news, Vancouverites doubled up more between 2021 and 2024, so based on that baseline we now need fewer homes to accommodate future population growth!
Metro Vancouver still working hard to coordinate the worsening of our housing shortage...
Metro Vancouver still working hard to coordinate the worsening of our housing shortage...
So, notionally, only about 1 in 10 Americans get the correct answer that aliens probably exist but probably have not visited Earth, especially recently.
Do Americans think aliens have ever visited Earth?
% who think they definitely or probably have …
Ever
U.S. adult citizens 47%
Democrats 51%
Republicans 41%
In recent years
U.S. adult citizens 42%
Democrats 45%
Republicans 39%
today.yougov.com/health/artic...
% who think they definitely or probably have …
Ever
U.S. adult citizens 47%
Democrats 51%
Republicans 41%
In recent years
U.S. adult citizens 42%
Democrats 45%
Republicans 39%
today.yougov.com/health/artic...
![A chart of YouGov polling data with the headline: "Americans are split on whether aliens have visited Earth in recent years ."
The chart's sub-headline is: "How likely do you think it is that aliens have [ever visited Earth / visited Earth in recent years]? (%)."](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:ke6f766al4swdugyvmvyipuo/bafkreidud3naabaljgrtc7u6kgcsh3lgvpzcjkg3dkrtu2o3p4rqqvqj54@jpeg)
November 25, 2025 at 11:55 PM
So, notionally, only about 1 in 10 Americans get the correct answer that aliens probably exist but probably have not visited Earth, especially recently.
Reposted by Owen
Super-excited about the bits of the Review's Terms of Reference that have been censored..
November 25, 2025 at 11:02 PM
Super-excited about the bits of the Review's Terms of Reference that have been censored..
The Libs big "infrastructure budget" will increase infra spending by less than one-fifth the increase in OAS by 2029!
November 24, 2025 at 8:01 PM
The Libs big "infrastructure budget" will increase infra spending by less than one-fifth the increase in OAS by 2029!
Reposted by Owen
The Scooby Doo Theory of Housing states that we can arrest housing price inflation if we only some clever kids are able to unmask the evil villain responsible for making rent go up.
I think this is mostly San Francisco finally shrugging off the pandemic, but it is *really* funny that rent prices in San Francisco shot up *immediately* after the city banned RealPage and other algorithmic price setting software.
My pre trends are incredible!
My pre trends are incredible!
November 22, 2025 at 7:15 PM
The Scooby Doo Theory of Housing states that we can arrest housing price inflation if we only some clever kids are able to unmask the evil villain responsible for making rent go up.
Reposted by Owen
Thank you, Dan Leonard (a member of Granite Members for Affordable Housing).
“The MB government is hoping for a generational investment to expand the Port of Churchill, but the City of Winnipeg is unable to even move forward with a funded, city-approved, 111-unit housing project on city land.”
“The MB government is hoping for a generational investment to expand the Port of Churchill, but the City of Winnipeg is unable to even move forward with a funded, city-approved, 111-unit housing project on city land.”
November 21, 2025 at 2:49 PM
Thank you, Dan Leonard (a member of Granite Members for Affordable Housing).
“The MB government is hoping for a generational investment to expand the Port of Churchill, but the City of Winnipeg is unable to even move forward with a funded, city-approved, 111-unit housing project on city land.”
“The MB government is hoping for a generational investment to expand the Port of Churchill, but the City of Winnipeg is unable to even move forward with a funded, city-approved, 111-unit housing project on city land.”
Trans-Canada HVDC line
2x rail and port capacity
Independent missile defence
2x rail and port capacity
Independent missile defence
I want to hear your uncomfortably big ideas for Canada!
November 22, 2025 at 7:07 AM
Trans-Canada HVDC line
2x rail and port capacity
Independent missile defence
2x rail and port capacity
Independent missile defence
Reposted by Owen
Even smaller lots (33’ and 50’) can be suitable for single stair + modular
(Just need cities to allow full density on small lots - looking at you CoV)
(Just need cities to allow full density on small lots - looking at you CoV)
November 21, 2025 at 3:27 AM
Even smaller lots (33’ and 50’) can be suitable for single stair + modular
(Just need cities to allow full density on small lots - looking at you CoV)
(Just need cities to allow full density on small lots - looking at you CoV)
Looking for an engaging conversation next Thursday?
- A land value tax would solve this.
- A land value tax would solve this.
BC Housing & Land Value Tax Panel 2025 — Common Wealth Canada
Meet housing and LVT advocates in Vancouver and Victoria, November 2025
www.commonwealth.ca
November 20, 2025 at 4:16 AM
Looking for an engaging conversation next Thursday?
- A land value tax would solve this.
- A land value tax would solve this.
Reposted by Owen
If you live in a pre-1970 single family home, you're 19x more likely to die in a fire than if you live in a post-2010 multifamily building www.pew.org/en/research-...
Modern Multifamily Buildings Provide the Most Fire Protection
A large body of research has demonstrated that apartment buildings and other types of multifamily housing can provide many benefits to a community, especially when built in high-demand areas where hou...
www.pew.org
November 19, 2025 at 4:15 AM
If you live in a pre-1970 single family home, you're 19x more likely to die in a fire than if you live in a post-2010 multifamily building www.pew.org/en/research-...
To be clear, I do think the supply curve for housing, in general, exists, but Ford isn't in a position to criticize. Why doesn't Ontario pay 5% of the cost of every new home purchase if it's an easy fix? I think he would choose the upzones route if he had to choose between the two.
The less Ford does to encourage better zoning (ON has done very little), the more of any GST rebate would wind up in the pockets of existing homeowners. Best case: it offsets development fees, but that opens the window to cities hiking them more. I'm skeptical of demand subs-only effectiveness.
Today, Premier Ford suggested expanding the First-Time Homebuyers GST credit to all: "Why don’t we give it to everyone, not just first-time homebuyers, anyone who buys a new home”
I'm surprised the feds & province haven't done this already.
I'm surprised the feds & province haven't done this already.
November 19, 2025 at 12:31 AM
To be clear, I do think the supply curve for housing, in general, exists, but Ford isn't in a position to criticize. Why doesn't Ontario pay 5% of the cost of every new home purchase if it's an easy fix? I think he would choose the upzones route if he had to choose between the two.
The less Ford does to encourage better zoning (ON has done very little), the more of any GST rebate would wind up in the pockets of existing homeowners. Best case: it offsets development fees, but that opens the window to cities hiking them more. I'm skeptical of demand subs-only effectiveness.
Today, Premier Ford suggested expanding the First-Time Homebuyers GST credit to all: "Why don’t we give it to everyone, not just first-time homebuyers, anyone who buys a new home”
I'm surprised the feds & province haven't done this already.
I'm surprised the feds & province haven't done this already.
Ontario premier, finance minister disagree on 1st-time homebuyers tax discount | Globalnews.ca
As Ford spoke about affordability measures on Monday, he gently chided the finance minister's policy, suggesting it was too narrow.
globalnews.ca
November 17, 2025 at 8:42 PM
The less Ford does to encourage better zoning (ON has done very little), the more of any GST rebate would wind up in the pockets of existing homeowners. Best case: it offsets development fees, but that opens the window to cities hiking them more. I'm skeptical of demand subs-only effectiveness.
A new challenger has entered the arena!
Exciting news - I’m seeking the mayoral nomination with @OneCityVan! 1 / 5 youtu.be/2MTf7QmcEpc
My name is William Azaroff and I'm seeking the mayoral nomination with OneCity
YouTube video by William for Vancouver
youtu.be
November 17, 2025 at 6:02 PM
A new challenger has entered the arena!
Reposted by Owen
So-called “inclusionary zoning” is a tax on new housing that reduces the amount of housing that gets built, worsening the housing shortage and driving up rent. It is bad, counterproductive policy and we should stop doing it.
Building housing is a left issue.
Taxing housing to build housing means less housing.
Less housing means more pressure on your housing market and higher rents.
Build the housing. And don’t let NIMBYs stop or slow us downs
Taxing housing to build housing means less housing.
Less housing means more pressure on your housing market and higher rents.
Build the housing. And don’t let NIMBYs stop or slow us downs
@wilsonforseattle.bsky.social
1. Get rid of min. parking requirements
2. Temporarily end MHA to spur building for 3 yrs
3. Get rid of design review temporarily for 3 yrs
4. Don’t allow NIMBYs in wealthy areas to slow down development; sue them every time as a deterrent for future efforts
1. Get rid of min. parking requirements
2. Temporarily end MHA to spur building for 3 yrs
3. Get rid of design review temporarily for 3 yrs
4. Don’t allow NIMBYs in wealthy areas to slow down development; sue them every time as a deterrent for future efforts
November 16, 2025 at 5:49 PM
So-called “inclusionary zoning” is a tax on new housing that reduces the amount of housing that gets built, worsening the housing shortage and driving up rent. It is bad, counterproductive policy and we should stop doing it.
10 million tonnes more of domestic consumption (early 2000 levels) would make up for losing about 1/3 of 2023 exports, which have also been on a long decline.
November 16, 2025 at 8:40 PM
10 million tonnes more of domestic consumption (early 2000 levels) would make up for losing about 1/3 of 2023 exports, which have also been on a long decline.
Reposted by Owen
A reader found this passage from my book MAXIMUM CANADA suddenly ripe with relevance
November 16, 2025 at 8:29 PM
A reader found this passage from my book MAXIMUM CANADA suddenly ripe with relevance
Canadian softwood lumber consumption was almost 60% higher 20 years ago.
We're not mass timbering very hard.
We're not mass timbering very hard.
November 16, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Canadian softwood lumber consumption was almost 60% higher 20 years ago.
We're not mass timbering very hard.
We're not mass timbering very hard.
So few Canadians are reading printed newspapers now that, according to Natural Resources Canada, newsprint is turning back into trees.
November 16, 2025 at 8:15 PM
So few Canadians are reading printed newspapers now that, according to Natural Resources Canada, newsprint is turning back into trees.