Yonah Freemark
@yonahfreemark.com
Transport / Housing / Land Use / Politics / @urbaninstitute.bsky.social / Le progrès ne vaut que s’il est partagé par tous / yonahfreemark.com / thetransportpolitic.com
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Yonah Freemark
@yonahfreemark.com
· Oct 29
How Does the Federal Government Support Housing?
The federal government supports the US housing market through dozens of initiatives administered by several agencies—in total, spending hundreds of billions …
www.urban.org
Think federal government housing aid is focused on low-income families & largely funded by the Department of Housing & Urban Development?
Think again.
In new work @urbaninstitute.bsky.social, we provide a comprehensive account of the US government's many housing supports, which go far beyond HUD 🏘️
Think again.
In new work @urbaninstitute.bsky.social, we provide a comprehensive account of the US government's many housing supports, which go far beyond HUD 🏘️
LA Metro is moving ahead with an automated metro subway route linking UCLA and the San Fernando Valley, providing an effective transit option in one of the most trafficked corridors in the nation.
January 10, 2026 at 8:36 PM
LA Metro is moving ahead with an automated metro subway route linking UCLA and the San Fernando Valley, providing an effective transit option in one of the most trafficked corridors in the nation.
I just used the data that is in the NTD by urban area… so nothing more complicated than that.
January 10, 2026 at 8:32 PM
I just used the data that is in the NTD by urban area… so nothing more complicated than that.
Though land use policy plays a general role in impacting housing project feasibility, this current trend is not the product of tighter land use regulations. It is the result of the economic environment.
January 10, 2026 at 5:30 PM
Though land use policy plays a general role in impacting housing project feasibility, this current trend is not the product of tighter land use regulations. It is the result of the economic environment.
Though incomes have increased over that time, the increase in incomes has been lower than the increase in construction costs, notably, which have been +50% in some regions since 2020!
January 10, 2026 at 5:29 PM
Though incomes have increased over that time, the increase in incomes has been lower than the increase in construction costs, notably, which have been +50% in some regions since 2020!
Post-Great Recession, there was a constant increase in housing construction in the US. That came to an end in spring 2022. US has been declining since.
High debt costs + high construction costs make construction loans require much higher future rents/home prices, making projects less feasible.
High debt costs + high construction costs make construction loans require much higher future rents/home prices, making projects less feasible.
January 10, 2026 at 5:28 PM
Post-Great Recession, there was a constant increase in housing construction in the US. That came to an end in spring 2022. US has been declining since.
High debt costs + high construction costs make construction loans require much higher future rents/home prices, making projects less feasible.
High debt costs + high construction costs make construction loans require much higher future rents/home prices, making projects less feasible.
New data show housing construction continuing to decline. Oct 2025 data showed the lowest new housing starts figure since the pandemic.
The economic environment—high debt costs + high construction costs, primarily—is making housing more and more difficult to build.
fred.stlouisfed.org/series/HOUST
The economic environment—high debt costs + high construction costs, primarily—is making housing more and more difficult to build.
fred.stlouisfed.org/series/HOUST
January 10, 2026 at 5:25 PM
New data show housing construction continuing to decline. Oct 2025 data showed the lowest new housing starts figure since the pandemic.
The economic environment—high debt costs + high construction costs, primarily—is making housing more and more difficult to build.
fred.stlouisfed.org/series/HOUST
The economic environment—high debt costs + high construction costs, primarily—is making housing more and more difficult to build.
fred.stlouisfed.org/series/HOUST
The article that’s linked there!
January 10, 2026 at 4:11 AM
The article that’s linked there!
Intersections with the red light cameras have reduced T-bone crashes by 65% and rear-end collisions by 49%.
NYC to quadruple intersections with red light cameras by end of year, officials say https://gothamist.com/news/nyc-to-quadruple-intersections-with-red-light-cameras-by-end-of-year-officials-say
NYC to quadruple intersections with red light cameras by end of year, officials say
Red light cameras are coming to hundreds more intersections across the city.
The expanded program is allowed thanks to a law passed by state lawmakers in 2024. [ more › ]
gothamist.com
January 10, 2026 at 1:01 AM
Intersections with the red light cameras have reduced T-bone crashes by 65% and rear-end collisions by 49%.
Reposted by Yonah Freemark
Trump: "All you have to do is say to China, how many windmill areas do you have in China? So far they're not able to find any."
China:
China:
January 9, 2026 at 9:39 PM
Trump: "All you have to do is say to China, how many windmill areas do you have in China? So far they're not able to find any."
China:
China:
Reposted by Yonah Freemark
A long-awaited update of federal employment data shows crippling staff reductions in some federal agencies and offices:
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
220,000 Fewer Workers: How Trump’s Cuts Affected Every Federal Agency (Gift Article)
New data offers the first clear view of the impact of the buyouts and firings.
www.nytimes.com
January 9, 2026 at 9:33 PM
A long-awaited update of federal employment data shows crippling staff reductions in some federal agencies and offices:
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Yeah, I think those are fair points!
January 9, 2026 at 3:36 PM
Yeah, I think those are fair points!
Good Q — I'll try to look into it later!
January 9, 2026 at 2:25 PM
Good Q — I'll try to look into it later!
Reposted by Yonah Freemark
Here are the 20 US urban areas that had the highest per-capita transit ridership in 2024.
New York, unsurprisingly, dominated. Among the big urban areas, the other leaders were SF, DC & Boston.
A lot of small towns—like Ames, IA or Champaign, IL—did well, too. That's because they're college towns!
New York, unsurprisingly, dominated. Among the big urban areas, the other leaders were SF, DC & Boston.
A lot of small towns—like Ames, IA or Champaign, IL—did well, too. That's because they're college towns!
January 9, 2026 at 2:38 AM
Here are the 20 US urban areas that had the highest per-capita transit ridership in 2024.
New York, unsurprisingly, dominated. Among the big urban areas, the other leaders were SF, DC & Boston.
A lot of small towns—like Ames, IA or Champaign, IL—did well, too. That's because they're college towns!
New York, unsurprisingly, dominated. Among the big urban areas, the other leaders were SF, DC & Boston.
A lot of small towns—like Ames, IA or Champaign, IL—did well, too. That's because they're college towns!
This is an incredible look into the special circumstances faced by American Samoans—American “nationals,” not citizens—who aren’t allowed to vote, but who often don’t even know that this is the case, and who are now being prosecuted in Alaska boltsmag.org/prosecuted-f...
Eleven American Samoans in Alaska face serious prison time for voting in the only country they’ve ever known. Theirs is a wild story of colonialism, cops, “voter fraud” panic, small-town beef, and family. I spent months on this + am so glad to now be able to share it: boltsmag.org/prosecuted-f...
Americans by Name, Punished for Believing It - Bolts
In a small Alaska town, American Samoans face prosecution for voting in the only country they’ve ever known. They live in a limbo, created by colonial expansion, that now confuses even public official...
boltsmag.org
January 9, 2026 at 1:17 PM
This is an incredible look into the special circumstances faced by American Samoans—American “nationals,” not citizens—who aren’t allowed to vote, but who often don’t even know that this is the case, and who are now being prosecuted in Alaska boltsmag.org/prosecuted-f...
Here are the 20 US urban areas that had the highest per-capita transit ridership in 2024.
New York, unsurprisingly, dominated. Among the big urban areas, the other leaders were SF, DC & Boston.
A lot of small towns—like Ames, IA or Champaign, IL—did well, too. That's because they're college towns!
New York, unsurprisingly, dominated. Among the big urban areas, the other leaders were SF, DC & Boston.
A lot of small towns—like Ames, IA or Champaign, IL—did well, too. That's because they're college towns!
January 9, 2026 at 2:38 AM
Here are the 20 US urban areas that had the highest per-capita transit ridership in 2024.
New York, unsurprisingly, dominated. Among the big urban areas, the other leaders were SF, DC & Boston.
A lot of small towns—like Ames, IA or Champaign, IL—did well, too. That's because they're college towns!
New York, unsurprisingly, dominated. Among the big urban areas, the other leaders were SF, DC & Boston.
A lot of small towns—like Ames, IA or Champaign, IL—did well, too. That's because they're college towns!
One key explanation for Brightline's relatively cheap construction costs compared to similar public-sector projects is that the project was allowed to be designed with far fewer safeguards preventing deaths. Brightline was involved in 41 deaths in 2024.
The double standard between what Brightline is expected to scope and what a public transit agency is expected to scope is absolutely jaw dropping.
The government may be more responsible than the operator
January 8, 2026 at 6:41 PM
One key explanation for Brightline's relatively cheap construction costs compared to similar public-sector projects is that the project was allowed to be designed with far fewer safeguards preventing deaths. Brightline was involved in 41 deaths in 2024.
They're inventing an organized "sinister left-wing" domestic opposition they can brand as terrorists to justify crack-downs.
Leavitt: "The deadly incident that took place yesterday in Minnesota yesterday occurred as a result of a larger, sinister left-wing movement that has spread across our country where our brave men and women of federal law enforcement are under organized attack."
January 8, 2026 at 6:37 PM
They're inventing an organized "sinister left-wing" domestic opposition they can brand as terrorists to justify crack-downs.
Reposted by Yonah Freemark
I don’t want to sleep on the word Urban here. That’s had a racial valence on the Right for decades (centuries?) but it’s increasingly explicit that they also hate cities and the people who live in them *because* they are cities.
it's sort of funny that white is now an epithet on the right if paired with woman and liberal
January 8, 2026 at 5:17 PM
I don’t want to sleep on the word Urban here. That’s had a racial valence on the Right for decades (centuries?) but it’s increasingly explicit that they also hate cities and the people who live in them *because* they are cities.
Reposted by Yonah Freemark
Quite possible that the net effect of public policy in many places will soon be to discourage EV adoption. If it’s not already. www.detroitnews.com/story/news/p...
Michigan lawmakers might impose big fee hikes on EV, plug-in hybrid owners
Clean energy advocates are lobbying to get lawmakers to scale back double-digit fee hikes on the owners of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids.
www.detroitnews.com
January 8, 2026 at 2:35 PM
Quite possible that the net effect of public policy in many places will soon be to discourage EV adoption. If it’s not already. www.detroitnews.com/story/news/p...
Reposted by Yonah Freemark
The 2025 transit openings I'm looking the most forward to are LA's D Line, aka the "subway to the sea", and the LAX people mover.
Exciting to see LA build out its transit system to major destinations where people want to go.
via @yonahfreemark.com
Exciting to see LA build out its transit system to major destinations where people want to go.
via @yonahfreemark.com
Transit Expansion in North America: A Look Ahead to 2026, and a 2025 Roundup
In 2026, new fixed-guideway transit lines are opening across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. In this overview, I compile information about each of these projects, including: Metro and monora…
www.thetransportpolitic.com
January 8, 2026 at 1:44 PM
The 2025 transit openings I'm looking the most forward to are LA's D Line, aka the "subway to the sea", and the LAX people mover.
Exciting to see LA build out its transit system to major destinations where people want to go.
via @yonahfreemark.com
Exciting to see LA build out its transit system to major destinations where people want to go.
via @yonahfreemark.com
Reposted by Yonah Freemark
This is the kind of policy that will transform NYC for the better - bolstering universal 3K & eventually universal 2K will make this a city you can afford to raise a family in. (Next, do aftercare & summers!!!) www.nytimes.com/2026/01/08/n...
Hochul to Announce Road Map to Expand Child Care Alongside Mamdani
www.nytimes.com
January 8, 2026 at 1:28 PM
This is the kind of policy that will transform NYC for the better - bolstering universal 3K & eventually universal 2K will make this a city you can afford to raise a family in. (Next, do aftercare & summers!!!) www.nytimes.com/2026/01/08/n...
Reposted by Yonah Freemark
Excellent, damning analysis of the video of the killing of Ms Good, from the NYT, including a quick debunking of the “evidence” the President showed other Times reporters last night.
www.nytimes.com/video/us/100...
www.nytimes.com/video/us/100...
Video: Videos Contradict Trump Administration Account of ICE Shooting in Minneapolis
An analysis of footage from three camera angles shows that the motorist was driving away from — not toward — a federal officer when he opened fire.
www.nytimes.com
January 8, 2026 at 12:44 PM
Excellent, damning analysis of the video of the killing of Ms Good, from the NYT, including a quick debunking of the “evidence” the President showed other Times reporters last night.
www.nytimes.com/video/us/100...
www.nytimes.com/video/us/100...
Infrastructure construction in the US, like seemingly everything else, has gone completely out of whack.
The IBR will cost as much as $17.7 billion, more than double the previous max. cost of $7.5 billion, according to documents unearthed by City Observatory. cityobservatory.org/17-7-billion...
January 8, 2026 at 1:46 AM
Infrastructure construction in the US, like seemingly everything else, has gone completely out of whack.