City Engineer
@cityengineer.bsky.social
500 followers 980 following 1.3K posts
PE. Dengineer. Transportation and Engineering. Safe network builder for people walking, in wheelchairs, cycling & driving. Train lover. Selectboard member. Longer form here : https://bit.ly/4d0YNTj
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cityengineer.bsky.social
We could also undo zoning and make it far easier for people to make most trips without being forced to use a car
cityengineer.bsky.social
In places with high multipliers we need steady incremental growth so kids and grandkids can afford to live where they grew up or anywhere they want to.
cityengineer.bsky.social
It’s zoning reform not deregulation. It’s states taking back some of the enabling power given to locals who overreached and force residents to pay much more than they should for housing making buying a house unachievable for far too many.
cityengineer.bsky.social
Remember:

Allowing a single family homeowner to add an apartment or two to her home has nothing to do with oligarchies, much more to do with #localigarchies

It’s also free.
Reposted by City Engineer
brenttoderian.bsky.social
“Beyond Skepticism: Data Confirms Auckland's Zoning Reforms Delivered on Housing Promises.

Three rigorous studies, 43,500 new homes, and a 28% drop in rents: The data is in on Auckland's great housing experiment.”
Beyond Skepticism: Data Confirms Auckland's Zoning Reforms Delivered on Housing Promises
Three rigorous studies, 43,500 new homes, and a 28% drop in rents: The data is in on Auckland's great housing experiment
www.population.fyi
cityengineer.bsky.social
Excellent density, great topography and smart network segment choices made it possible
cityengineer.bsky.social
localigarchy (n.)
Powerful local interests that promote scarcity by controlling zoning, and planning to limit the growth of market housing supply and maintain oversized property appreciation.
cityengineer.bsky.social
I think this definition better

localigarchy (n.)
Powerful local interests that promote scarcity by controlling zoning, and planning to limit the growth of market housing supply and maintain oversized property appreciation.
cityengineer.bsky.social
These special housing islands you need to win a lottery to get into are dumb and ripe for corruption and are anti outsider. Just allow more housing until supply meets demand. Local builders would love to do sfh conversions at add an apt or 2 to add more supply.
#BackTo3
cityengineer.bsky.social
The war on the middle class need state and city level zoning reform to allow sfh conversions to duplex and triplex BY RIGHT, to allow ADUs BY RIGHT, to allow duplex as base unit in more zones, BY RIGHT. Only through steady incrememtal growth will prices ever fall.
#BackTo3 #BoomersPayItForward
cityengineer.bsky.social
needed more characters....
cityengineer.bsky.social
Most of the beautiful buildings and homes came before zoning and all the rules that followed
cityengineer.bsky.social
Shorter definition

localigarchy (n.)
Powerful local interests that profit from scarcity by controlling zoning and blocking housing.
cityengineer.bsky.social
As it gets darker earlier - people need be more careful walking, biking and especially driving. Slow down, be seen and use care.
Halloween sees more fatalities of people (kids!) walking than any other day. See link, a resource from Norway where they see much more darkness in winter. rb.gy/ggnm0z
cityengineer.bsky.social
Between 2013 and 2023, pedestrian fatalities increased by 26.8% in the Netherlands per ITF

www.itf-oecd.org/sites/defaul...

Manual transmission use dropped about from 79% to 65% over the same time period

Needs more study
www.itf-oecd.org
cityengineer.bsky.social
Microeconomics should be mandatory
cityengineer.bsky.social
I can’t figure out David. Huge blind spot
He won’t write the word “localigarchy” - the group people far more detrimental to renters and the bottom half with mortgages. Maybe he quietly owns a bunch of rentals in 6x multiplier Denver?? Dunno.

#BackTo3
#BoomersPayItForward
cityengineer.bsky.social
How any true progressive won’t speak to the need for an incremental return to 3:1 housing multipliers the Boomers were gifted with when first buying and that existed for most of the 20th century. It does need to be at the state level… locals will never do it in their own. Progressives blind spot.
cityengineer.bsky.social
In places with high multipliers we need steady incremental growth so kids and grandkids can afford to live where they grew up.
cityengineer.bsky.social
Being mandated to do it cause of SHIT zoning