Rich Fravel
@rjfravel.bsky.social
Charlottesville, “Littera scripta manet…”
Seen on Little Clarendon Street in Oxford today, an Oxford comma about which there should be no dispute.
January 4, 2026 at 7:22 PM
Seen on Little Clarendon Street in Oxford today, an Oxford comma about which there should be no dispute.
Reposted by Rich Fravel
"It’s easy to slip a fifty between the covers of a book without sacrificing the tradition of physical gifts. (You can even put the money near the end of the book if you want to be slightly evil—which, as an aunt, you should be, if you possibly can.)"
This Holiday, Give the Auntly Gift of Books
Young nieces and nephews may not thrill to them—but there is virtually no better way of inviting them into the world of your own childhood imagination.
lnk.thebulwark.com
December 17, 2025 at 6:00 PM
"It’s easy to slip a fifty between the covers of a book without sacrificing the tradition of physical gifts. (You can even put the money near the end of the book if you want to be slightly evil—which, as an aunt, you should be, if you possibly can.)"
November wanes. Late afternoon sky. City of Charlottesville
November 30, 2025 at 10:07 PM
November wanes. Late afternoon sky. City of Charlottesville
Virginia Supreme Court refuses to review AG’s appeal in college board appointees case virginiamercury.com/briefs/virgi...
Virginia Supreme Court refuses to review AG's appeal in college board appointees case • Virginia Mercury
The Virginia Supreme Court has refused to take up a case that suspended multiple appointees by Gov. Glenn Youngkin from serving on three Virginia university governing boards.
virginiamercury.com
November 17, 2025 at 9:59 PM
Virginia Supreme Court refuses to review AG’s appeal in college board appointees case virginiamercury.com/briefs/virgi...
NYT piece on planned cuts in housing grants. You can read it with this gift link. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/12/u...
Trump Administration to Drastically Cut Housing Grants
www.nytimes.com
November 13, 2025 at 4:44 AM
NYT piece on planned cuts in housing grants. You can read it with this gift link. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/12/u...
The Virginia election this week increases the likelihood that the next legislative session will address housing affordability. This policy brief lists a number of options for policymakers to consider.
www.mercatus.org/research/pol...
www.mercatus.org/research/pol...
Housing Reform in the States: A Menu of Options for 2026
Although state legislatures took unprecedented strides toward releasing the housing supply from its regulatory straitjacket in 2025, most pro-housing policies have not yet been adopted in most states....
www.mercatus.org
November 7, 2025 at 1:16 PM
The Virginia election this week increases the likelihood that the next legislative session will address housing affordability. This policy brief lists a number of options for policymakers to consider.
www.mercatus.org/research/pol...
www.mercatus.org/research/pol...
Charlottesville morning 3 November —view through the window.
November 3, 2025 at 2:10 PM
Charlottesville morning 3 November —view through the window.
Reposted by Rich Fravel
Join me and President Barack Obama in Norfolk to get out the vote! Tune in live here:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnGC... (www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnGC...)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnGC... (www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnGC...)
Virginia Votes Rally in Norfolk with Abigail Spanberger and President Barack Obama
YouTube video by Abigail Spanberger for Governor
www.youtube.com
November 1, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Join me and President Barack Obama in Norfolk to get out the vote! Tune in live here:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnGC... (www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnGC...)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnGC... (www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnGC...)
Sharing this free link. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/29/w...
As the Dutch Vote, One Issue Carries the Day: Affordable Housing
www.nytimes.com
October 29, 2025 at 11:14 AM
Sharing this free link. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/29/w...
Sharing this free link www.nytimes.com/2025/10/29/u...
In Utah, Trump’s Vision for Homelessness Begins to Take Shape
www.nytimes.com
October 29, 2025 at 11:03 AM
Sharing this free link www.nytimes.com/2025/10/29/u...
Link to the DOJ guidance relevant to UVA's compliance reporting with respect to its agreement with DOJ.
www.justice.gov/ag/media/140...
Link to the Agreement
bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/cbs19news.co...
www.justice.gov/ag/media/140...
Link to the Agreement
bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/cbs19news.co...
www.justice.gov
October 22, 2025 at 9:59 PM
Link to the DOJ guidance relevant to UVA's compliance reporting with respect to its agreement with DOJ.
www.justice.gov/ag/media/140...
Link to the Agreement
bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/cbs19news.co...
www.justice.gov/ag/media/140...
Link to the Agreement
bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/cbs19news.co...
Reposted by Rich Fravel
When @alonlevy.bsky.social and i started working together, we both thought that a wall of text with a picture and maybe a chart/table was advanced design. We know that’s wrong. We attempted to take our NEC work and add some good design. We are very happy with how this came out: nec.transitcosts.com
How to Build High-Speed Rail on the Northeast Corridor
An interactive site presenting the North East Corridor proposal by Marron Institute's Transportation and Land Use Group, authored by Alon Levy.
nec.transitcosts.com
October 21, 2025 at 11:45 PM
When @alonlevy.bsky.social and i started working together, we both thought that a wall of text with a picture and maybe a chart/table was advanced design. We know that’s wrong. We attempted to take our NEC work and add some good design. We are very happy with how this came out: nec.transitcosts.com
Reposted by Rich Fravel
My Sunday Take: Why Democrats are holding firm on conditions ahead of shutdown wapo.st/46q0xm8
Analysis | Why Democrats are holding firm on conditions ahead of shutdown
Democrats are using their limited leverage ahead of a potential government shutdown, hoping to convince Americans that GOP spending priorities are the real danger.
wapo.st
September 21, 2025 at 9:15 AM
My Sunday Take: Why Democrats are holding firm on conditions ahead of shutdown wapo.st/46q0xm8
Single Stair Buildings podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/u...
Ep. 97: Single-Stair Buildings and Eco-Districts with Michael Eliason (Incentives Series, pt. 1)
Podcast Episode · UCLA Housing Voice · 09/10/2025 · 1h 23m
podcasts.apple.com
September 16, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Single Stair Buildings podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/u...
This, along with pending ACA subsidy cuts and the then-looming prospect of Medicaid cuts, will very likely make health care a central midterm issue next year. Democrats will need a salient policy message. www.npr.org/2025/09/12/n...
Health care costs are soaring. Blame insurers, drug companies — and your employer
Some 154 million people in the United States get health care through their employer — and for many, their costs are about to go way up.
www.npr.org
September 12, 2025 at 12:09 PM
This, along with pending ACA subsidy cuts and the then-looming prospect of Medicaid cuts, will very likely make health care a central midterm issue next year. Democrats will need a salient policy message. www.npr.org/2025/09/12/n...
…the smoke, the twisted metal, the dust, the debris, especially the loss..
September 11, 2025 at 11:35 AM
…the smoke, the twisted metal, the dust, the debris, especially the loss..
Charlottesville morning: sunlight reaching the trees as the moon sinks.
September 9, 2025 at 11:36 AM
Charlottesville morning: sunlight reaching the trees as the moon sinks.
Fifty years ago, E.B. White wrote to someone with concerns for humanity. Certainly in bleak times there are things we need to do in our collective life, but there are also things we need to do in our individual lives. And hope is something that crosses both.
August 19, 2025 at 8:34 PM
Fifty years ago, E.B. White wrote to someone with concerns for humanity. Certainly in bleak times there are things we need to do in our collective life, but there are also things we need to do in our individual lives. And hope is something that crosses both.
Friday, 15 August 2025
August 15, 2025 at 9:14 PM
Friday, 15 August 2025
Interesting piece on role of government capability/broad set of tools to spur housing growth v. reliance on zoning reform etc. Does recognize that approaches are not exclusive. Think that a principal difference is municipal investment capacity and willingness. washingtonmonthly.com/2025/08/14/c...
To Create Abundant Housing, Ignore the YIMBY Playbook | Washington Monthly
In the last 5 years, Washington DC experienced a housing boom. It took a lot more than passive deregulation.
washingtonmonthly.com
August 14, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Interesting piece on role of government capability/broad set of tools to spur housing growth v. reliance on zoning reform etc. Does recognize that approaches are not exclusive. Think that a principal difference is municipal investment capacity and willingness. washingtonmonthly.com/2025/08/14/c...
Reposted by Rich Fravel
NEW: In Portsmouth, Abigail Spanberger – Alongside Her Ticketmates, Sen. Louise Lucas, Parents, Educators, etc. – Announces “Strengthening Virginia Schools Plan” (“The strength of [VA]’s schools is personal for me, just as it is to parents across [VA] ") bluevirginia.us/2025/08/1389...
NEW: In Portsmouth, Abigail Spanberger Announces “Strengthening Virginia Schools Plan”
See below for a press release from the Abigail Spanberger for Governor campaign about her new Strengthening Virginia Schools Plan, which she just announced at "I.C. Norcom High School in Portsmouth......
bluevirginia.us
August 8, 2025 at 6:23 PM
NEW: In Portsmouth, Abigail Spanberger – Alongside Her Ticketmates, Sen. Louise Lucas, Parents, Educators, etc. – Announces “Strengthening Virginia Schools Plan” (“The strength of [VA]’s schools is personal for me, just as it is to parents across [VA] ") bluevirginia.us/2025/08/1389...
Moon over Charlottesville. Early morning 8 August.
August 8, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Moon over Charlottesville. Early morning 8 August.
Interesting piece suggesting some inclusionary zoning laws could eventually be ruled unconstitutional. Raises potential policy questions as Charlottesville re-enacts its reforms. E.g., keep IZ mandatory elements or move to solely incentive-based, etc.? calmatters.org/housing/2025...
California affordable housing programs are on the chopping block after Supreme Court ruling
Many California cities require developers to build affordable housing or pay fees to support construction of those units. A new lawsuit contends those fees are unconstitutional.
calmatters.org
August 6, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Interesting piece suggesting some inclusionary zoning laws could eventually be ruled unconstitutional. Raises potential policy questions as Charlottesville re-enacts its reforms. E.g., keep IZ mandatory elements or move to solely incentive-based, etc.? calmatters.org/housing/2025...
Reposted by Rich Fravel
We covered a lot in this conversation — more than I've summarized here. Give it a listen and let us know what you think. www.lewis.ucla.edu/2025/07/30/9...
Episode 95: Low-Rise Multifamily with Tobias Peter - UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Seattle has built more than 20,000 townhomes over the past 30 years. We discuss their impacts on affordability, homeownership, and more.
www.lewis.ucla.edu
July 30, 2025 at 2:55 PM
We covered a lot in this conversation — more than I've summarized here. Give it a listen and let us know what you think. www.lewis.ucla.edu/2025/07/30/9...