Tim McCormick
@tmccormick.org
Housing and knowledge activist, designer, researcher, writer, builder; Contributor writer at @Sightline.org; etc. Mostly in: Cascadia, Western US, LDN; nomadic. http://tmccormick.org; tmccormick.eth
what was the event, and what were all the answers to this question? is it recorded or documented anywhere anyhow?
December 11, 2025 at 5:08 PM
what was the event, and what were all the answers to this question? is it recorded or documented anywhere anyhow?
Reposted by Tim McCormick
"I want people to partner with the Earth, not partner with the utility company."
"If we don't do this then we are dependent on infrastructure. Infrastructure is very scary."
— #MichaelReynolds, founder of #Earthship Biotecture, New Mexico. I visited last spring, it was amazing. #Architecture
"If we don't do this then we are dependent on infrastructure. Infrastructure is very scary."
— #MichaelReynolds, founder of #Earthship Biotecture, New Mexico. I visited last spring, it was amazing. #Architecture
March 20, 2025 at 5:41 AM
"I want people to partner with the Earth, not partner with the utility company."
"If we don't do this then we are dependent on infrastructure. Infrastructure is very scary."
— #MichaelReynolds, founder of #Earthship Biotecture, New Mexico. I visited last spring, it was amazing. #Architecture
"If we don't do this then we are dependent on infrastructure. Infrastructure is very scary."
— #MichaelReynolds, founder of #Earthship Biotecture, New Mexico. I visited last spring, it was amazing. #Architecture
aww, good to meet you Fred. you must be a full-grown tiger by now 🐅
October 6, 2025 at 7:27 AM
aww, good to meet you Fred. you must be a full-grown tiger by now 🐅
ah, capital requirements: what builders/developers constantly say is their binding constraint, not zoning. More reason to consider the mostly ignored or forgotten paths of building w/out investor capital: e.g., incrementally, low-capital cottage courts, #selfbuild.
bsky.app/profile/muha...
bsky.app/profile/muha...
To me it’s more of a housing finance issue so my next two papers are going to focus on that.
Some places get everything right on missing middle but equity is the problem. Equity firms typically don’t waste their time on MMH and rich people get better returns not investing in a MMH project.
Some places get everything right on missing middle but equity is the problem. Equity firms typically don’t waste their time on MMH and rich people get better returns not investing in a MMH project.
August 24, 2025 at 5:16 AM
ah, capital requirements: what builders/developers constantly say is their binding constraint, not zoning. More reason to consider the mostly ignored or forgotten paths of building w/out investor capital: e.g., incrementally, low-capital cottage courts, #selfbuild.
bsky.app/profile/muha...
bsky.app/profile/muha...
August 24, 2025 at 2:14 AM
and let's remember #MissingSmall, the housing forms that can be by far the lowest cost per home in most of the US. alfredtwu.medium.com/missing-smal.... In my 12+ years advocating such, I'm always amazed how rarely anyone even thinks of these true lowest-cost housing options, let alone advocates for
Missing Small Housing
The housing crisis isn’t just a big city problem. Rural areas also don’t have enough homes — for example, California’s Imperial County has…
alfredtwu.medium.com
August 24, 2025 at 2:09 AM
and let's remember #MissingSmall, the housing forms that can be by far the lowest cost per home in most of the US. alfredtwu.medium.com/missing-smal.... In my 12+ years advocating such, I'm always amazed how rarely anyone even thinks of these true lowest-cost housing options, let alone advocates for
having dwelled for large parts of my life, across 40 years, close by the main corridor of SW PDX (Barbur/I-5), and closely studied it, I see it as amazingly untouched by planning or urbanist reform. Barely different from how my father recalled it from hitching a ride there en route to Alaska ca.1961
August 23, 2025 at 10:03 PM
having dwelled for large parts of my life, across 40 years, close by the main corridor of SW PDX (Barbur/I-5), and closely studied it, I see it as amazingly untouched by planning or urbanist reform. Barely different from how my father recalled it from hitching a ride there en route to Alaska ca.1961
"All professions are conspiracies against the laity."
—George Bernard Shaw. The Doctor's Dilemma, 1906. [see variant usage in the Preface].
archive.org/details/in.e...
—George Bernard Shaw. The Doctor's Dilemma, 1906. [see variant usage in the Preface].
archive.org/details/in.e...
August 17, 2025 at 7:09 AM
"All professions are conspiracies against the laity."
—George Bernard Shaw. The Doctor's Dilemma, 1906. [see variant usage in the Preface].
archive.org/details/in.e...
—George Bernard Shaw. The Doctor's Dilemma, 1906. [see variant usage in the Preface].
archive.org/details/in.e...
why trust as expert opinion the statements of one party in the series of legal disputes under discussion, though? I wouldn't, regardless of what the issue or who the party. Bearing that out, in this case after examining the documents referenced I find the statements significantly misinformational.
August 17, 2025 at 6:20 AM
why trust as expert opinion the statements of one party in the series of legal disputes under discussion, though? I wouldn't, regardless of what the issue or who the party. Bearing that out, in this case after examining the documents referenced I find the statements significantly misinformational.
I'm following #Spokane reforms with special interest b/c I sometimes spend time there, a family member has a house there, and imo the property could be a good test site for the #CottageCluster, rock-bottom-cost, highly adaptable form of the #SpokaneSix I dream of. #SpokaneSixpack? #MissingSmall
August 8, 2025 at 2:59 AM
I'm following #Spokane reforms with special interest b/c I sometimes spend time there, a family member has a house there, and imo the property could be a good test site for the #CottageCluster, rock-bottom-cost, highly adaptable form of the #SpokaneSix I dream of. #SpokaneSixpack? #MissingSmall
perhaps #Spokane + #MiddleHousing, keeping things composable?
August 8, 2025 at 2:57 AM
perhaps #Spokane + #MiddleHousing, keeping things composable?
Reposted by Tim McCormick
We made these reforms, will they help, how much, how sufficient, what else is possible and needed? I'm planning to tune in: 12:20pm @opb.org, or later at www.opb.org/article/2025.... Please let's talk #OutcomesNotOutputs, and barriers, factors, possibilities besides zoning
bsky.app/profile/ande...
bsky.app/profile/ande...
August 4, 2025 at 7:08 PM
We made these reforms, will they help, how much, how sufficient, what else is possible and needed? I'm planning to tune in: 12:20pm @opb.org, or later at www.opb.org/article/2025.... Please let's talk #OutcomesNotOutputs, and barriers, factors, possibilities besides zoning
bsky.app/profile/ande...
bsky.app/profile/ande...
We made these reforms, will they help, how much, how sufficient, what else is possible and needed? I'm planning to tune in: 12:20pm @opb.org, or later at www.opb.org/article/2025.... Please let's talk #OutcomesNotOutputs, and barriers, factors, possibilities besides zoning
bsky.app/profile/ande...
bsky.app/profile/ande...
August 4, 2025 at 7:08 PM
We made these reforms, will they help, how much, how sufficient, what else is possible and needed? I'm planning to tune in: 12:20pm @opb.org, or later at www.opb.org/article/2025.... Please let's talk #OutcomesNotOutputs, and barriers, factors, possibilities besides zoning
bsky.app/profile/ande...
bsky.app/profile/ande...
what are the possible solutions? 🤔
August 2, 2025 at 11:46 AM
what are the possible solutions? 🤔
travel electric kettle, 450 or 500mL, ~$25. Mine (left, discontinued) is especially discreet, looks just like a thermos or waterbottle, is among my favorite and most constantly used #microdwelling essentials. For coffee/tea, oatmeal, soup. Next level: figure how to, or get model that will, boil eggs
August 2, 2025 at 4:49 AM
travel electric kettle, 450 or 500mL, ~$25. Mine (left, discontinued) is especially discreet, looks just like a thermos or waterbottle, is among my favorite and most constantly used #microdwelling essentials. For coffee/tea, oatmeal, soup. Next level: figure how to, or get model that will, boil eggs
@valarie.bsky.social sort of in the vein of the lovely @backlisted.bsky.social, I wondered if you know or listen to LRB #CloseReadings? www.lrb.co.uk/podcasts-and.... I follow, though don't subscribe; just listened to latest, on #Frankenstein, with an especially plummy-voiced guest
July 28, 2025 at 8:53 PM
@valarie.bsky.social sort of in the vein of the lovely @backlisted.bsky.social, I wondered if you know or listen to LRB #CloseReadings? www.lrb.co.uk/podcasts-and.... I follow, though don't subscribe; just listened to latest, on #Frankenstein, with an especially plummy-voiced guest
as with other utility rates, and prices, I'd suggest they go to *negative*, ie pay the participant: for positive equity and incenting pro-social action, like transit/bike use, conservation, or event participation #EquityTicketing www.tmccormick.org/writing/equi...
www.blueoregon.com/2010/09/trea...
www.blueoregon.com/2010/09/trea...
Treating Transit as a Utility - BlueOregon
When you go for a walk, drive, or bike ride, you don’t reach for your wallet. But when you decide to catch a ride on a bus or light rail, you’ve got to pay. We ...
www.blueoregon.com
July 28, 2025 at 6:12 PM
as with other utility rates, and prices, I'd suggest they go to *negative*, ie pay the participant: for positive equity and incenting pro-social action, like transit/bike use, conservation, or event participation #EquityTicketing www.tmccormick.org/writing/equi...
www.blueoregon.com/2010/09/trea...
www.blueoregon.com/2010/09/trea...
GZA (?): it's a mission.
Zohran: it's Wu-Tang financial
😂🤔.
and aptly, a reply with poetic meter—iambic dimeter?
Zohran: it's Wu-Tang financial
😂🤔.
and aptly, a reply with poetic meter—iambic dimeter?
July 28, 2025 at 5:53 PM
GZA (?): it's a mission.
Zohran: it's Wu-Tang financial
😂🤔.
and aptly, a reply with poetic meter—iambic dimeter?
Zohran: it's Wu-Tang financial
😂🤔.
and aptly, a reply with poetic meter—iambic dimeter?
If interested to broaden scope so, I'd suggest knowers of #CaliforniaForever @california-forever.bsky.social (or #SolanoCity as I like to call it, after the county it's in)
californiaforever.com/the-bold-cit...
californiaforever.com/the-bold-cit...
The bold city project of the tech elite - California Forever
californiaforever.com
July 28, 2025 at 5:44 PM
If interested to broaden scope so, I'd suggest knowers of #CaliforniaForever @california-forever.bsky.social (or #SolanoCity as I like to call it, after the county it's in)
californiaforever.com/the-bold-cit...
californiaforever.com/the-bold-cit...
lol good meme, am working on case of rn
July 28, 2025 at 5:42 PM
lol good meme, am working on case of rn
having been in the trenches on some PDX housing reform efforts, I've become intrigued by how large a role is played by apparently assumed or tolerated process vs what laws specify, & how one might design it now for the purported purposes, e.g. accountability & participation
bsky.app/profile/brad...
bsky.app/profile/brad...
We're in the middle of a humanitarian crisis, 7k Portlanders are sleeping on the street tonight because we've created this cruel game of musical chairs.
We can't wait 2+ years for a BPS planning project to play out
Council must pass Inner Eastside for All *this year*
@councilormorillo.bsky.social
We can't wait 2+ years for a BPS planning project to play out
Council must pass Inner Eastside for All *this year*
@councilormorillo.bsky.social
July 25, 2025 at 7:10 PM
having been in the trenches on some PDX housing reform efforts, I've become intrigued by how large a role is played by apparently assumed or tolerated process vs what laws specify, & how one might design it now for the purported purposes, e.g. accountability & participation
bsky.app/profile/brad...
bsky.app/profile/brad...
to advocate via framing, I —or those who most need the housing and qualify, unlike those who arrange these matters— might suggest "Must #InclusionaryHousing funding go to the most-needed and cost-effective housing?" (vs just to apartments in new, large, market-rate buildings, if and when any built?)
July 25, 2025 at 6:40 PM
to advocate via framing, I —or those who most need the housing and qualify, unlike those who arrange these matters— might suggest "Must #InclusionaryHousing funding go to the most-needed and cost-effective housing?" (vs just to apartments in new, large, market-rate buildings, if and when any built?)
sounds like the alternative/social housing legislation the outcome of which was to request a study from the City Administrator (who's to ask the Portland Housing Bureau, is the purpose, says the Impact Statement, In a maneuver I don't understand): www.portland.gov/council/docu...
July 25, 2025 at 6:22 PM
sounds like the alternative/social housing legislation the outcome of which was to request a study from the City Administrator (who's to ask the Portland Housing Bureau, is the purpose, says the Impact Statement, In a maneuver I don't understand): www.portland.gov/council/docu...