Tommy Vinyard
@tommyvinyard.bsky.social
Environmentalist, YIMBY, cyclist and software dev. Texas Ex who stayed in Austin and still loves it here.
Reposted by Tommy Vinyard
Austin voters sending a strong message they want the city to grow the tax base, not the tax rate. The only way we can do this is to make it easier and cheaper to build within city limits.
Austin early vote totals show strong opposition to Prop Q
The city is asking voters to approve a property tax increase that it says would help fund homeless services and other city projects.
www.kut.org
November 5, 2025 at 3:06 AM
Austin voters sending a strong message they want the city to grow the tax base, not the tax rate. The only way we can do this is to make it easier and cheaper to build within city limits.
Holy cow. This is an amazing plan.
Affordable housing ✅
Transit oriented development ✅
Community benefits ✅
What a bold and refreshing plan by the YMCA. Much respect to them.
Affordable housing ✅
Transit oriented development ✅
Community benefits ✅
What a bold and refreshing plan by the YMCA. Much respect to them.
communityimpact.com/austin/south...
Three towers proposed for the town lake YMCA site by the Amtrak station: 840 housing units, added trails & street connectivity, water recycling, restaurant, pre-school, & new YMCA building
Three towers proposed for the town lake YMCA site by the Amtrak station: 840 housing units, added trails & street connectivity, water recycling, restaurant, pre-school, & new YMCA building
October 19, 2025 at 7:47 PM
Holy cow. This is an amazing plan.
Affordable housing ✅
Transit oriented development ✅
Community benefits ✅
What a bold and refreshing plan by the YMCA. Much respect to them.
Affordable housing ✅
Transit oriented development ✅
Community benefits ✅
What a bold and refreshing plan by the YMCA. Much respect to them.
Reposted by Tommy Vinyard
The survey to get your opinions on overhauling Sixth Street ends 👉THIS Sunday 10/19.👈
Take the City's survey now and support Protected Bike Lanes on Sixth!
Survey link: publicinput.com/v13338
Take the City's survey now and support Protected Bike Lanes on Sixth!
Survey link: publicinput.com/v13338
October 16, 2025 at 4:57 PM
The survey to get your opinions on overhauling Sixth Street ends 👉THIS Sunday 10/19.👈
Take the City's survey now and support Protected Bike Lanes on Sixth!
Survey link: publicinput.com/v13338
Take the City's survey now and support Protected Bike Lanes on Sixth!
Survey link: publicinput.com/v13338
Reposted by Tommy Vinyard
“In London cyclists now outnumber cars in the City by 2 to 1. Paris, where they now outnumber motorists across the whole city, is catching up with Europe’s traditional bike capitals, Amsterdam & Copenhagen…In Copenhagen, bikes account for almost half of commuter trips to work/school.” @economist.com
Forget EVs. Cycling is revolutionising transport
Pedal power is booming, spinning up a new culture war
www.economist.com
October 10, 2025 at 2:56 AM
“In London cyclists now outnumber cars in the City by 2 to 1. Paris, where they now outnumber motorists across the whole city, is catching up with Europe’s traditional bike capitals, Amsterdam & Copenhagen…In Copenhagen, bikes account for almost half of commuter trips to work/school.” @economist.com
Reposted by Tommy Vinyard
The children are touching grass 🥲
October 3, 2025 at 4:13 AM
The children are touching grass 🥲
Reposted by Tommy Vinyard
“We’ve been designing downtowns to virtually repel children, & then saying, ‘See, families don’t want to live downtown,’” @brenttoderian.bsky.social says. “We’ve been creating the perfect self-fulfilling prophecy.”
I’m interviewed in this.
Design urban places for kids & families. You’ll get them.
I’m interviewed in this.
Design urban places for kids & families. You’ll get them.
Struggling Downtowns Are Looking to Lure New Crowds
Traditional business districts in cities like Chicago and Portland are still waiting for office workers to return. Can younger residents and families fill the gap?
www.bloomberg.com
August 15, 2025 at 9:09 PM
“We’ve been designing downtowns to virtually repel children, & then saying, ‘See, families don’t want to live downtown,’” @brenttoderian.bsky.social says. “We’ve been creating the perfect self-fulfilling prophecy.”
I’m interviewed in this.
Design urban places for kids & families. You’ll get them.
I’m interviewed in this.
Design urban places for kids & families. You’ll get them.
Reposted by Tommy Vinyard
A graph Joe Rogan has brought up on SIX separate episodes of his podcast to disprove climate change explicitly says the opposite of what he claims.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1bM...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1bM...
Joe Rogan Doesn't Understand Graphs
YouTube video by Climate Town
www.youtube.com
August 13, 2025 at 10:18 PM
A graph Joe Rogan has brought up on SIX separate episodes of his podcast to disprove climate change explicitly says the opposite of what he claims.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1bM...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1bM...
Reposted by Tommy Vinyard
TxDOT is working on its *first ever* statewide walk/bike plan.
This is huge. Support the Statewide Active Transportation Plan now:
🚶🏼♀️Take the short survey (deadline: 7/13)
🚲 Attend the in-person meeting @ Fiesta Gardens (7/8, 4:30pm)
Survey/event info: burnsmcd.mysocialpinpoint.com/txdot-statew...
This is huge. Support the Statewide Active Transportation Plan now:
🚶🏼♀️Take the short survey (deadline: 7/13)
🚲 Attend the in-person meeting @ Fiesta Gardens (7/8, 4:30pm)
Survey/event info: burnsmcd.mysocialpinpoint.com/txdot-statew...
July 2, 2025 at 2:36 PM
TxDOT is working on its *first ever* statewide walk/bike plan.
This is huge. Support the Statewide Active Transportation Plan now:
🚶🏼♀️Take the short survey (deadline: 7/13)
🚲 Attend the in-person meeting @ Fiesta Gardens (7/8, 4:30pm)
Survey/event info: burnsmcd.mysocialpinpoint.com/txdot-statew...
This is huge. Support the Statewide Active Transportation Plan now:
🚶🏼♀️Take the short survey (deadline: 7/13)
🚲 Attend the in-person meeting @ Fiesta Gardens (7/8, 4:30pm)
Survey/event info: burnsmcd.mysocialpinpoint.com/txdot-statew...
Reposted by Tommy Vinyard
Vienna has a way to make affordable housing and combat climate change all at the same time. Now U.S. cities want in, and they're building their own green housing.
Could this city be the model for how to tackle the housing crisis and climate change?
Vienna has a way to make affordable housing and combat climate change all at the same time. Now U.S. cities want in, and they're building their own green housing.
n.pr
June 22, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Vienna has a way to make affordable housing and combat climate change all at the same time. Now U.S. cities want in, and they're building their own green housing.
Reposted by Tommy Vinyard
Headline: Austin apartment permits plummet
Chart: Austin apartment permits still higher than anywhere else charted.
Chart: Austin apartment permits still higher than anywhere else charted.
June 4, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Headline: Austin apartment permits plummet
Chart: Austin apartment permits still higher than anywhere else charted.
Chart: Austin apartment permits still higher than anywhere else charted.
A perfectly distilled example of how a downtown with tall “scary” skyscrapers can still feel perfectly human scale. As with many problems, street trees are a wonderful solution!
In Austin, 3rd St. is a great example. The trees planted 10-15 years ago have transformed the streetscape.
In Austin, 3rd St. is a great example. The trees planted 10-15 years ago have transformed the streetscape.
May 16, 2025 at 9:08 PM
A perfectly distilled example of how a downtown with tall “scary” skyscrapers can still feel perfectly human scale. As with many problems, street trees are a wonderful solution!
In Austin, 3rd St. is a great example. The trees planted 10-15 years ago have transformed the streetscape.
In Austin, 3rd St. is a great example. The trees planted 10-15 years ago have transformed the streetscape.
Reposted by Tommy Vinyard
How tall is this Downtown Vancouver building?
The answer isn’t nearly as important as how well it’s designed. Street-lining shops and restaurants with outdoor seating, wide sidewalks, & a double row of street trees creating a “kissing canopy” overhead.
And that height above just means more homes.
The answer isn’t nearly as important as how well it’s designed. Street-lining shops and restaurants with outdoor seating, wide sidewalks, & a double row of street trees creating a “kissing canopy” overhead.
And that height above just means more homes.
May 16, 2025 at 8:41 PM
How tall is this Downtown Vancouver building?
The answer isn’t nearly as important as how well it’s designed. Street-lining shops and restaurants with outdoor seating, wide sidewalks, & a double row of street trees creating a “kissing canopy” overhead.
And that height above just means more homes.
The answer isn’t nearly as important as how well it’s designed. Street-lining shops and restaurants with outdoor seating, wide sidewalks, & a double row of street trees creating a “kissing canopy” overhead.
And that height above just means more homes.
Reposted by Tommy Vinyard
Yes tree stump, I know downtown subsidizes the suburbs.
May 12, 2025 at 3:38 PM
Yes tree stump, I know downtown subsidizes the suburbs.
Reposted by Tommy Vinyard
Three Texas House bills are trying to kill Austin’s light rail, Dallas DART, and defund bike lanes across the state!
Please help us by calling these representatives ASAP and tell them you oppose anti-transit bills HB 3879, HB 3187, and HB 4348.
Please help us by calling these representatives ASAP and tell them you oppose anti-transit bills HB 3879, HB 3187, and HB 4348.
May 12, 2025 at 3:45 PM
Three Texas House bills are trying to kill Austin’s light rail, Dallas DART, and defund bike lanes across the state!
Please help us by calling these representatives ASAP and tell them you oppose anti-transit bills HB 3879, HB 3187, and HB 4348.
Please help us by calling these representatives ASAP and tell them you oppose anti-transit bills HB 3879, HB 3187, and HB 4348.
Reposted by Tommy Vinyard
Austin City Council votes 10-1 to legalize 5-story single-stair apartments, making Austin the largest US city outside of NYC to legalize single-stair! 🎉🎉🎉
Many thanks to all the supporters and to CM Chito Vela for leading this exciting reform! We did it y'all! 🙌
Many thanks to all the supporters and to CM Chito Vela for leading this exciting reform! We did it y'all! 🙌
April 10, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Austin City Council votes 10-1 to legalize 5-story single-stair apartments, making Austin the largest US city outside of NYC to legalize single-stair! 🎉🎉🎉
Many thanks to all the supporters and to CM Chito Vela for leading this exciting reform! We did it y'all! 🙌
Many thanks to all the supporters and to CM Chito Vela for leading this exciting reform! We did it y'all! 🙌
Great to see another example of ideas crossing across circles for the good of our communities and planet! The "cyclist" vs. "bicycle rider" debate has a long history so it's nice of GCN (and their large audience) to jump in with a great take. @thewaroncars.bsky.social youtu.be/CVq7XOXkg1U?...
Everything You Thought You Knew About Roads Is A Lie
YouTube video by Global Cycling Network
youtu.be
April 7, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Great to see another example of ideas crossing across circles for the good of our communities and planet! The "cyclist" vs. "bicycle rider" debate has a long history so it's nice of GCN (and their large audience) to jump in with a great take. @thewaroncars.bsky.social youtu.be/CVq7XOXkg1U?...
Reposted by Tommy Vinyard
For “abundance” to improve transportation, supporters must consider the kinds of infrastructure that gets built – not just the quantity.
Without addressing externalities (esp from cars), a supply-side spigot of new construction would be a disaster.
Me, in Bloomberg CityLab 🧵
Without addressing externalities (esp from cars), a supply-side spigot of new construction would be a disaster.
Me, in Bloomberg CityLab 🧵
What Would ‘Transportation Abundance’ Look Like?
Fans of the abundance movement say that adding supply solves big problems in housing and health care. But when it comes to getting around, things get complicated.
www.bloomberg.com
April 3, 2025 at 3:44 PM
For “abundance” to improve transportation, supporters must consider the kinds of infrastructure that gets built – not just the quantity.
Without addressing externalities (esp from cars), a supply-side spigot of new construction would be a disaster.
Me, in Bloomberg CityLab 🧵
Without addressing externalities (esp from cars), a supply-side spigot of new construction would be a disaster.
Me, in Bloomberg CityLab 🧵
Reposted by Tommy Vinyard
Austin's Planning Commission just approved six-story single-stair! Hats off to @cityjane.bsky.social and @chris-gannon.bsky.social for their housing advocacy and code reform efforts
www.austinmonitor.com/stories/2025...
www.austinmonitor.com/stories/2025...
A once-banned type of building is back in favor – and the Planning Commission approves - Austin Monitor
The Planning Commission approved several proposed amendments to an amendment of the city’s Technical Building Code during a meeting March 25, all of which address a peculiar kind of development called...
www.austinmonitor.com
April 1, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Austin's Planning Commission just approved six-story single-stair! Hats off to @cityjane.bsky.social and @chris-gannon.bsky.social for their housing advocacy and code reform efforts
www.austinmonitor.com/stories/2025...
www.austinmonitor.com/stories/2025...
Reposted by Tommy Vinyard
RE: Abundance Discourse
Some regulations are bad and should be reformed. Markets sometimes serve poor and working people's interests. We should judge policies by their outcomes, not their proponents' stated intentions. Good things are good. Bad things are bad.
Some regulations are bad and should be reformed. Markets sometimes serve poor and working people's interests. We should judge policies by their outcomes, not their proponents' stated intentions. Good things are good. Bad things are bad.
March 19, 2025 at 7:41 PM
RE: Abundance Discourse
Some regulations are bad and should be reformed. Markets sometimes serve poor and working people's interests. We should judge policies by their outcomes, not their proponents' stated intentions. Good things are good. Bad things are bad.
Some regulations are bad and should be reformed. Markets sometimes serve poor and working people's interests. We should judge policies by their outcomes, not their proponents' stated intentions. Good things are good. Bad things are bad.
Reposted by Tommy Vinyard
The Trump tax plan only works by cutting public services.
This incredible visualization combines the potential tax cuts (which mostly go to the rich) and loss of services (mostly borne by the poor).
It is a giant wealth transfer from the poorest to the richest. budgetlab.yale.edu/news/250319/...
This incredible visualization combines the potential tax cuts (which mostly go to the rich) and loss of services (mostly borne by the poor).
It is a giant wealth transfer from the poorest to the richest. budgetlab.yale.edu/news/250319/...
March 19, 2025 at 3:21 PM
The Trump tax plan only works by cutting public services.
This incredible visualization combines the potential tax cuts (which mostly go to the rich) and loss of services (mostly borne by the poor).
It is a giant wealth transfer from the poorest to the richest. budgetlab.yale.edu/news/250319/...
This incredible visualization combines the potential tax cuts (which mostly go to the rich) and loss of services (mostly borne by the poor).
It is a giant wealth transfer from the poorest to the richest. budgetlab.yale.edu/news/250319/...
Reposted by Tommy Vinyard
It's a little circular I suppose, but one of the reasons young people (and others!) like Austin is because of all the young people doing things!
The more housing we have, the more cult movies, the more music festivals, the more weird art installations and CNC stonecutting start-ups
The more housing we have, the more cult movies, the more music festivals, the more weird art installations and CNC stonecutting start-ups
Great piece that confirms my priors: San Francisco is boring because 1) there are fewer young people; and 2) the young people who live here are focused on their highly remunerative careers.
The solution: build a lot more market-rate housing!
www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/s...
The solution: build a lot more market-rate housing!
www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/s...
Why 20-somethings are abandoning San Francisco — even when they can afford it
San Francisco’s 20-year-olds are abandoning the city, even when they can afford it. Some say it’s crushing the soul of the city.
www.sfchronicle.com
March 11, 2025 at 4:39 AM
It's a little circular I suppose, but one of the reasons young people (and others!) like Austin is because of all the young people doing things!
The more housing we have, the more cult movies, the more music festivals, the more weird art installations and CNC stonecutting start-ups
The more housing we have, the more cult movies, the more music festivals, the more weird art installations and CNC stonecutting start-ups
Pretty cool to see Austin getting some more national media attention highlighting that more housing production does, in fact, bring down rents! In todays Morning Brew.
February 28, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Pretty cool to see Austin getting some more national media attention highlighting that more housing production does, in fact, bring down rents! In todays Morning Brew.
Reposted by Tommy Vinyard
February 18, 2025 at 12:22 PM
Reposted by Tommy Vinyard
At last, parking in Austin bike lanes is illegal!
As CM Vela points out, the long-term solution is better protected bike infrastructure, but this is still a good step in the right direction.
Special thanks to CM Ellis for leading on this change!
As CM Vela points out, the long-term solution is better protected bike infrastructure, but this is still a good step in the right direction.
Special thanks to CM Ellis for leading on this change!
Austin just made it illegal to park in bike lanes
Thursday's unanimous vote means violators will be ticketed and fined. Fees could range from $50 to $300.
www.kut.org
February 13, 2025 at 7:16 PM
At last, parking in Austin bike lanes is illegal!
As CM Vela points out, the long-term solution is better protected bike infrastructure, but this is still a good step in the right direction.
Special thanks to CM Ellis for leading on this change!
As CM Vela points out, the long-term solution is better protected bike infrastructure, but this is still a good step in the right direction.
Special thanks to CM Ellis for leading on this change!
Reposted by Tommy Vinyard
God this is such a good video. I cannot believe we still have to put up with the absolute dumbest people spreading fossil fuel misinformation in media in 2025
How Oil Propaganda Sneaks Into TV Shows | Climate Town
YouTube video by Climate Town
youtu.be
February 11, 2025 at 9:22 PM
God this is such a good video. I cannot believe we still have to put up with the absolute dumbest people spreading fossil fuel misinformation in media in 2025