Adrian Pietrzak
@zoningwonk.bsky.social
PhD student at Princeton studying urban politics and how to make our cities fairer and more affordable. He/him 🏳️🌈
apietrzak.org
apietrzak.org
We also found that support for policies like Bloomberg-style contextual rezonings and historic districting is very high, around ~83% support (second only to rent control, TOD). And it's not just NIMBYism: even supporters of a "high-rises anywhere" upzoning support those policies.
November 26, 2025 at 9:05 PM
We also found that support for policies like Bloomberg-style contextual rezonings and historic districting is very high, around ~83% support (second only to rent control, TOD). And it's not just NIMBYism: even supporters of a "high-rises anywhere" upzoning support those policies.
We also tried to move people with tradeoffs. We had them chose between these two buildings. Without tradeoffs, ~75% chose the top building. When we said their taxes would need to up, 12% fewer chose it, but that's still over 60% willing to pay taxes for the top building.
November 26, 2025 at 9:05 PM
We also tried to move people with tradeoffs. We had them chose between these two buildings. Without tradeoffs, ~75% chose the top building. When we said their taxes would need to up, 12% fewer chose it, but that's still over 60% willing to pay taxes for the top building.
What's driving this effect? It's mostly height. In the treatment group, people did prefer traditional brick buildings, but the effect was very small (~2pp). But people really don't like when buildings are taller than their surroundings.
November 26, 2025 at 9:05 PM
What's driving this effect? It's mostly height. In the treatment group, people did prefer traditional brick buildings, but the effect was very small (~2pp). But people really don't like when buildings are taller than their surroundings.
We compare support against the *same buildings* w/ and w/out context. Buildings that "stick out" in style and height are penalized, and buildings which "fit" in both are rewarded. People don't have fixed preferences over housing. Preferences change depending on context!
November 26, 2025 at 9:05 PM
We compare support against the *same buildings* w/ and w/out context. Buildings that "stick out" in style and height are penalized, and buildings which "fit" in both are rewarded. People don't have fixed preferences over housing. Preferences change depending on context!
How about when people are given neighborhood context? We showed the other half of our sample the same buildings but with neighborhood context (two traditional historic neighborhoods: UWS - shown below - and Lincoln Park, Chicago).
November 26, 2025 at 9:05 PM
How about when people are given neighborhood context? We showed the other half of our sample the same buildings but with neighborhood context (two traditional historic neighborhoods: UWS - shown below - and Lincoln Park, Chicago).
What did we find? People hate tall buildings (not surprising). Style had very little impact (we found that surprising). If anything, people actually liked modern, black and white rainscreen cladded buildings *more*!
November 26, 2025 at 9:05 PM
What did we find? People hate tall buildings (not surprising). Style had very little impact (we found that surprising). If anything, people actually liked modern, black and white rainscreen cladded buildings *more*!
First, we wanted to know, in abstract, how does support for buildings change as height and style change? We ran a survey and assigned half our sample to a 'control' arm where they were asked about buildings without any context of where they'd go:
November 26, 2025 at 9:05 PM
First, we wanted to know, in abstract, how does support for buildings change as height and style change? We ran a survey and assigned half our sample to a 'control' arm where they were asked about buildings without any context of where they'd go:
Ad a little on the nose huh
November 15, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Ad a little on the nose huh
Boost turnout to over 3 million with one simple trick:
November 5, 2025 at 12:37 AM
Boost turnout to over 3 million with one simple trick:
Watching New York and Illinois fund their transit systems from Pennsylvania
October 31, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Watching New York and Illinois fund their transit systems from Pennsylvania
Does anyone know the retail vacancy rate for market east now? All I can find is this 2023 report, and I'd imagine it's worse than 22% now. Also unclear if they counted chestnut street, which is an absolute ghost town
September 25, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Does anyone know the retail vacancy rate for market east now? All I can find is this 2023 report, and I'd imagine it's worse than 22% now. Also unclear if they counted chestnut street, which is an absolute ghost town
City issued RFID scanners for every resident to access their container please! (Picture from Seoul, South Korea)
September 16, 2025 at 3:57 PM
City issued RFID scanners for every resident to access their container please! (Picture from Seoul, South Korea)
Patronage mill tries to thwart good government reformers?!?
September 6, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Patronage mill tries to thwart good government reformers?!?
Have we forgotten that, quite famously, Republicans HATE Andrew Cuomo?
August 19, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Have we forgotten that, quite famously, Republicans HATE Andrew Cuomo?
How are we still doing this???
August 19, 2025 at 1:32 PM
How are we still doing this???
Losing it at the fact that they spray painted this wood silver
July 5, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Losing it at the fact that they spray painted this wood silver
The DC 33 strike has caused the Manhattanization of Philly
July 2, 2025 at 5:15 PM
The DC 33 strike has caused the Manhattanization of Philly
The ULURP appeals board proposal by the Charter Revision Commission strikes me as really odd. Member deference is a norm, not something that's in the charter. If Council wanted to, it could collectively decide to end it. Or the Speaker could hold hostage Schedule C funds to end it.
July 1, 2025 at 3:34 PM
The ULURP appeals board proposal by the Charter Revision Commission strikes me as really odd. Member deference is a norm, not something that's in the charter. If Council wanted to, it could collectively decide to end it. Or the Speaker could hold hostage Schedule C funds to end it.
So why are Republican lawmakers, who are ostensively pro-suburb, pro-car, and anti-transit, able to see that eliminating parking minimums doesn’t mean banning parking, whereas many Democratic lawmakers claim banning parking minimums will ban parking and make traffic worse?
June 26, 2025 at 1:41 PM
So why are Republican lawmakers, who are ostensively pro-suburb, pro-car, and anti-transit, able to see that eliminating parking minimums doesn’t mean banning parking, whereas many Democratic lawmakers claim banning parking minimums will ban parking and make traffic worse?
We all know what this calls for!
June 23, 2025 at 7:24 PM
We all know what this calls for!
End of the road for the former 23 trolley on 12th, whose tracks were paved over
June 22, 2025 at 8:23 PM
End of the road for the former 23 trolley on 12th, whose tracks were paved over
Sofia has managed to figure out how to install safety barricades without creating an obstacle course on the platform that obstructs passenger flow and increases dwell times. Things only possible in much wealthier nations like Bulgaria!
June 18, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Sofia has managed to figure out how to install safety barricades without creating an obstacle course on the platform that obstructs passenger flow and increases dwell times. Things only possible in much wealthier nations like Bulgaria!
So much wrong here, but I take issue with de Blasio somehow being responsible for disorder or “the city’s recent decline.” Crime was down his whole term before the COVID spike, which happened in every city, regardless of governance!
June 16, 2025 at 1:41 PM
So much wrong here, but I take issue with de Blasio somehow being responsible for disorder or “the city’s recent decline.” Crime was down his whole term before the COVID spike, which happened in every city, regardless of governance!
Spot the difference:
June 12, 2025 at 8:34 PM
Spot the difference: