me, in 'Building For People':
'According to the US Census Bureau, multifamily buildings with fifty or more dwellings made up just 13 percent of all multifamily homes in 2000. By 2020, that number had quadrupled to 55 percent of all multifamily homes.'
'According to the US Census Bureau, multifamily buildings with fifty or more dwellings made up just 13 percent of all multifamily homes in 2000. By 2020, that number had quadrupled to 55 percent of all multifamily homes.'
October 16, 2025 at 8:44 PM
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you guys - there's a while chapter in @benschneider.bsky.social's new book 'unfinished metropolis' on regulations and single stair and the dearth of multifamily housing options in the US. 🤘
islandpress.org/books/unfini...
islandpress.org/books/unfini...
The Unfinished Metropolis
islandpress.org
October 18, 2025 at 9:09 PM
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Los Altos Hills CA is up to their old tricks, to get out of allowing homes for the people who can’t afford the $5.7M houses there. The rich exclusionary town has to zone for multifamily housing, but they don’t want to, so they’re weaseling. 🧵1/7
October 15, 2025 at 2:13 AM
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better multifamily housing too (ducks)
The GDP per capita of Portugal is about 1/3 that of the US.
Yet they have infrastructure like this — high speed rail — that costs 1/10th per mile compared to the US.
The life expectancy is 4 years longer.
And we’re supposed to be the wealthier country. @thetransitguy.com
Yet they have infrastructure like this — high speed rail — that costs 1/10th per mile compared to the US.
The life expectancy is 4 years longer.
And we’re supposed to be the wealthier country. @thetransitguy.com
October 12, 2025 at 3:23 PM
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In a 9-0 vote, Seattle Council approved an update to the Multifamily Tax Exemption program raising rent caps.
Tenants groups criticized the move, but builders pointed out participation in the voluntary program had declined as the value of the tax break declined. www.theurbanist.org/2025/10/09/s...
Tenants groups criticized the move, but builders pointed out participation in the voluntary program had declined as the value of the tax break declined. www.theurbanist.org/2025/10/09/s...
Seattle Poised to Overhaul MFTE Housing Affordability Program, Despite Tenant Concerns » The Urbanist
# The Seattle City Council is set to greenlight a new iteration of the Multifamily Tax Exemption (MFTE) program with higher allowed rents and rent hikes. The program trades a property tax break for se...
www.theurbanist.org
October 14, 2025 at 10:51 PM
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More of these buildings EVERYWHERE please.
October 13, 2025 at 3:16 AM
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To make extra sure nothing gets built, the multifamily homes can only average 750 sq ft each, including corridors and lobbies, which is about 600 sq ft net. No developer would build teeny homes like that in a town of enormous mansions. 3/7
October 15, 2025 at 2:13 AM
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Los Altos Hills of course has no existing multifamily to compare. But next door, in also expensive Los Altos, even the all-affordable project being constructed has 1071 sq ft per unit, much bigger than the 750 sq ft LAH will allow. 4/7
October 15, 2025 at 2:13 AM
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A local builder lays out the case for passing the Multifamily Tax Exemption Program 7 proposal which would expand access to a wider pool of renters and encourage participation in the program. The Seattle City Council is set to vote today.
Op-ed by Emily Thompson: www.theurbanist.org/2025/10/14/o...
Op-ed by Emily Thompson: www.theurbanist.org/2025/10/14/o...
Op-Ed: Seattle’s MFTE Program 7 Widens Access and Participation » The Urbanist
# One local builder lays out the case for passing the City's Multifamily Tax Exemption Program 7 proposal, which would expand access to a wider pool of renters and encourage participation in the progr...
www.theurbanist.org
October 14, 2025 at 6:58 PM
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Minjee Kim argues that impact fees have different effects on multifamily developers vs small-scale home builders: while multifamily developers pay less to the landowner, home builders pass on the tax to buyers.
How does this work?
1/
How does this work?
1/
October 15, 2025 at 11:43 PM
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this is *social housing* that offers a higher quality of life than market rate housing in the US can deliver, due to our archaic and anomalous building codes.
also note increased privacy v. US multifamily housing
www.archdaily.com/1034936/50-s...
also note increased privacy v. US multifamily housing
www.archdaily.com/1034936/50-s...
Gallery of 50 Social Housing Units – DE PEUS A TERRA i el cap pels núvols / Miel Arquitectos + MARMOLBRAVO + MADhel - 2
Image 2 of 22 from gallery of 50 Social Housing Units – DE PEUS A TERRA i el cap pels núvols / Miel Arquitectos + MARMOLBRAVO + MADhel. Photograph by Jose Hevia
www.archdaily.com
October 13, 2025 at 4:54 PM
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Great article.
Edmonton doesn’t get nearly enough credit. Yes their detached house affordability is mostly due to sprawl, but they are also leading on reforms for abundant multifamily housing.
Edmonton doesn’t get nearly enough credit. Yes their detached house affordability is mostly due to sprawl, but they are also leading on reforms for abundant multifamily housing.
Fantastic piece by Don Iveson on what Edmonton is doing right on housing. There are lots of lessons here for other communities.
The big picture on housing, density and affordability
How Edmonton's approach fights for affordability and fiscal efficiency
civicgood.substack.com
October 11, 2025 at 7:29 PM
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After 7 committee hearings, a senate floor vote, an assembly floor vote, a concurrence vote, and the governor's signing this morning... @scottwiener.bsky.social's #SB79, which legalizes new multifamily housing near major public transit stops, is officially law!
Thank you @gavinnewsom.bsky.social!
Thank you @gavinnewsom.bsky.social!
October 10, 2025 at 4:44 PM
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Important to remember that not only did we pass #SB79, the biggest transit-oriented upzoning bill ever, we also passed a clean CEQA exemption for new multifamily infill housing.
This is, bar none, the biggest year in state action on housing policy reform in California history. Not even close.
This is, bar none, the biggest year in state action on housing policy reform in California history. Not even close.
October 10, 2025 at 8:43 PM
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this law doesn't force anyone to build multifamily
October 10, 2025 at 6:06 PM
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The funny thing is that if Gerisch decides to move because he finds living near apartments intolerable, he'll probably make a killing by selling his home to a multifamily developer.
won't anyone think of the uhhhh sales executives who will be harmed by transit-oriented development in California
October 10, 2025 at 4:47 PM
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Every new multifamily apartment in California has an affordable component. Many cities rezoned by SB 79 have not built any multifamily housing - the cheapest housing type - for decades.
And the parcels rezoned by SB 79 can be used by nonprofit developers to do 100% affordable on more sites in CA.
And the parcels rezoned by SB 79 can be used by nonprofit developers to do 100% affordable on more sites in CA.
October 11, 2025 at 12:22 PM
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tbh the Coastal Commission is pretty horrible when it comes to permitting any multifamily housing anywhere near a beach, but they rule at slapping fines on motherfuckers like this
October 10, 2025 at 5:35 AM
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What we say vs what we do
Say
🌎 Climate crisis: we need to rapidly decarbonize
🏘️ Housing crisis: we need more and cheaper housing
Do
🌎 Climate crisis: let’s put 154% tariff on cheap solar and 100% on cheap EVs
🏘️ Housing crisis: Let’s heavily restrict multifamily housing and tax it like it’s a sin
Say
🌎 Climate crisis: we need to rapidly decarbonize
🏘️ Housing crisis: we need more and cheaper housing
Do
🌎 Climate crisis: let’s put 154% tariff on cheap solar and 100% on cheap EVs
🏘️ Housing crisis: Let’s heavily restrict multifamily housing and tax it like it’s a sin
I first read that as 15.4%. Holy moly, we really don’t want solar in Canada.
October 10, 2025 at 6:00 PM
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Lmao who are the special interests pushing single-stair reform? Small scale multifamily infill developers who don't exist yet?
NFPA responds to this Pew study showing modern multi-family housing is safer than detached houses with a column attacking single-stair reform.
Affordability arguments are "dubious" and pushed by "special interests" — citing high profits for… single-family homebuilders.
www.nfpa.org/news-blogs-a...
Affordability arguments are "dubious" and pushed by "special interests" — citing high profits for… single-family homebuilders.
www.nfpa.org/news-blogs-a...
October 8, 2025 at 8:44 PM
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Started reading this non-Urbanism book, Gilded Rage.
There's always a Housing connection.
www.jacobsilverman.com/p/preorder-g...
There's always a Housing connection.
www.jacobsilverman.com/p/preorder-g...
October 9, 2025 at 2:26 AM
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also here in CA choosing more single family over multifamily is often a choice between building in fire zones or infilling safe areas
October 8, 2025 at 2:33 PM
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Sea Captain’s Row replaced an abandoned commercial lot with 44 new homes steps from historic Downtown Hyannis. Five small multifamily buildings, built with modular construction on a 1.6-acre site, show what smart infill can look like in response to Cape Cod's housing shortage.
October 9, 2025 at 8:57 PM
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Council should just exempt all single family homes and make ULA apply to multifamily redevelopment exclusively, this was clearly the intent of LA political elites from the jump anyway.
Mayor Karen Bass is asking LA's city council to pass an ordinance that would exempt Pacific Palisades transactions from ULA, the city's transfer tax.
Of note: "The letter follows a meeting with Rick Caruso, founder of Steadfast LA, who proposed ideas to help address this issue"
Of note: "The letter follows a meeting with Rick Caruso, founder of Steadfast LA, who proposed ideas to help address this issue"
October 9, 2025 at 10:51 PM
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In Alamo at application hearing for the first multifamily housing application in this CDP in 40 years.
October 8, 2025 at 1:33 AM
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