The hottest Urban Development Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Updating my priors on missing middle

Erdmann Housing Tracker • 379 implied HN points • 03 Mar 24
💼 Business Real Estate Housing Market Urban Development Supply and Demand
  1. Missing middle housing developments can be more impactful in addressing housing affordability issues than previously thought.
  2. Simply advocating for 'build more' without considering the complexity and various factors at play may not fully address housing supply constraints.
  3. Increasing the construction of 'missing middle' housing units significantly could play a crucial role in normalizing the American housing market and addressing housing shortages.

Against Agglomeration Economies

Erdmann Housing Tracker • 252 implied HN points • 14 Mar 24
💼 Business Economics Cities Housing Urban Development
  1. Economists often overemphasize the productivity of cities as the reason for expensive housing, leading to misdiagnoses and biases.
  2. High income gains have been observed in cities that didn't experience significant growth in housing units, challenging the concept of agglomeration economies.
  3. Income disparities among cities have increased over time, with a significant impact from Closed Access displacement, showing the importance of considering factors beyond productivity in city assessments.

Why more housing appears to make things worse

Erdmann Housing Tracker • 168 implied HN points • 01 Mar 24
💰 Finance Housing Market Supply Demand Economic Impact Urban Development
  1. About 30-40% of people don't believe increasing housing supply will lower prices or rents.
  2. In cities with limited housing supply, population growth can lead to decreased housing availability, impacting affordability.
  3. Cities that don't build enough housing can have negative impacts on low-income residents, forcing displacement and exacerbating housing affordability issues.

Berkeley's Upzoning Would Be Among Nation's Largest

The Discourse Lounge • 204 HN points • 17 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Housing policy Urban Development
  1. Berkeley is considering a zoning reform that would allow for over 100,000 additional homes, making it one of the largest zoning changes in the U.S. per capita.
  2. The city's historical use of exclusionary zoning kept out non-rich and minority residents but is now facing a significant shift to allow for 'Missing Middle' housing.
  3. Proposed changes aim to remove density limits, increase affordable housing options, consider fire safety, and encourage alternative transportation methods like cycling and public transit.

Something interesting is happening in Tulsa

Trevor Klee’s Newsletter • 2611 implied HN points • 05 Apr 23
🎭️ Culture Community Society Social justice Urban Development Philanthropy
  1. Tulsa, Oklahoma is experiencing positive transformations due to the efforts of wealthy individuals and community foundations.
  2. The Tulsa Tomorrow program aims to attract young Jewish individuals to Tulsa by offering job opportunities, social events, and resources to fulfill their dreams.
  3. Wealthy individuals in Tulsa have made significant investments to improve the city, showing visible impact in contrast to certain bureaucratic challenges faced by other cities.
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Insuring Progress

Model Thinking • 259 implied HN points • 07 Jan 24
💼 Business Regulation Innovation Costs Urban Development Technology
  1. Replacing process-based regulations with outcome-based regulations can help boost British growth in sectors like childcare, energy, and housing
  2. Introducing Mandatory Insurance Schemes in sectors with low-probability, high-downside events can incentivize safety compliance and ensure victims get compensated
  3. Outcome-based regulations can lead to cost-effective safety procedures, technological innovation, and more resilient policy reforms, thereby helping Britain move forward in various industries

San Francisco and Miami. Hot or not?

Erdmann Housing Tracker • 84 implied HN points • 20 Feb 24
💼 Business Real Estate Economics Housing Market Urban Development
  1. The Case-Shiller home price index shows Miami hitting new highs while San Francisco has been declining.
  2. Both San Francisco and Miami have low housing production, with Miami consistently slightly higher in construction than San Francisco.
  3. San Francisco's construction activity seems to be waning, despite expectations for increased housing due to YIMBY wins and new state laws.

The death of a pub: Rochester Castle, N16

The Leftovers • 119 implied HN points • 29 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture London Community Urban Development
  1. Pubs are important social spaces that foster community, diversity, and human connection. The disappearance of pubs in London reflects a broader issue of losing social spaces in cities.
  2. The Rochester Castle, despite being a Wetherspoon, has historical significance and unique charm that has made it a cherished gathering place for diverse locals.
  3. The potential sale of the Rochester Castle threatens to displace many regulars, including vulnerable groups like pensioners, highlighting the negative impact of commercial decisions on community interaction and well-being.

The consumption basket we call "housing"

Erdmann Housing Tracker • 63 implied HN points • 28 Sep 23
💼 Business Housing Market Urban Development Housing supply
  1. In expensive cities, people oppose public amenities because they can lead to displacement when bundled with scarce housing.
  2. A city's housing demand can be categorized into shelter, neighborhood amenities, metropolitan area scarcity, and endowments.
  3. Metro area scarcity causes prices to rise uniformly across neighborhoods, impacting affordability for households with lower incomes.

"We need 'affordable' housing, not market rate housing" is much worse than it seems.

Erdmann Housing Tracker • 105 implied HN points • 03 May 23
💼 Business Housing Affordability Displacement Urban Development
  1. The cost of housing in a city with ample supply is determined by resident incomes and allows for comfortable spending.
  2. In cities with housing shortages, the cost of housing is determined by other residents' incomes, leading to displacement and competition.
  3. Constructing new market rate housing can help flatten the cost of housing for all income levels and break the chain of displacement.

On Solarpunk #9

On Solarpunk • 78 implied HN points • 20 Jun 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability Urban Development Environmentalism
  1. Freiburg, Germany has sustainable neighborhoods like Vauban and Rieselfeld with eco-friendly designs and low car usage.
  2. In the US, there are few similar projects to Freiburg like Ithaca's Ecovillage and Culdesac Tempe, showcasing alternatives to traditional housing.
  3. Community involvement and advocacy played a crucial role in shaping Vauban's development, showcasing the importance of public engagement in sustainable housing projects.

Street Notes 5: Hot for District Cooling in Austin, Texas

Parachute • 39 implied HN points • 16 Feb 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Sustainability Urban Development Renewable Energy
  1. Infrastructure and climate solutions often go unnoticed when they work well, but stand out when they fail.
  2. District cooling is like neighborhood-wide air conditioning and can lead to lower utility bills and help prevent power outages.
  3. District cooling plants offer benefits like space-saving, resilience to power outages, and should be celebrated as an efficient climate solution.

YIMBies Overpromise

Wooly's Post Repository • 19 implied HN points • 23 Jul 23
💼 Business Real Estate Data Analysis Housing Market Urban Development Economics
  1. The data on housing prices and construction can be confusing and counterintuitive, leading to difficulties in drawing clear conclusions.
  2. YIMBY goals require a significant amount of construction to impact housing prices, but achieving such high construction rates can be challenging.
  3. Confidence in real estate research should be lowered due to the complexity and potential errors in the data, making it important to approach conclusions with caution.

Roadways for People: Rethinking Transportation Planning and Engineering

Exasperated Infrastructures • 12 implied HN points • 18 Jul 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Engineering Community Engagement Urban Development
  1. Transportation planning needs to prioritize community input and engagement to build successful projects.
  2. Traditional linear planning methods may not consider the holistic impact on communities.
  3. Effective transportation projects require rethinking project goals to focus on safety, dignity, and community needs.

What's holding America's freeway removal movement back?

Urben Field Notes • 10 implied HN points • 12 Apr 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Infrastructure Community Public Health Environmental Impact Urban Development
  1. Pioneering freeway removal projects are being completed, but more difficult challenges remain
  2. There's a need for a stronger response to concerns about displacement and gentrification in freeway removal projects
  3. There is a lack of attention on the pollution and public health impacts of urban freeways, requiring clear data for advocacy

Office to Residential Conversions

Arpitrage • 1 HN point • 05 Nov 23
💼 Business Real Estate Urban Development Government Policy Economic Analysis Environmental Impact
  1. Cities are considering converting older office buildings to residential spaces to address urban challenges like reduced foot traffic, high carbon emissions, and housing affordability.
  2. Local and federal policymakers play vital roles in facilitating these office to residential conversions through regulatory changes, property tax relief, and financial incentives.
  3. Conversions may face challenges due to interest rate shifts, building constraints, and alternative real estate uses, but proactive measures can help make them financially viable.

Rust belt of tech in America

Madhur’s Writings • 3 HN points • 16 Feb 23
💼 Business Economic Impact Remote work Small businesses Tech industry Urban Development
  1. The shift to remote work due to Covid has negatively impacted small businesses in downtown areas.
  2. Tech layoffs and remote work culture are contributing to the decline of social aspects and liveliness in big cities.
  3. Analogies to the Rust Belt area show how remote work could lead to population decline and decline in city vibrancy.

The Triumph and Tragedy of Light Rail in Charlotte

Urben Field Notes • 0 implied HN points • 08 Mar 23
💼 Business Urban Development Public Transportation Real Estate
  1. Charlotte's Blue Line light rail has transformed the city with new neighborhoods and development.
  2. Value capture in transit planning could have financially benefited the public more in Charlotte.
  3. City policies in Charlotte missed opportunities to generate funds from the success of the Blue Line and support affordable housing.