Historic preservation rules are part of the regulatory framework of most major American cities. But the historic districts in which they are generally applied get little inquiry from economists, meaning little is known about their nationwide scope and economic impact. And even between municipalities … [Read more...]
Archives for July 2016
Market Urbanism MUsings July 8, 2016
1. This week at Market Urbanism, we're Liberalizing Cities From The Bottom Up Middle Aged NIMBYs, Young YIMBYs by Michael LewynMost of the Pro-Urb posters on housing costs assume that high rents are the result of insatiable demand driven by wealthy foreigners, that government lets … [Read more...]
Is Commercialism Making Cities Less Livable?
Commercialism is blamed for most of the evils that plague society, inside and out of India. In the Indian city of Coimbatore, roads have become narrower and traffic more intense. There is not enough space for pedestrians. Many residents blame the city's rising level of commercialization.Are … [Read more...]
Why The Tech Industry Should Care About Housing
[Editor's note--this is the inaugural article for a new blog that Jeff launched called Tech For Housing, where tech workers advocate for more housing in the Bay Area.] San Francisco--For decades, every city in the Bay Area has restricted housing production. And for decades, the Bay Area has gone … [Read more...]
Middle Aged NIMBYs, Young YIMBYs
Today, CNU Nextgen, a group of younger members of the Congress for New Urbanism, retweeted a New York Times story about the evils of NIMBYism in Boulder.Why did I find this noteworthy? Because on the Pro-Urb listserv, dominated by middle-aged CNUers, a very different conventional wisdom … [Read more...]
Market Urbanism MUsings July 1, 2016
1. This week at Market Urbanism Do The Rich Cause High Rents? by Michael LewynOne common argument against building new housing is that new construction will never reduce housing costs, because the influx of ultra-rich people into high-cost cities creates an insatiable level of … [Read more...]
How Realistic Are the Cities of Fallout?
Even by the bizarre standard set by other fandoms, the fandom surrounding the Fallout video game series is weird. Where your typical human would rather spend a Friday night doing strange things like “hang out with friends” and “go out,” your average Fallout fan is likely spending his … [Read more...]