1. This week at Market Urbanism:
Brent Gaisford contributed his first article, High Rent Sucks. Let’s Build More Houses and launched a new website: LA Rent Is Too Damned High
Let’s upzone our cities and build more houses. And not just a few. A lot. Let’s build a lot more houses.
Jeff Fong wrote a post inspired by a recent Nolan Gray piece, Planning As A Question Of Scale
In Jane Jacob’s Hayekian Critique of Urban Planning, Nolan Gray argues for the futility of trying to master plan something as complex as an entire city. And he’s right. The last century’s Corbusian fantasies overwhelmingly ended in failure.
Johnny Sanphillipo filmed a video about his small farm: Suburban Market Gardening
This sort of small scale local food production is generally ignored or labelled as irrelevant. It isn’t “agriculture.” It isn’t…. anything. It’s just eccentric hobbyists who like to play farmer. But I disagree.
Michael Lewyn is skeptical rich foreigners are causing high housing costs: Are Billionaires To Blame?
One common argument I have read in various places is that the high rent of New York and other large cities is a result of globalization and inequality (English translation: rich foreigners). According to this theory, rich people have created a surge of demand so overwhelming that no amount of construction could possibly meet it.
2. Where’s Scott?
Scott Beyer spent his fourth week in San Antonio. His Forbes article this week covered Puerto Rico’s business climate problem, focusing on the capital city of San Juan:
Ricardo and Pamela were skeptical that one-stop permit shops would work in San Juan. The city would be too incompetent, settling for outdated technologies and low-energy employees. And special interests–such as existing businesses, entrenched civil servants and the gestores–would oppose streamlining the process.
3. At the Market Urbanism Facebook Group:
via Logan Mohtashami: Build more houses in California? Yes! in my back yard!
via Anthony Ling: A ride sharing program in Austin, now that Uber and Lyft have left
Adam Millsap at Mercatus Neighborhood Effects: Northern Cities Need To Be Bold If They Want To Grow
Michael Wiebe wants to see empirical research on the increased demand due to higher density
via Anthony Ling: Success Without Demand event at NYU with Matt Ridley and William Easterly
4. Elsewhere:
80,000 Hours Problem Profile on Land Use Reform
Mark Hogan wants to stop tinkering, and recode California in the latest issue of BOOM
Chuck Marohn doesn’t like the term “sprawl” or being labeled “smart growth” at the Strong Towns Podcast
Joe Cortright: Poverty is a bigger problem than gentrification
5. Stephen Smith‘s tweet of the week:
And all cars, including yours, receive massive subsidies in the form of parking requirements for private builders https://t.co/89T5SV63lD
— Market Urbanism (@MarketUrbanism) May 10, 2016
