4 ms·

The common complaint among the politicians is that tech companies are skinflint. The bad laws are maintained (Marin County just exempted itself from dense housi

by Decade 9y ago

The common complaint among the politicians is that tech companies are skinflint. The bad laws are maintained (Marin County just exempted itself from dense housing laws for the next 10 years[0]) because the people who care about urbanism are not the people who give the many local campaign donations. One major problem is, until recently, there has been no noticeable movement in local government[1] to create good urban policies. I suggest joining the YIMBY Party.[2] [0] http://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/article/Marin-bill-SB106-shows-how-housing-crisis-was-11243458.php http://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/article/Marin-bill-SB106-... [1] http://www.politico.com/agenda/story/2017/07/07/housing-crisis-shortage-no-fix-000472 http://www.politico.com/agenda/story/2017/07/07/housing-cris... [2] http://www.sfyimby.org http://www.sfyimby.org

fiter 9y ago
I think Marin County is an example of self-sorting. People who want to live there do want to live in suburban developments. I don't think a YIMBY Party would have as good of a chance of capturing much of the vote. (Additionally, the streets are not built on a grid and there is poor public transit investment.) I think we have plenty of areas we can densify in San Francisco and the East Bay which would want it with sufficient promotion of the YIMBY Party.
Zarath 9y ago
Why is that a bad law? Not everyone wants to live in a concrete jungle. Nature is good for your health.
- panic 9y ago
  Yes, that's why there's a distinction made between "suburban" and "metropolitan" areas.
- nerfhammer 9y ago
  > concrete jungle This is the sort of hyperbole that blocks reasonable policies
  - Spivak 9y ago
    Devil's advocate. If SF actually wanted to meet the demand for housing it would be a concrete jungle. No value judgment, there are just a ton of people that want to move there. But since we know that SF isn't going to do that to preserve the character of the city the amount of available housing is basically arbitrary. So you could build more housing, but since no matter what prices are still going to be high and most people are still going to be left out the only reason to really do it is if it benefits the city and/or current residents.
    - Decade 9y ago
      One man’s concrete jungle is another man’s walkable and extremely lively community. Also, many people have pointed out, we don’t need to go full Manhattan to satisfy current demand. We can do it with mid-rise construction, that still leaves lots of open spaces and views of the sky. To do that, we have to recognize that “character” is not just the outside of the building, increasingly a playground for the rich, but the life that goes on inside them.
      - francisofascii 9y ago
        Exactly. Six stories is about right, imho.
DrScump 9y ago
Marin County just exempted itself from dense housing laws Counties have no such power. Such NIMBYism is implemented at the state level courtesy of CA's longstanding one-party rule
- Decade 9y ago
  Nitpicking. It was added to a budget trailer bill by the representative from Marin County, and accepted in return for his support of the new gas tax or something. Politics are ugly.
  - DrScump 9y ago
    But that goes nowhere without 20 other Democrats (statewide) voting in favor.

by Decade 9y ago

fiter 9y ago

I think Marin County is an example of self-sorting. People who want to live there do want to live in suburban developments. I don't think a YIMBY Party would have as good of a chance of capturing much of the vote. (Additionally, the streets are not built on a grid and there is poor public transit investment.) I think we have plenty of areas we can densify in San Francisco and the East Bay which would want it with sufficient promotion of the YIMBY Party.

Zarath 9y ago

Why is that a bad law? Not everyone wants to live in a concrete jungle. Nature is good for your health.

panic 9y ago
Yes, that's why there's a distinction made between "suburban" and "metropolitan" areas.
nerfhammer 9y ago
> concrete jungle This is the sort of hyperbole that blocks reasonable policies
- Spivak 9y ago
  Devil's advocate. If SF actually wanted to meet the demand for housing it would be a concrete jungle. No value judgment, there are just a ton of people that want to move there. But since we know that SF isn't going to do that to preserve the character of the city the amount of available housing is basically arbitrary. So you could build more housing, but since no matter what prices are still going to be high and most people are still going to be left out the only reason to really do it is if it benefits the city and/or current residents.
  - Decade 9y ago
    One man’s concrete jungle is another man’s walkable and extremely lively community. Also, many people have pointed out, we don’t need to go full Manhattan to satisfy current demand. We can do it with mid-rise construction, that still leaves lots of open spaces and views of the sky. To do that, we have to recognize that “character” is not just the outside of the building, increasingly a playground for the rich, but the life that goes on inside them.
    - francisofascii 9y ago
      Exactly. Six stories is about right, imho.

DrScump 9y ago

Marin County just exempted itself from dense housing laws Counties have no such power. Such NIMBYism is implemented at the state level courtesy of CA's longstanding one-party rule

Decade 9y ago
Nitpicking. It was added to a budget trailer bill by the representative from Marin County, and accepted in return for his support of the new gas tax or something. Politics are ugly.
- DrScump 9y ago
  But that goes nowhere without 20 other Democrats (statewide) voting in favor.