Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Mike Kingsella @mkingsella.upforgrowth.org · Jun 23

This will be a fascinating project to watch. America needs clean, abundant, and affordable energy to serve all of our growing needs, but too often artificial barriers delay completion and add tremendous cost. Thanks for flagging this @stephenjacobsmith.com!

Falls Church townhouse project receives skepticism from city leaders | ARLnow.com

Mike Kingsella @mkingsella.upforgrowth.org · Jun 5

“Quite jarring.”

www.arlnow.com/2025/06/05/f...

A proposal to replace two single-family homes in Falls Church with 12 townhouses is facing pushback from local officials and planning staff. Developer Madison Homes is seeking to rezone a 0.5-acre sit...

www.arlnow.com

Using Our Public Land for Public Benefit

Mike Kingsella @mkingsella.upforgrowth.org · May 22

Federally owned lands—Amtrak stations, USPS sites—represent untapped resources for transformative housing solutions. Let's unlock them meet America's urgent housing needs. #PublicLand #HousingAbundance

link.upforgrowth.org/WVsYuv

by Mike Kingsella

The Home Insurance Crisis Is Getting Even More Expensive

Reposted by Mike Kingsella

Chuck Slothower @chuckslothower.bsky.social · May 6

It's almost as if supply and demand is a thing in the housing market, just like every other type of market.

Henry Grabar @henrygrabar.bsky.social · May 6

quite a chart www.wsj.com/economy/hous...

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Mike Kingsella @mkingsella.upforgrowth.org · May 15

Great reporting from David Gelles @nytimes.com. Insurance premiums in wildfire-prone California rose 17%, highlighting the hidden costs of climate-vulnerable land use. This issue extends beyond finances—it's about community planning. We need to rethink zoning to build compact, resilient communities.

In California, a home insurance rate increase by State Farm is yet another sign of growing crisis driven by climate change.

In Duluth, a controversial condo proposal brings out both NIMBYs and YIMBYs

Mike Kingsella @mkingsella.upforgrowth.org · May 15

Cities evolve. Duluth's Woodland neighborhood itself emerged only after the 1890s streetcar line—a mere blink compared to centuries-old European cities. Embracing change, including condos, is key to sustainable communities. #ZoningReform #UrbanEvolution

Read more:

The Duluth City Council votes Monday on a controversial housing development project. It pits NIMBYs or "Not In My Backyard" opponents against so-called YIMBYs or “Yes In My Backyard,” who advocate…

Mike Kingsella @mkingsella.upforgrowth.org · May 14

Housing affordability needs bold moves—like embracing single-stair buildings. They've proven safe globally, slash costs, and help cities build smarter. Let's reform outdated codes. #ProHousing #SingleStair

More from @rachelmcohen.bsky.social at Vox: link.upforgrowth.org/B6QTUZ

Mike Kingsella @mkingsella.upforgrowth.org · May 14

HUD's outdated chassis rule throttles innovation in housing. Removing it could unlock factory-built homes—up to 65% cheaper and faster. It's time to modernize housing regulations. #AffordableHousing #HousingInnovation

Read more from @niskanencenter.bsky.soc : link.upforgrowth.org/dzOknQ

Baltimore County ‘APFO’ school overcrowding bill likely to backfire | GUEST COMMENTARY

Mike Kingsella @mkingsella.upforgrowth.org · May 13

Adequate Public Facilities Ordinances often fail communities by exacerbating housing shortages. Reform is overdue. #UrbanPlanning #Democracy

More here: link.upforgrowth.org/j14aTP

(And if you nerd out on housing policy as much as I do, subscribe to Homefront: www.mikekingsella.com)

In the face of a federal mandate to construct new affordable housing and a state law that would remove regulatory burdens to allow it, the Baltimore County Council is building barricades.

www.baltimoresun.com

Mike Kingsella @mkingsella.upforgrowth.org · May 13

We didn't just price out renters—we priced out the ability to build. It's not just an income problem; it's a structural supply crisis decades in the making. #HousingCrisis

Read more:

We Didn’t Just Price Out Renters. We Priced Out the Ability to Build.

“It’s not a housing supply problem—it’s an income problem.” I hear this a lot.

Herrera Beutler: Washington’s rent cap will backfire — here's what we should do instead | Cascadia Daily News

Mike Kingsella @mkingsella.upforgrowth.org · May 12

Shocking stat: Veteran homelessness up 7% since 2023. Abundant housing is essential for those who protect us. #AffordableHousing

Enjoying these insights? Subscribe to Homefront—my biweekly brief on housing supply solutions: link.upforgrowth.org/tBi9IA

Mike Kingsella @mkingsella.upforgrowth.org · May 11

Rent control may sound good, but history shows it reduces investment & shrinks housing supply. Washington State, beware. #RentControl #HousingShortage

The road to hell is paved with good intentions, and as bad as Washington’s housing market presently is, interventions by elected leaders in Olympia — i ...

www.cascadiadaily.com

Mike Kingsella @mkingsella.upforgrowth.org · May 11

Maryland school boards misuse enrollment numbers to block housing, hurting families. Infrastructure should unite, not divide. #ProcessReform

Baltimore County ‘APFO’ school overcrowding bill likely to backfire | GUEST COMMENTARY

In the face of a federal mandate to construct new affordable housing and a state law that would remove regulatory burdens to allow it, the Baltimore County Council is building barricades.

www.baltimoresun.com

Mike Kingsella @mkingsella.upforgrowth.org · May 2

You know the YIMBY movement is winning when ADU builders start popping up everywhere at real estate events. Progress. #YIMBY #ADU

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Mike Kingsella @mkingsella.upforgrowth.org · Apr 26

A town in Rhode Island is trying to seize private land — just to block affordable housing.

If courts let them, it could give NIMBYs everywhere a dangerous new weapon: eminent domain.

I break it down in the latest Homefront.

www.mikekingsella.com

Rhode Island town seizes family’s land in eminent domain scandal

Mike Kingsella @mkingsella.upforgrowth.org · Apr 16

Forget Kelo v. New London—Johnston, #RhodeIsland mayor just weaponized eminent domain to block affordable housing.

Using gov’t power to stop homes isn’t #NIMBYism—it’s actively pushing communities backward.

We need homes, not roadblocks. link.upforgrowth.org/6x4GPP

A shocking eminent domain scandal is unfolding in Johnston, Rhode Island: Last week, the Town secretly took possession of a family’s 31-acre property,

pacificlegal.org

Mike Kingsella @mkingsella.upforgrowth.org · Apr 8

Congressional YIMBY Caucus launches today—bipartisan effort to boost housing supply & affordability. Tune in live: link.upforgrowth.org/2VW18q
#YIMBY #HousingPolicy

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Mike Kingsella @mkingsella.upforgrowth.org · Mar 29

In Denver this weekend for APA's #NPC25 representing Up for Growth! If you’re in town or based here, let’s meet up to talk housing supply solutions. Send me a message! #Denver #MeetUps

Opinion | Federal Land Can Be Home Sweet Home

Mike Kingsella @mkingsella.upforgrowth.org · Mar 26

You’ve made it!

Mike Kingsella @mkingsella.upforgrowth.org · Mar 26

Unlocking public lands for housing is smart policy—especially urban infill when demand for walkable urban housing is at all time highs and costs are off the charts. More on this at #APAConference with APA's Jason Jordan and NLC's Mike Wallace. #HousingSupplySolutions

www.wsj.com/opinion/fede...

Our departments will work together to solve the housing crisis.

www.wsj.com

Zoning Reforms Can Mean More Homes, Lower Costs for Arizona | Arizona Capitol Times

Mike Kingsella @mkingsella.upforgrowth.org · Mar 20

Arizona’s housing unaffordability comes down to one thing: not enough homes. Zoning reforms expand supply, lower costs, and boost accessibility. More options mean more affordability. Great Op-Ed from our colleagues at @weareunidosus.bsky.social and @pewresearch.org.

link.upforgrowth.org/7gSo7j

The “Starter Homes” bill is a good beginning. The Legislature can do further by expanding the availability of casitas, and adjusting zoning laws.

From bestselling authors and journalistic titans Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson, Abundance is a once-in-a-generation, paradigm-shifting call to rene...

Mike Kingsella @mkingsella.upforgrowth.org · Mar 18

Our institutions weren’t built for today’s housing crisis. Every generation is tasked with an overhaul—but ours hasn’t done it yet. Pro-housing policies are the fix. Time to step up.

www.simonandschuster.com/books/Abunda...

Abundance

www.simonandschuster.com

What YIMBYs are learning from their victories across the country

Mike Kingsella @mkingsella.upforgrowth.org · Mar 14

"Austin spent 10 years trying to make neighborhood groups happy. There was nothing they would accept," says @cityjane.bsky.social of Texans for Housing.

The breakthrough? Moving beyond project-by-project fights to systemic change.

Hear more on @volts.wtf: link.upforgrowth.org/NIAksx

Breakthrough housing reforms in NYC and Austin offer a playbook for YIMBY success across America.

Urban History Faces a New Crisis – AHA

Mike Kingsella @mkingsella.upforgrowth.org · Mar 12

This piece captures the U.S. remote work shift well, but many non-U.S. cities saw full office returns due to social safety nets, transit funding, and norms. America’s urban centers aren’t fading for the reasons you might think.

American Historical Association @historians.org · Mar 12

In the five years since 2020, much has changed in urban life—but what about history? @zacharyschrag.bsky.social writes in #AHAPerspectives about the effects of the pandemic on urban history. 🗃️

Five years after COVID-19 arrived in the United States, Zachary M. Schrag writes about its effects on urban life and urban history.

www.historians.org