Pinned
Dan Keshet
@dankeshet.bsky.social
· Nov 21
#atxurbanists, I've built a starter pack! Please use it to pad out your follows and invite new friends! Also LMK if you are an Austin urbanist not on here, even if urbanism isn't your main bleat area!
"Survey of residents says market-rate affordability isn't a problem" says more about the residents than about the affordability.
Why are we even surveying residents about things we can measure?
Why are we even surveying residents about things we can measure?
November 30, 2025 at 6:41 PM
"Survey of residents says market-rate affordability isn't a problem" says more about the residents than about the affordability.
Why are we even surveying residents about things we can measure?
Why are we even surveying residents about things we can measure?
The news from Ann Arbor (second-hand so correct what's wrong).
The city has a surface parking lot downtown. 10 years ago, a dev proposed housing and a privately-funded plaza. NIMBYs blocked it with a charter amendment declaring the parking lot a city park.
The city has a surface parking lot downtown. 10 years ago, a dev proposed housing and a privately-funded plaza. NIMBYs blocked it with a charter amendment declaring the parking lot a city park.
November 28, 2025 at 8:12 PM
The news from Ann Arbor (second-hand so correct what's wrong).
The city has a surface parking lot downtown. 10 years ago, a dev proposed housing and a privately-funded plaza. NIMBYs blocked it with a charter amendment declaring the parking lot a city park.
The city has a surface parking lot downtown. 10 years ago, a dev proposed housing and a privately-funded plaza. NIMBYs blocked it with a charter amendment declaring the parking lot a city park.
2024 was a banner year for Austin housing, both in policy progress from City Council and in actual lowered rents.
2025 saw no backsliding but the place of change slowed down considerably.
Before, Austin CMs were competing to outdo one another with new proposals. This year, it's been pretty quiet.
2025 saw no backsliding but the place of change slowed down considerably.
Before, Austin CMs were competing to outdo one another with new proposals. This year, it's been pretty quiet.
November 28, 2025 at 5:10 PM
2024 was a banner year for Austin housing, both in policy progress from City Council and in actual lowered rents.
2025 saw no backsliding but the place of change slowed down considerably.
Before, Austin CMs were competing to outdo one another with new proposals. This year, it's been pretty quiet.
2025 saw no backsliding but the place of change slowed down considerably.
Before, Austin CMs were competing to outdo one another with new proposals. This year, it's been pretty quiet.
Thankful today for my beautiful home and for all the people who are working hard to ensure everyone may enjoy their own home where they want to live.
November 27, 2025 at 2:40 PM
Thankful today for my beautiful home and for all the people who are working hard to ensure everyone may enjoy their own home where they want to live.
In parking at least, Connecticut is more market-oriented than Texas.
What does this bill do? Simple, it removes arbitrary mandates for parking that no one wants or will use
Developers can and will still provide parking but only based on market demand. Gone will be rules like "have 3 parking spaces for your studio across from the train station"
Developers can and will still provide parking but only based on market demand. Gone will be rules like "have 3 parking spaces for your studio across from the train station"
November 26, 2025 at 4:45 PM
In parking at least, Connecticut is more market-oriented than Texas.
Reposted by Dan Keshet
As of July 1, 2026 Connecticut will be henceforth known as the land without residential Parking Mandates!!!
A huge thank you to everyone who pitched in, testimony, emails, calls, op-eds, this was truly a statewide grassroots groundswell. What started as a silly idea is now reality
A victory 🏆🧵
A huge thank you to everyone who pitched in, testimony, emails, calls, op-eds, this was truly a statewide grassroots groundswell. What started as a silly idea is now reality
A victory 🏆🧵
Gov. Lamont signs much-debated CT affordable housing bill after vetoing previous version
The bill is Connecticut's most significant housing legislation in decades.
www.ctinsider.com
November 26, 2025 at 4:22 PM
As of July 1, 2026 Connecticut will be henceforth known as the land without residential Parking Mandates!!!
A huge thank you to everyone who pitched in, testimony, emails, calls, op-eds, this was truly a statewide grassroots groundswell. What started as a silly idea is now reality
A victory 🏆🧵
A huge thank you to everyone who pitched in, testimony, emails, calls, op-eds, this was truly a statewide grassroots groundswell. What started as a silly idea is now reality
A victory 🏆🧵
Housing problems are everywhere. Remember to look for the helpers.
November 26, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Housing problems are everywhere. Remember to look for the helpers.
Tuesday to Sunday with family in Ann Arbor, then Sunday to Tuesday just my wife and daughter (5) in downtown Detroit.
What should we do? She likes tall buildings and similar family-friendly activities. Didn't take passports so Windsor is out.
What should we do? She likes tall buildings and similar family-friendly activities. Didn't take passports so Windsor is out.
November 25, 2025 at 10:35 PM
Tuesday to Sunday with family in Ann Arbor, then Sunday to Tuesday just my wife and daughter (5) in downtown Detroit.
What should we do? She likes tall buildings and similar family-friendly activities. Didn't take passports so Windsor is out.
What should we do? She likes tall buildings and similar family-friendly activities. Didn't take passports so Windsor is out.
On the internet, there's sometimes this weird abundance vs progressive fight.
But IRL, we've got arguably the most progressive Austin elected out here speaking about abundance.
But IRL, we've got arguably the most progressive Austin elected out here speaking about abundance.
Excited to be part of this conversation on parking reform and how cities can build abundance. Join us on December 8. Sign up: luma.com/eab3fc7r
November 24, 2025 at 11:30 PM
On the internet, there's sometimes this weird abundance vs progressive fight.
But IRL, we've got arguably the most progressive Austin elected out here speaking about abundance.
But IRL, we've got arguably the most progressive Austin elected out here speaking about abundance.
Don't hear much about smart cities these days. Is the fad / marketing push over?
November 23, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Don't hear much about smart cities these days. Is the fad / marketing push over?
The reason you get pro-housing people from all sides of the political spectrum is that there are folks from left, right, and center who have priorities other than keeping houses far apart.
Fiscal conservative: build new housing; use the new tax base to keep taxes low.
Fiscal liberal: build new housing; use the new tax base to provide better services.
NIMBY: Spend everything on inefficient housing designs. Bitch about the high taxes and bad services.
Fiscal liberal: build new housing; use the new tax base to provide better services.
NIMBY: Spend everything on inefficient housing designs. Bitch about the high taxes and bad services.
November 22, 2025 at 9:02 PM
The reason you get pro-housing people from all sides of the political spectrum is that there are folks from left, right, and center who have priorities other than keeping houses far apart.
Fiscal conservative: build new housing; use the new tax base to keep taxes low.
Fiscal liberal: build new housing; use the new tax base to provide better services.
NIMBY: Spend everything on inefficient housing designs. Bitch about the high taxes and bad services.
Fiscal liberal: build new housing; use the new tax base to provide better services.
NIMBY: Spend everything on inefficient housing designs. Bitch about the high taxes and bad services.
November 22, 2025 at 8:51 PM
Fiscal conservative: build new housing; use the new tax base to keep taxes low.
Fiscal liberal: build new housing; use the new tax base to provide better services.
NIMBY: Spend everything on inefficient housing designs. Bitch about the high taxes and bad services.
Fiscal liberal: build new housing; use the new tax base to provide better services.
NIMBY: Spend everything on inefficient housing designs. Bitch about the high taxes and bad services.
While AISD is closing schools in a budget crunch, Austin NIMBYs are helping by fundraising for *checks notes* limiting the amount of money the school district can make when it sells of its closed schools.
Donate to Play Fair With Rosedale: Limit development at the old school, organized by Daniel Ray
Hi, Rosedale neighbors!
We were drawn to this beautiful ne… Daniel Ray needs your support for Play Fair With Rosedale: Limit development at the old school
www.gofundme.com
November 21, 2025 at 5:09 PM
While AISD is closing schools in a budget crunch, Austin NIMBYs are helping by fundraising for *checks notes* limiting the amount of money the school district can make when it sells of its closed schools.
Bouldin Creek NIMBYs investigating the closure of Bouldin Creek Elementary
November 20, 2025 at 2:05 AM
Bouldin Creek NIMBYs investigating the closure of Bouldin Creek Elementary
Year One report on Austin's small-plex initiative HOME is out, and it's underwhelming in raw numbers of units. My takeaways:
- Duplexes and triplexes aren't enough to solve housing crisis
- Best arguments for 2- and 3-plexes may be about neighborhood character (e.g. retail viability)
- Duplexes and triplexes aren't enough to solve housing crisis
- Best arguments for 2- and 3-plexes may be about neighborhood character (e.g. retail viability)
HOME Annual Report.pdf
drive.google.com
November 20, 2025 at 12:28 AM
Year One report on Austin's small-plex initiative HOME is out, and it's underwhelming in raw numbers of units. My takeaways:
- Duplexes and triplexes aren't enough to solve housing crisis
- Best arguments for 2- and 3-plexes may be about neighborhood character (e.g. retail viability)
- Duplexes and triplexes aren't enough to solve housing crisis
- Best arguments for 2- and 3-plexes may be about neighborhood character (e.g. retail viability)
The scale of investment here is totally crazy. Tech companies are spending massive dollars on infrastructure -- both data centers and energy. Notably, Google is investing in the parts of Texas where the wind doesn't stop blowing.
Google Pledges Another $40B for Texas Data Centers - Connect CRE
Google announced a new $40 billion investment in the state of Texas through 2027. The funding will help build new cloud and AI infrastructure, including new data center campuses in Armstrong and Haske...
www.connectcre.com
November 19, 2025 at 2:06 PM
The scale of investment here is totally crazy. Tech companies are spending massive dollars on infrastructure -- both data centers and energy. Notably, Google is investing in the parts of Texas where the wind doesn't stop blowing.
The most fire-safe buildings we have are modern apartment buildings. To prevent fire deaths, allow more modern apartment buildings to get built. Testimony from Milwaukee firefighters.
Modern Apartments Are the Safest Housing, Firefighters Explain
YouTube video by Pew
www.youtube.com
November 15, 2025 at 1:07 AM
The most fire-safe buildings we have are modern apartment buildings. To prevent fire deaths, allow more modern apartment buildings to get built. Testimony from Milwaukee firefighters.
When people want to build new housing, there's a parade of folks claiming that our infrastructure can't handle more people. Well, our educational infrastructure is about to be thoroughly degraded because we don't have enough people.
Austin ISD unveils plans to close 13 schools in 2026-27 school year
The district has proposed closing 13 campuses, revising attendance boundaries and changing campus programming amid budgetary constraints, declining enrollment and failed A-F ratings.
communityimpact.com
November 15, 2025 at 12:44 AM
When people want to build new housing, there's a parade of folks claiming that our infrastructure can't handle more people. Well, our educational infrastructure is about to be thoroughly degraded because we don't have enough people.
Has anyone successfully loosened development rules in a big city with a direct appeal to growing the tax base? It's at the core of the Small Towns approach, but I haven't seen it work in a bigger city. Maybe that was because revenue was already growing, and it'll work better in a downturn?
November 11, 2025 at 8:52 PM
Has anyone successfully loosened development rules in a big city with a direct appeal to growing the tax base? It's at the core of the Small Towns approach, but I haven't seen it work in a bigger city. Maybe that was because revenue was already growing, and it'll work better in a downturn?
Voters in Austin suburb Bee Cave unlocked a free library hack: vote yes to approve building a new library, vote no to pass the bond that funds the new library.
Voters approve new Bee Cave library but vote down funding, unofficial results show
If approved, both propositions will allow for the construction of a new library building.
communityimpact.com
November 7, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Voters in Austin suburb Bee Cave unlocked a free library hack: vote yes to approve building a new library, vote no to pass the bond that funds the new library.
Chilling from Sudan:
“I haven’t seen violence like this since Rwanda. The velocity and ferocity of the RSF killing civilians since Sunday is unlike anything I’ve seen in 26 years of doing this work, and HRL has been reporting on the RSF and the Sudanese war for a while"
“I haven’t seen violence like this since Rwanda. The velocity and ferocity of the RSF killing civilians since Sunday is unlike anything I’ve seen in 26 years of doing this work, and HRL has been reporting on the RSF and the Sudanese war for a while"
Yale lab reports mass killings in Sudan, calls for student activism
The Humanitarian Research Lab was told this week that over 10,000 people in Sudan were killed within three days.
yaledailynews.com
November 6, 2025 at 2:33 AM
Chilling from Sudan:
“I haven’t seen violence like this since Rwanda. The velocity and ferocity of the RSF killing civilians since Sunday is unlike anything I’ve seen in 26 years of doing this work, and HRL has been reporting on the RSF and the Sudanese war for a while"
“I haven’t seen violence like this since Rwanda. The velocity and ferocity of the RSF killing civilians since Sunday is unlike anything I’ve seen in 26 years of doing this work, and HRL has been reporting on the RSF and the Sudanese war for a while"
Y'all remember that big zoning reform Cambridge, MA passed? It's already paying off.
This is what #CambMA has seen in just 8 months since zoning reform that passed in Feb of this year. This is the reform that a slate of candidates promised to repeal if elected. None of them were elected last night! #CambMA rocks!
www.abciepac.org/2025-accompl...
www.abciepac.org/2025-accompl...
www.abciepac.org/2025-accompl...
www.abciepac.org/2025-accompl...
2025 Zoning Accomplishments — A Better Cambridge IEPAC
www.abciepac.org
November 5, 2025 at 11:06 PM
Y'all remember that big zoning reform Cambridge, MA passed? It's already paying off.
There's a lot of golf courses out there in cities that don't have the water to support them. Cities have a lot of room for creativity in how to use this space.
November 5, 2025 at 5:09 PM
There's a lot of golf courses out there in cities that don't have the water to support them. Cities have a lot of room for creativity in how to use this space.
Austin voters sending a strong message they want the city to grow the tax base, not the tax rate. The only way we can do this is to make it easier and cheaper to build within city limits.
Austin early vote totals show strong opposition to Prop Q
The city is asking voters to approve a property tax increase that it says would help fund homeless services and other city projects.
www.kut.org
November 5, 2025 at 3:06 AM
Austin voters sending a strong message they want the city to grow the tax base, not the tax rate. The only way we can do this is to make it easier and cheaper to build within city limits.
New Frisco apartment: "Residents will enjoy amenities such as co-working and conference spaces, a fitness center, dog spa, bike storage, a resident lounge with golf simulators, and a pool deck with cabanas and fire tables."
Wilks Breaks Ground on First Firefly Park Construction Project - Connect CRE
Wilks Development has officially broken ground on The Noc, the first residential community at Firefly Park and the first vertical construction within the 217-acre mixed-use development in Frisco. Comp...
www.connectcre.com
November 4, 2025 at 4:00 PM
New Frisco apartment: "Residents will enjoy amenities such as co-working and conference spaces, a fitness center, dog spa, bike storage, a resident lounge with golf simulators, and a pool deck with cabanas and fire tables."