Brian Hanlon
@hanlon.bsky.social
I co-founded @cayimby.bsky.social to make California affordable and accessible for everyone.
Support pro-housing candidates: http://cayimbyvictoryfund.org
Support pro-housing candidates: http://cayimbyvictoryfund.org
Reposted by Brian Hanlon
The left has a nonprofit industrial complex problem
With the right campaigning hard against nonprofit fraud in Minnesota, just going to remind everyone that this was literally a major plank of my campaign, and probably played a significant role in me not winning, as the Dem-connected nonprofit world went nuts over it www.willstancil.org/priorities1
December 2, 2025 at 4:50 PM
The left has a nonprofit industrial complex problem
Reposted by Brian Hanlon
Middle class / professional YIMBYs priced out of their own communities are speaking from their own lived experience, and have more legitimacy than college-educated, white shoe lawyers claiming to speak on behalf of "communities in greatest need of housing affordability."
Yes, this is famously why YIMBYs are definitely representative of the communities in greatest need of housing affordability. /s A number of YIMBY groups have even changed strategies around urban housing to be better partners... that was because this is still a very real issue!
November 27, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Middle class / professional YIMBYs priced out of their own communities are speaking from their own lived experience, and have more legitimacy than college-educated, white shoe lawyers claiming to speak on behalf of "communities in greatest need of housing affordability."
Reposted by Brian Hanlon
Still thinking about this article. It’s always been a sore spot in YIMBY circles that so many progressive foundations pour money into NIMBYism, and I’m glad it’s finally being aired in public. Keep talking about it. www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/philant...
Philanthropy Needs to Pick a Side on the Housing Construction Debate
Despite California’s severe housing shortage, foundations are still funding on the wrong side of the housing fight there, guest author Ned Resnikoff writes.
www.insidephilanthropy.com
November 27, 2025 at 3:00 AM
Still thinking about this article. It’s always been a sore spot in YIMBY circles that so many progressive foundations pour money into NIMBYism, and I’m glad it’s finally being aired in public. Keep talking about it. www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/philant...
"The buildings that single-stair promotes are just more — what’s the word? Nicer. They’re nicer."
Love this quote from @edmendoza.bsky.social!
calmatters.org/housing/2025...
Love this quote from @edmendoza.bsky.social!
calmatters.org/housing/2025...
One California city’s idea to tackle the housing crisis: Take the stairs
For champions of more housing development, ditching the extra staircase has become a buzzy cause in fighting California's housing crisis.
calmatters.org
November 21, 2025 at 8:23 PM
"The buildings that single-stair promotes are just more — what’s the word? Nicer. They’re nicer."
Love this quote from @edmendoza.bsky.social!
calmatters.org/housing/2025...
Love this quote from @edmendoza.bsky.social!
calmatters.org/housing/2025...
Georgia also boasts to most metal statue, Kartlis Deda.
"She symbolizes the Georgian national character: in her left hand she holds a bowl of wine to greet those who come as friends, and in her right hand is a sword for those who come as enemies"
"She symbolizes the Georgian national character: in her left hand she holds a bowl of wine to greet those who come as friends, and in her right hand is a sword for those who come as enemies"
November 21, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Georgia also boasts to most metal statue, Kartlis Deda.
"She symbolizes the Georgian national character: in her left hand she holds a bowl of wine to greet those who come as friends, and in her right hand is a sword for those who come as enemies"
"She symbolizes the Georgian national character: in her left hand she holds a bowl of wine to greet those who come as friends, and in her right hand is a sword for those who come as enemies"
Just in time for weekend reading: a 110 page PDF of foundations behaving badly.
Note these findings represent an undercount of foundation support for anti-housing orgs in CA.
YIMBY groups are massively outspent by left-NIMBYs!
Note these findings represent an undercount of foundation support for anti-housing orgs in CA.
YIMBY groups are massively outspent by left-NIMBYs!
Here's the research referenced in the piece: drive.google.com/file/u/0/d/1...
Foundation Funding of Anti-Housing Work_2025-10-2.pdf
drive.google.com
November 21, 2025 at 6:20 PM
Just in time for weekend reading: a 110 page PDF of foundations behaving badly.
Note these findings represent an undercount of foundation support for anti-housing orgs in CA.
YIMBY groups are massively outspent by left-NIMBYs!
Note these findings represent an undercount of foundation support for anti-housing orgs in CA.
YIMBY groups are massively outspent by left-NIMBYs!
Reposted by Brian Hanlon
This piece is based on research showing that since 2018 major foundations have given more than a quarter of a billion dollars to nonprofits that went on to oppose YIMBY legislation in California
New from me for Inside Philanthropy: California foundations need to decide whether they genuinely want to improve housing affordability or would rather keep funding NIMBY obstructionism in Sacramento. www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/philant...
Philanthropy Needs to Pick a Side on the Housing Construction Debate
Despite California’s severe housing shortage, foundations are still funding on the wrong side of the housing fight there, guest author Ned Resnikoff writes.
www.insidephilanthropy.com
November 20, 2025 at 8:53 PM
This piece is based on research showing that since 2018 major foundations have given more than a quarter of a billion dollars to nonprofits that went on to oppose YIMBY legislation in California
Foundations should stop funding groups that advance harmful housing policies.
These left-NIMBY nonprofits dwarf the YIMBY movement w/r/t funding and paid staff.
Great piece from @resnikoff.bsky.social!
www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/philant...
These left-NIMBY nonprofits dwarf the YIMBY movement w/r/t funding and paid staff.
Great piece from @resnikoff.bsky.social!
www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/philant...
Philanthropy Needs to Pick a Side on the Housing Construction Debate
Despite California’s severe housing shortage, foundations are still funding on the wrong side of the housing fight there, guest author Ned Resnikoff writes.
www.insidephilanthropy.com
November 20, 2025 at 9:13 PM
Foundations should stop funding groups that advance harmful housing policies.
These left-NIMBY nonprofits dwarf the YIMBY movement w/r/t funding and paid staff.
Great piece from @resnikoff.bsky.social!
www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/philant...
These left-NIMBY nonprofits dwarf the YIMBY movement w/r/t funding and paid staff.
Great piece from @resnikoff.bsky.social!
www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/philant...
Reposted by Brian Hanlon
Thank you to everyone who joined us for the San Diego Legislative Town Hall. Your energy, ideas, and commitment made the conversation productive and the day a real success.
November 18, 2025 at 7:20 PM
Thank you to everyone who joined us for the San Diego Legislative Town Hall. Your energy, ideas, and commitment made the conversation productive and the day a real success.
Reposted by Brian Hanlon
Because for many people, political activism is supposed to help you self actualize by performing virtuous acts of service on behalf of a more deserving Other. Taking and using political power to improve your own material circumstances is considered vulgar and inappropriate.
I don't know why "these are middle-class people who want economic security for themselves and their communities" is supposed to be a sick own.
many YIMBYs i know are actually quite explicit about working against their own financial interest
November 17, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Because for many people, political activism is supposed to help you self actualize by performing virtuous acts of service on behalf of a more deserving Other. Taking and using political power to improve your own material circumstances is considered vulgar and inappropriate.
Reposted by Brian Hanlon
“SB 827 was a BC/AD event for housing policy in America,” @hanlon.bsky.social says. “We’re not going to solve this through marginal tax credit, low-income housing projects. No. You just need to legalize fucking apartment buildings.”
Scott Wiener defeated California’s NIMBYs. Can he fix America’s housing crisis?
By running for Nancy Pelosi's House seat, he's putting the abundance theory to the test.
www.motherjones.com
November 14, 2025 at 7:30 PM
“SB 827 was a BC/AD event for housing policy in America,” @hanlon.bsky.social says. “We’re not going to solve this through marginal tax credit, low-income housing projects. No. You just need to legalize fucking apartment buildings.”
Disappointed in SF: Lael Neale didn’t sell-out a small venue on Thursday night.
Give her a listen!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUA4...
Give her a listen!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUA4...
Lael Neale - I Am The River (Official Video)
YouTube video by Lael Neale
www.youtube.com
November 9, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Disappointed in SF: Lael Neale didn’t sell-out a small venue on Thursday night.
Give her a listen!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUA4...
Give her a listen!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUA4...
Which rail operator should audit @caltrain.com to help them improve service?
November 8, 2025 at 1:58 AM
Which rail operator should audit @caltrain.com to help them improve service?
Mayor Bass will fail to solve homelessness, as will any politician who listens to traditional “equity” and homeless advocates, because you can’t end mass homelessness without fixing the housing market.
Tomiquia Moss, Secretary of the CA Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency explains that every day, Los Angeles houses 207 homeless people but another 227 become homeless the same day.
November 7, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Mayor Bass will fail to solve homelessness, as will any politician who listens to traditional “equity” and homeless advocates, because you can’t end mass homelessness without fixing the housing market.
“Mostly” ≠ “completely”
Individual candidate positions matter less today than ~30 years ago, but they still matter!
For that reason, it’s *more* harmful to candidates in swing districts to have a bunch of lefty coastal elites define the Democratic Party today!
Individual candidate positions matter less today than ~30 years ago, but they still matter!
For that reason, it’s *more* harmful to candidates in swing districts to have a bunch of lefty coastal elites define the Democratic Party today!
I think the "politician issue positions are decisive in elections" crowd needs to reconcile their beliefs with political science evidence finding that positions are mostly downstream of party ID and elite opinion leadership www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Does Party Trump Ideology? Disentangling Party and Ideology in America | American Political Science Review | Cambridge Core
Does Party Trump Ideology? Disentangling Party and Ideology in America - Volume 113 Issue 1
www.cambridge.org
November 4, 2025 at 8:31 PM
“Mostly” ≠ “completely”
Individual candidate positions matter less today than ~30 years ago, but they still matter!
For that reason, it’s *more* harmful to candidates in swing districts to have a bunch of lefty coastal elites define the Democratic Party today!
Individual candidate positions matter less today than ~30 years ago, but they still matter!
For that reason, it’s *more* harmful to candidates in swing districts to have a bunch of lefty coastal elites define the Democratic Party today!
It's not too late - join California YIMBY, pro-housing leaders Sen. Wiener, Asm. Wicks, Sen. Arreguín, and more at our most victorious Victory Party!
secure.actblue.com/donate/sfvp-...
secure.actblue.com/donate/sfvp-...
Be part of California YIMBY’s SF Victory Celebration!
Join us in San Francisco on October 30.
secure.actblue.com
October 27, 2025 at 11:41 PM
It's not too late - join California YIMBY, pro-housing leaders Sen. Wiener, Asm. Wicks, Sen. Arreguín, and more at our most victorious Victory Party!
secure.actblue.com/donate/sfvp-...
secure.actblue.com/donate/sfvp-...
Come party with me and the @cayimby.bsky.social crew at our annual Victory Party on 10/30 in SF!
There's been a lot of winning this year and I'm bringing the wine!
secure.actblue.com/donate/sfvp-...
There's been a lot of winning this year and I'm bringing the wine!
secure.actblue.com/donate/sfvp-...
Be part of California YIMBY’s SF Victory Celebration!
Join us in San Francisco on October 30.
secure.actblue.com
October 23, 2025 at 12:21 AM
Come party with me and the @cayimby.bsky.social crew at our annual Victory Party on 10/30 in SF!
There's been a lot of winning this year and I'm bringing the wine!
secure.actblue.com/donate/sfvp-...
There's been a lot of winning this year and I'm bringing the wine!
secure.actblue.com/donate/sfvp-...
Reposted by Brian Hanlon
Ladies and gentlemen, we did it. SB 79 has been signed.
October 10, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Ladies and gentlemen, we did it. SB 79 has been signed.
Great 🧵 about the power of far-sighted and risk-taking philanthropists!
Thanks to Open Philanthropy for your early and consistent support.
@cayimby.bsky.social could not have achieved these victories without you!
Thanks to Open Philanthropy for your early and consistent support.
@cayimby.bsky.social could not have achieved these victories without you!
We've been funding @cayimby.bsky.social, which championed this work, since its early days, and it's been fun to look back at how far they've come. After a prior incarnation of SB 79 failed in 2018, we renewed our funding and I wrote in our renewal template:
October 10, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Great 🧵 about the power of far-sighted and risk-taking philanthropists!
Thanks to Open Philanthropy for your early and consistent support.
@cayimby.bsky.social could not have achieved these victories without you!
Thanks to Open Philanthropy for your early and consistent support.
@cayimby.bsky.social could not have achieved these victories without you!
Reposted by Brian Hanlon
Not exaggerating when I say that SB 79, a bill making it easier to build housing near mass transit, is the most consequential piece of legislation that the Democratic Party has passed all year. Saying no to the worst people in our coalition proves we're serious about the future.
October 10, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Not exaggerating when I say that SB 79, a bill making it easier to build housing near mass transit, is the most consequential piece of legislation that the Democratic Party has passed all year. Saying no to the worst people in our coalition proves we're serious about the future.
It's done.
Thank you @gavinnewsom.bsky.social for signing SB 79!
California can and will build the future!
Thank you @gavinnewsom.bsky.social for signing SB 79!
California can and will build the future!
After 8 years, we did it!
SB 79, the biggest upzoning bill in state history, just passed the Legislature.
Brief 🧵, with some important thank yous.
1/x
SB 79, the biggest upzoning bill in state history, just passed the Legislature.
Brief 🧵, with some important thank yous.
1/x
[BILL ALERT] SB 79, which broadly legalizes more homes near high quality transit stops, has passed the Senate floor! The bill is now on the Governor’s desk. Learn more: cayimby.org/legislation/...
October 10, 2025 at 4:53 PM
It's done.
Thank you @gavinnewsom.bsky.social for signing SB 79!
California can and will build the future!
Thank you @gavinnewsom.bsky.social for signing SB 79!
California can and will build the future!
Reposted by Brian Hanlon
Between my column a few weeks ago and this today, California's Serbian-American community has really been stepping up to promote SB 79 in the pages of CalMatters.
Commentary:
The governor shouldn’t take housing advice from Los Angeles. He should sign SB 79, lead the state forward and send a clear message: CA’s future won’t be held back by NIMBY politics. https://cal.news/48Q3q2m
📝 Marc Vukcevich
The governor shouldn’t take housing advice from Los Angeles. He should sign SB 79, lead the state forward and send a clear message: CA’s future won’t be held back by NIMBY politics. https://cal.news/48Q3q2m
📝 Marc Vukcevich
Opinion | Los Angeles housing permits are tanking, yet leaders want Newsom to veto a major reform
Signing SB 79 should be an easy call, despite pressure from L.A. Newsom should know better than to let L.A. dictate state housing policy.
cal.news
October 6, 2025 at 10:22 PM
Between my column a few weeks ago and this today, California's Serbian-American community has really been stepping up to promote SB 79 in the pages of CalMatters.
Reposted by Brian Hanlon
TIRED: abundance bros
WIRED: YIMBY's strongest fortnite soldiers
WIRED: YIMBY's strongest fortnite soldiers
October 4, 2025 at 12:06 AM
TIRED: abundance bros
WIRED: YIMBY's strongest fortnite soldiers
WIRED: YIMBY's strongest fortnite soldiers
Reposted by Brian Hanlon
That's where you come in: Call Gov. Newsom and tell him to sign SB 79! Get five friends to do the same. Post about and tag him! This is all trivially easy, but it could make a big difference.
916-445-2841
actionnetwork.org/letters/sign...
916-445-2841
actionnetwork.org/letters/sign...
Tell the Governor: Sign SB 79!
SB 79 will make it faster and easier to build multi-family housing near certain transit stops, like train and dedicated bus rapid transit lines, by making it legal for more homes to be built in these ...
actionnetwork.org
October 1, 2025 at 8:39 PM
That's where you come in: Call Gov. Newsom and tell him to sign SB 79! Get five friends to do the same. Post about and tag him! This is all trivially easy, but it could make a big difference.
916-445-2841
actionnetwork.org/letters/sign...
916-445-2841
actionnetwork.org/letters/sign...