Andrew
@andrewjd.bsky.social
Enjoyer of cities and communities, talking and advocating around housing, public and active transportation, and progressive issues, interspersed with hobbies and joy.
With much less time in it - 7 years, two papers, in university - it was journalism that lead me, as maybe it has you, to see how deep & interlinked issues are. I play a game with my partner: no matter what they name, I can relate it back to the housing crisis. We really do need all hands on deck🤝
November 28, 2025 at 9:23 PM
With much less time in it - 7 years, two papers, in university - it was journalism that lead me, as maybe it has you, to see how deep & interlinked issues are. I play a game with my partner: no matter what they name, I can relate it back to the housing crisis. We really do need all hands on deck🤝
If we stopped all market rate builds, & each divorcee, immigrant, split or expecting couple, home-departing kid, didn't have options.
Another form befell me too: I was evicted from a rental I sublet rooms to a student & shelter worker in. Found out buyers' new mkt build being canceled lead to it.
Another form befell me too: I was evicted from a rental I sublet rooms to a student & shelter worker in. Found out buyers' new mkt build being canceled lead to it.
November 28, 2025 at 9:07 PM
If we stopped all market rate builds, & each divorcee, immigrant, split or expecting couple, home-departing kid, didn't have options.
Another form befell me too: I was evicted from a rental I sublet rooms to a student & shelter worker in. Found out buyers' new mkt build being canceled lead to it.
Another form befell me too: I was evicted from a rental I sublet rooms to a student & shelter worker in. Found out buyers' new mkt build being canceled lead to it.
It's far from perfect, as are tent & sock giveaways, temporary & long term shelter beds, shelter hotels, supportive housing, rooming houses. But they're all legs holding up the table, and allowing us to work in the capitalist democracy we have, while others can still work towards utopias & better.
November 28, 2025 at 8:47 PM
It's far from perfect, as are tent & sock giveaways, temporary & long term shelter beds, shelter hotels, supportive housing, rooming houses. But they're all legs holding up the table, and allowing us to work in the capitalist democracy we have, while others can still work towards utopias & better.
It's also a very important part for me too. It's why it was at the core of me being at the start of two communities' housing advocacy groups, including Melissa's. I also imagine how much worse that would be if we kicked out the 95%+ of housing production we have.
November 28, 2025 at 8:47 PM
It's also a very important part for me too. It's why it was at the core of me being at the start of two communities' housing advocacy groups, including Melissa's. I also imagine how much worse that would be if we kicked out the 95%+ of housing production we have.
The former is what has housed almost everyone in this country and the world for all human history (yes, with many issues to resolve). The latter is a thing I do run into, and there isn't any simple version of trying to do what would require countless ducks to line up to hope it might happen.
November 28, 2025 at 8:34 PM
The former is what has housed almost everyone in this country and the world for all human history (yes, with many issues to resolve). The latter is a thing I do run into, and there isn't any simple version of trying to do what would require countless ducks to line up to hope it might happen.
It'd be extreme to call folk supporting creating the kind of hsg that houses 95%+ of all people as free market capitalists, don't you think? Just as it'd be unfair to characterize some as "build only state hsg, we'll figure out how to increase capacity 100-fold/become a socialist utopia later", no?
November 28, 2025 at 8:22 PM
It'd be extreme to call folk supporting creating the kind of hsg that houses 95%+ of all people as free market capitalists, don't you think? Just as it'd be unfair to characterize some as "build only state hsg, we'll figure out how to increase capacity 100-fold/become a socialist utopia later", no?
Feels like it. Been trying to get my CPA/CFO father onside, yet all the evidence in the world never supplants that 90s mindset.
a cartoon of a man in a suit and tie standing in front of a fire escape
ALT: a cartoon of a man in a suit and tie standing in front of a fire escape
media.tenor.com
November 28, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Feels like it. Been trying to get my CPA/CFO father onside, yet all the evidence in the world never supplants that 90s mindset.
Shouldn't Carney's time in the UK have made it clear that Bush, Blair/Brown/Cameron's love for austerity deepened and lengthened their economic pain and suffering for businesses and individuals? We're not goldfish, right?
November 28, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Shouldn't Carney's time in the UK have made it clear that Bush, Blair/Brown/Cameron's love for austerity deepened and lengthened their economic pain and suffering for businesses and individuals? We're not goldfish, right?
Purely market shouldn't be our only aim. But when we build affordable hsg, we benefit 1 household for each unit we fully fund. When others build market housing, we benefit 2+ hhs through moves today&later. (Gamble today houses v.affordably, but was originally market, for ex)
bsky.app/profile/yona...
bsky.app/profile/yona...
Interesting new working paper that studies chains of movers after the construction of a new apartment building in Honolulu.
Paper finds that the project resulted in the opening up other, lower cost, housing on the island, benefiting the housing market overall.
Paper finds that the project resulted in the opening up other, lower cost, housing on the island, benefiting the housing market overall.
uhero.hawaii.edu
November 28, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Purely market shouldn't be our only aim. But when we build affordable hsg, we benefit 1 household for each unit we fully fund. When others build market housing, we benefit 2+ hhs through moves today&later. (Gamble today houses v.affordably, but was originally market, for ex)
bsky.app/profile/yona...
bsky.app/profile/yona...
I can recall when residents steamed about the Bauer lofts, then Bauer lofters steamed about the Brick building and builds beside them on Park. Are these the Brick or Park tower folks now taking their turn to say, "no my arrival was OK, but it's the next one that's actually too much"? Ever thus...
November 26, 2025 at 3:36 PM
I can recall when residents steamed about the Bauer lofts, then Bauer lofters steamed about the Brick building and builds beside them on Park. Are these the Brick or Park tower folks now taking their turn to say, "no my arrival was OK, but it's the next one that's actually too much"? Ever thus...
What has Ford actually done with a mandate for? He swept in when Wynne was facing a departed PC leader, put out zero plan, & has governed & campaigned based on never letting you have a choice, tragically. Pretty much every major legislation he's put forth has never been campaigned or consulted on.
November 26, 2025 at 5:42 AM
What has Ford actually done with a mandate for? He swept in when Wynne was facing a departed PC leader, put out zero plan, & has governed & campaigned based on never letting you have a choice, tragically. Pretty much every major legislation he's put forth has never been campaigned or consulted on.
I truly want the answer to be yes: Has he changed since he saw Waterloo's LRT & advocated downzoning along its most amenity rich areas? Stopped denying that existing owners are speculators with far more gains than anyone? Stopped removing data from his research that didn't agree with his hypothesis?
November 26, 2025 at 5:31 AM
I truly want the answer to be yes: Has he changed since he saw Waterloo's LRT & advocated downzoning along its most amenity rich areas? Stopped denying that existing owners are speculators with far more gains than anyone? Stopped removing data from his research that didn't agree with his hypothesis?
Also doubtful non-KW ones had the prez of Ontario Fed. of agriculture saying we need this to save farmland, or suburban council saying we need it to save our commutes from farther flung commuters. Few call out TO/Ford transit/hsg pittances for the mess it'll make of King City/Aurora/905>TO commutes
November 25, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Also doubtful non-KW ones had the prez of Ontario Fed. of agriculture saying we need this to save farmland, or suburban council saying we need it to save our commutes from farther flung commuters. Few call out TO/Ford transit/hsg pittances for the mess it'll make of King City/Aurora/905>TO commutes
I do know of that, but can't take bikes on that in the same way, nor chance the ridiculous lines, nor the time it already takes me to even get to a GO station without a transfer. It's by design that driving for a weekend is sadly many times faster.
November 25, 2025 at 3:10 AM
I do know of that, but can't take bikes on that in the same way, nor chance the ridiculous lines, nor the time it already takes me to even get to a GO station without a transfer. It's by design that driving for a weekend is sadly many times faster.
It would now seem that Guelph-Kitchener is the most underserved one. But yes.
November 25, 2025 at 3:09 AM
It would now seem that Guelph-Kitchener is the most underserved one. But yes.
Housing advocacy started for me ~when I found out a development of maybe 10fl next to downtown & future light rail was held up 5y.
That was 22y ago, still delayed.
As I understand it, banks loans need to cover this, so every NIMBY effort only increases bank-required profit to offset delay/failure.🤦
That was 22y ago, still delayed.
As I understand it, banks loans need to cover this, so every NIMBY effort only increases bank-required profit to offset delay/failure.🤦
November 25, 2025 at 3:05 AM
Housing advocacy started for me ~when I found out a development of maybe 10fl next to downtown & future light rail was held up 5y.
That was 22y ago, still delayed.
As I understand it, banks loans need to cover this, so every NIMBY effort only increases bank-required profit to offset delay/failure.🤦
That was 22y ago, still delayed.
As I understand it, banks loans need to cover this, so every NIMBY effort only increases bank-required profit to offset delay/failure.🤦
I'd been looking forward to dropping in for Christkindl sans car, but now I debate pay to stay overnight, drive, or even not go at all. I'll hopefully make it happen, but I'd really like it if policy didn't enforce the wrongful notion that (downtown) Toronto is all that matters. ON is so much more.
November 25, 2025 at 2:57 AM
I'd been looking forward to dropping in for Christkindl sans car, but now I debate pay to stay overnight, drive, or even not go at all. I'll hopefully make it happen, but I'd really like it if policy didn't enforce the wrongful notion that (downtown) Toronto is all that matters. ON is so much more.
Can this lead to fare integration for first/last mile connection? As easy as two passes or one time payment seems for bikeshare, I'd wonder what it could look like if it hooked into PRESTO somehow, enabling more first trials for folks.
November 24, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Can this lead to fare integration for first/last mile connection? As easy as two passes or one time payment seems for bikeshare, I'd wonder what it could look like if it hooked into PRESTO somehow, enabling more first trials for folks.
This is the same council who balked at the idea of saving money by not trimming highway ditch grass as frequently, they couldn't imagine the horror of a highway drive being visually ruined by grass that's not short. But when you're taking transit... nothing is too degrading to go through.
November 24, 2025 at 4:19 AM
This is the same council who balked at the idea of saving money by not trimming highway ditch grass as frequently, they couldn't imagine the horror of a highway drive being visually ruined by grass that's not short. But when you're taking transit... nothing is too degrading to go through.
Unfortunately, the affordable housing going in on a different parking lot was originally proposed as 6 floors & multiple unit types, with a proposal to make it 10 & far more affordable housing.
FoKM pushed it down to 4 floor, single occupant only, less affordable. That's ensures more homelessness.
FoKM pushed it down to 4 floor, single occupant only, less affordable. That's ensures more homelessness.
November 24, 2025 at 3:18 AM
Unfortunately, the affordable housing going in on a different parking lot was originally proposed as 6 floors & multiple unit types, with a proposal to make it 10 & far more affordable housing.
FoKM pushed it down to 4 floor, single occupant only, less affordable. That's ensures more homelessness.
FoKM pushed it down to 4 floor, single occupant only, less affordable. That's ensures more homelessness.
And with the Friends of Kensington Market, whose building design guidelines read like one of the most NIMBY documents you'd expect of a 'Neighbourhood Association'.
November 23, 2025 at 5:09 PM
And with the Friends of Kensington Market, whose building design guidelines read like one of the most NIMBY documents you'd expect of a 'Neighbourhood Association'.