Bobby Fijan
@bobbyfijan.bsky.social
Building Housing for Families
It’s a great time to be looking for an apartment in Nashville. Lease specials:
3 months free rent!
A free cruise!
3 months free rent!
A free cruise!
November 12, 2025 at 1:44 PM
It’s a great time to be looking for an apartment in Nashville. Lease specials:
3 months free rent!
A free cruise!
3 months free rent!
A free cruise!
A great new paper on effects of smaller apartments on fertility:
“A supply shift for large units generates 2.3 times more births than an equal-cost shift for small units. This analysis concludes the supply of housing suitable for families can meaningfully contribute to demographic sustainability”
“A supply shift for large units generates 2.3 times more births than an equal-cost shift for small units. This analysis concludes the supply of housing suitable for families can meaningfully contribute to demographic sustainability”
November 10, 2025 at 11:55 PM
A great new paper on effects of smaller apartments on fertility:
“A supply shift for large units generates 2.3 times more births than an equal-cost shift for small units. This analysis concludes the supply of housing suitable for families can meaningfully contribute to demographic sustainability”
“A supply shift for large units generates 2.3 times more births than an equal-cost shift for small units. This analysis concludes the supply of housing suitable for families can meaningfully contribute to demographic sustainability”
It's trivial to do a layout that is generally this layout
November 10, 2025 at 10:36 PM
It's trivial to do a layout that is generally this layout
It's a worst of both worlds. A den ... that doesn't even have the full walls
November 10, 2025 at 10:33 PM
It's a worst of both worlds. A den ... that doesn't even have the full walls
Toddler playrooms are an amenity that could easily be added to any new apartment building. They don't up take much space ... just like kids.
Here's a cute (but small) one in a brand new building in DC
Here's a cute (but small) one in a brand new building in DC
November 10, 2025 at 10:15 PM
Toddler playrooms are an amenity that could easily be added to any new apartment building. They don't up take much space ... just like kids.
Here's a cute (but small) one in a brand new building in DC
Here's a cute (but small) one in a brand new building in DC
A beautiful, simple, rowhome project I toured in Portland, Maine this year.
1100sf, 3BR+Den/2BA
Small, efficient floorplans = affordable
1100sf, 3BR+Den/2BA
Small, efficient floorplans = affordable
November 3, 2025 at 3:05 PM
A beautiful, simple, rowhome project I toured in Portland, Maine this year.
1100sf, 3BR+Den/2BA
Small, efficient floorplans = affordable
1100sf, 3BR+Den/2BA
Small, efficient floorplans = affordable
Renters who have, or want to have kids ... have a significantly greater preferences for units that have an EXTRA room
And what's also key is that even childless Americans (who have no desire to have kids) ALSO have a preferences for the extra room in the smaller size
And what's also key is that even childless Americans (who have no desire to have kids) ALSO have a preferences for the extra room in the smaller size
October 31, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Renters who have, or want to have kids ... have a significantly greater preferences for units that have an EXTRA room
And what's also key is that even childless Americans (who have no desire to have kids) ALSO have a preferences for the extra room in the smaller size
And what's also key is that even childless Americans (who have no desire to have kids) ALSO have a preferences for the extra room in the smaller size
In order to demonstrate the demand for this kind of unit, that is why in the study and paper I did ... we showed over 6000 people comparisons like this, to see whether they preferred to have a large walk-in closet or a second smaller room
More than half of people chose the extra room
More than half of people chose the extra room
October 31, 2025 at 4:49 PM
In order to demonstrate the demand for this kind of unit, that is why in the study and paper I did ... we showed over 6000 people comparisons like this, to see whether they preferred to have a large walk-in closet or a second smaller room
More than half of people chose the extra room
More than half of people chose the extra room
I normally don’t like painting brick … but these rowhomes in DC are charming
October 30, 2025 at 9:29 PM
I normally don’t like painting brick … but these rowhomes in DC are charming
Young people are increasingly living in larger apartment buildings
For those who care about families and people having babies … since young people ARE living in those units, the key is to make it as easy as possible for younger couples to have their first child
“Baby Maybe Housing”
For those who care about families and people having babies … since young people ARE living in those units, the key is to make it as easy as possible for younger couples to have their first child
“Baby Maybe Housing”
October 29, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Young people are increasingly living in larger apartment buildings
For those who care about families and people having babies … since young people ARE living in those units, the key is to make it as easy as possible for younger couples to have their first child
“Baby Maybe Housing”
For those who care about families and people having babies … since young people ARE living in those units, the key is to make it as easy as possible for younger couples to have their first child
“Baby Maybe Housing”
The 3-story rowhome is a Bedrock of America
October 28, 2025 at 8:09 PM
The 3-story rowhome is a Bedrock of America
You can do that if you want, but it doesn’t change the limiting window wall
October 25, 2025 at 1:49 PM
You can do that if you want, but it doesn’t change the limiting window wall
In practice … this means that walk-in closets are fine … but a separate room to have a closet, office or nursery is not.
October 25, 2025 at 1:37 PM
In practice … this means that walk-in closets are fine … but a separate room to have a closet, office or nursery is not.
This is anti-natalist … and will only make apartments more complicated to lay out cod families
People who want to have kids prefer apartments that have extra rooms
People who want to have kids prefer apartments that have extra rooms
October 25, 2025 at 1:35 PM
This is anti-natalist … and will only make apartments more complicated to lay out cod families
People who want to have kids prefer apartments that have extra rooms
People who want to have kids prefer apartments that have extra rooms
Unless you are a gazillionaire there will be sacrifice in any home you choose. It’s just about what you value.
October 20, 2025 at 11:39 AM
Unless you are a gazillionaire there will be sacrifice in any home you choose. It’s just about what you value.
That meant I was close enough to come home for lunch. And we had a 5 min walk to our church, which was also our pre-school.
What is that “worth?” More or less than an extra bedroom or a larger home? To some people, those things are worthwhile trades, to other people not as much
What is that “worth?” More or less than an extra bedroom or a larger home? To some people, those things are worthwhile trades, to other people not as much
October 20, 2025 at 11:39 AM
That meant I was close enough to come home for lunch. And we had a 5 min walk to our church, which was also our pre-school.
What is that “worth?” More or less than an extra bedroom or a larger home? To some people, those things are worthwhile trades, to other people not as much
What is that “worth?” More or less than an extra bedroom or a larger home? To some people, those things are worthwhile trades, to other people not as much
Living in a 3BR apartmemt in a highrise when my kids little wasn’t great from a home perspective (although the unit worked) but it meant I had a <7 minute commute to my office. Door to door walking.
October 20, 2025 at 11:39 AM
Living in a 3BR apartmemt in a highrise when my kids little wasn’t great from a home perspective (although the unit worked) but it meant I had a <7 minute commute to my office. Door to door walking.
But the reason people choose a rowhome is because they are prioritizing the location over the attributes and amenities of the home
October 20, 2025 at 11:39 AM
But the reason people choose a rowhome is because they are prioritizing the location over the attributes and amenities of the home
There's nothing inherently "better" about a smaller house ... and since a Mcmansion is almost certainly going to be larger (for what you can afford) the attributes of the Mcmansion *will* be better than a rowhome
October 20, 2025 at 11:39 AM
There's nothing inherently "better" about a smaller house ... and since a Mcmansion is almost certainly going to be larger (for what you can afford) the attributes of the Mcmansion *will* be better than a rowhome
We need to build brownstones again.
Masonry. Soundproof. Alley loaded.
1600sf, 3BR+Office/2.5BA
Masonry. Soundproof. Alley loaded.
1600sf, 3BR+Office/2.5BA
October 18, 2025 at 6:39 PM
We need to build brownstones again.
Masonry. Soundproof. Alley loaded.
1600sf, 3BR+Office/2.5BA
Masonry. Soundproof. Alley loaded.
1600sf, 3BR+Office/2.5BA
A great end to the work week … riding my bike to my piano lesson
October 18, 2025 at 12:25 AM
A great end to the work week … riding my bike to my piano lesson
Affordable housing in SF … for $670K/unit
Insane
Insane
October 16, 2025 at 1:36 AM
Affordable housing in SF … for $670K/unit
Insane
Insane
My son had to do a house floorplan project for school … and he picked doing a “Roman style” house with an atrium complete with an arcade room and a bowling alley
October 15, 2025 at 10:36 PM
My son had to do a house floorplan project for school … and he picked doing a “Roman style” house with an atrium complete with an arcade room and a bowling alley
Bring back family friendly *photography* for housing
October 14, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Bring back family friendly *photography* for housing