Jason Cox
@jasoncoxnc.bsky.social
Real estate development, urbanism. Fire trucks are too big, streets are too wide, and IBC kills small development. Tree canopy aficionado. Sometime restaurateur.
Tiny homes are aesthetic RVs and we need to stop pretending this is a solution and instead realize it’s a raging, five alarm symptom.
You’re forcing people into depreciating structures because we are more amenable to building parking lots than housing, and highways than infill.
You’re forcing people into depreciating structures because we are more amenable to building parking lots than housing, and highways than infill.
April 17, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Tiny homes are aesthetic RVs and we need to stop pretending this is a solution and instead realize it’s a raging, five alarm symptom.
You’re forcing people into depreciating structures because we are more amenable to building parking lots than housing, and highways than infill.
You’re forcing people into depreciating structures because we are more amenable to building parking lots than housing, and highways than infill.
Should have moved faster on Greenland.
April 17, 2025 at 1:14 PM
Should have moved faster on Greenland.
For fire departments safety is almost exclusively measured in speed of response.
Which makes pushback against alternatives like the below seem foolish.
Smaller turntable ladders are:
-more nimble
-fit in tighter spaces
-set up faster
It’s only failing? It’s not 47’ long.
Which makes pushback against alternatives like the below seem foolish.
Smaller turntable ladders are:
-more nimble
-fit in tighter spaces
-set up faster
It’s only failing? It’s not 47’ long.
April 16, 2025 at 4:15 PM
For fire departments safety is almost exclusively measured in speed of response.
Which makes pushback against alternatives like the below seem foolish.
Smaller turntable ladders are:
-more nimble
-fit in tighter spaces
-set up faster
It’s only failing? It’s not 47’ long.
Which makes pushback against alternatives like the below seem foolish.
Smaller turntable ladders are:
-more nimble
-fit in tighter spaces
-set up faster
It’s only failing? It’s not 47’ long.
Reposted by Jason Cox
start by taking 1 or 2 lanes out of every street with 6 or more lanes, which would cover a surprising amount of downtown. boom, decades of maintenance gone. then make a policy that no roads over 25mph can have sidewalks next to moving traffic, and add planted buffers where it's over the limit.
April 3, 2025 at 1:50 PM
start by taking 1 or 2 lanes out of every street with 6 or more lanes, which would cover a surprising amount of downtown. boom, decades of maintenance gone. then make a policy that no roads over 25mph can have sidewalks next to moving traffic, and add planted buffers where it's over the limit.
So how long is it gonna take to scale up coffee, banana, pineapple and mango plantations?
April 3, 2025 at 1:06 PM
So how long is it gonna take to scale up coffee, banana, pineapple and mango plantations?
20% of all urban residential lots could be converted to missing middle & it would;
1) have no real impact on the surrounding neighborhood’s quality of life
2) be hugely impactful to housing supply where people want to live
3) reduce traffic congestion
With zero govt subsidy.
1) have no real impact on the surrounding neighborhood’s quality of life
2) be hugely impactful to housing supply where people want to live
3) reduce traffic congestion
With zero govt subsidy.
April 1, 2025 at 3:25 PM
20% of all urban residential lots could be converted to missing middle & it would;
1) have no real impact on the surrounding neighborhood’s quality of life
2) be hugely impactful to housing supply where people want to live
3) reduce traffic congestion
With zero govt subsidy.
1) have no real impact on the surrounding neighborhood’s quality of life
2) be hugely impactful to housing supply where people want to live
3) reduce traffic congestion
With zero govt subsidy.
Schrödinger's economy:
Existing in a superposition of both collecting massive tariff revenues but also reshoring long dead industries with nonexistent workers.
Existing in a superposition of both collecting massive tariff revenues but also reshoring long dead industries with nonexistent workers.
April 1, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Schrödinger's economy:
Existing in a superposition of both collecting massive tariff revenues but also reshoring long dead industries with nonexistent workers.
Existing in a superposition of both collecting massive tariff revenues but also reshoring long dead industries with nonexistent workers.
Overturn. Citizens. United.
(This would be true regardless of the colors on the graph, I’ve been consistent on this forever.)
(This would be true regardless of the colors on the graph, I’ve been consistent on this forever.)
March 29, 2025 at 1:56 PM
Overturn. Citizens. United.
(This would be true regardless of the colors on the graph, I’ve been consistent on this forever.)
(This would be true regardless of the colors on the graph, I’ve been consistent on this forever.)
Revitalizing a Small Southeastern Downtown, a working primer.
1st, The Req’ts:
-Accessibility: <40 minutes from 1 or more larger metros.
-Growth: Metro must have strong growth, creating pricing pressure for both residents & companies.
1st, The Req’ts:
-Accessibility: <40 minutes from 1 or more larger metros.
-Growth: Metro must have strong growth, creating pricing pressure for both residents & companies.
March 28, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Revitalizing a Small Southeastern Downtown, a working primer.
1st, The Req’ts:
-Accessibility: <40 minutes from 1 or more larger metros.
-Growth: Metro must have strong growth, creating pricing pressure for both residents & companies.
1st, The Req’ts:
-Accessibility: <40 minutes from 1 or more larger metros.
-Growth: Metro must have strong growth, creating pricing pressure for both residents & companies.
Step 1: Make stupid land use decisions.
Step 2: Complain things suck.
Step 3: Make more stupid land use decisions.
Step 4: Things suck more.
Step 5: Make more stupid land use decisions.
Step 6: Suck increases.
Step 7: Make more stupid land use decisions.
Step 2: Complain things suck.
Step 3: Make more stupid land use decisions.
Step 4: Things suck more.
Step 5: Make more stupid land use decisions.
Step 6: Suck increases.
Step 7: Make more stupid land use decisions.
March 27, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Step 1: Make stupid land use decisions.
Step 2: Complain things suck.
Step 3: Make more stupid land use decisions.
Step 4: Things suck more.
Step 5: Make more stupid land use decisions.
Step 6: Suck increases.
Step 7: Make more stupid land use decisions.
Step 2: Complain things suck.
Step 3: Make more stupid land use decisions.
Step 4: Things suck more.
Step 5: Make more stupid land use decisions.
Step 6: Suck increases.
Step 7: Make more stupid land use decisions.
Another big one I missed is SB 493 which would eliminate ETJ authority in NC.
ETJs encourage endless sprawl, which is part of what prevents better infill. NC League of Cities is going to fight this and the rest hard.
ETJs encourage endless sprawl, which is part of what prevents better infill. NC League of Cities is going to fight this and the rest hard.
Statewide legislation proposed in North Carolina for:
-missing middle to six homes in single family zoning
-housing allowed in all zoning types
-ADUs by right
And the one I’ve been waiting for:
SINGLE. STAIR. BUILDINGS.
-missing middle to six homes in single family zoning
-housing allowed in all zoning types
-ADUs by right
And the one I’ve been waiting for:
SINGLE. STAIR. BUILDINGS.
BOOM - four bipartisan bills that would significantly expand North Carolina's housing supply just dropped today in the state legislature.
But taken together, they demonstrate a growing consensus that North Carolina's housing crisis needs to be taken seriously, and that it's time to act.
But taken together, they demonstrate a growing consensus that North Carolina's housing crisis needs to be taken seriously, and that it's time to act.
March 26, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Another big one I missed is SB 493 which would eliminate ETJ authority in NC.
ETJs encourage endless sprawl, which is part of what prevents better infill. NC League of Cities is going to fight this and the rest hard.
ETJs encourage endless sprawl, which is part of what prevents better infill. NC League of Cities is going to fight this and the rest hard.
Statewide legislation proposed in North Carolina for:
-missing middle to six homes in single family zoning
-housing allowed in all zoning types
-ADUs by right
And the one I’ve been waiting for:
SINGLE. STAIR. BUILDINGS.
-missing middle to six homes in single family zoning
-housing allowed in all zoning types
-ADUs by right
And the one I’ve been waiting for:
SINGLE. STAIR. BUILDINGS.
BOOM - four bipartisan bills that would significantly expand North Carolina's housing supply just dropped today in the state legislature.
But taken together, they demonstrate a growing consensus that North Carolina's housing crisis needs to be taken seriously, and that it's time to act.
But taken together, they demonstrate a growing consensus that North Carolina's housing crisis needs to be taken seriously, and that it's time to act.
March 26, 2025 at 1:11 PM
Statewide legislation proposed in North Carolina for:
-missing middle to six homes in single family zoning
-housing allowed in all zoning types
-ADUs by right
And the one I’ve been waiting for:
SINGLE. STAIR. BUILDINGS.
-missing middle to six homes in single family zoning
-housing allowed in all zoning types
-ADUs by right
And the one I’ve been waiting for:
SINGLE. STAIR. BUILDINGS.
Every city says it needs more ambulances but they lack $ in the budget.
Idea: Replace every 10th fire engine, ladder truck is w/ 2 ambulances.
4% of fire department runs are for fires, (w/ only 1/3 being structure fires). Meanwhile 64% are for EMS.
That's 16 times more EMS calls than fire calls.
Idea: Replace every 10th fire engine, ladder truck is w/ 2 ambulances.
4% of fire department runs are for fires, (w/ only 1/3 being structure fires). Meanwhile 64% are for EMS.
That's 16 times more EMS calls than fire calls.
March 25, 2025 at 12:17 PM
Every city says it needs more ambulances but they lack $ in the budget.
Idea: Replace every 10th fire engine, ladder truck is w/ 2 ambulances.
4% of fire department runs are for fires, (w/ only 1/3 being structure fires). Meanwhile 64% are for EMS.
That's 16 times more EMS calls than fire calls.
Idea: Replace every 10th fire engine, ladder truck is w/ 2 ambulances.
4% of fire department runs are for fires, (w/ only 1/3 being structure fires). Meanwhile 64% are for EMS.
That's 16 times more EMS calls than fire calls.
We’re up to ~$2.3mm for a 100’ Pierce, a common FD choice to see parked in front of a minor medical call, awaiting the ambulance to arrive for actual transport.
Selling excessively large & expensive fire trucks is just a military contractor running their playbook with local fire departments.
Pierce is a subsidiary of defense contractor Oshkosh Truck Corporation.
Pierce is a subsidiary of defense contractor Oshkosh Truck Corporation.
March 24, 2025 at 11:10 PM
We’re up to ~$2.3mm for a 100’ Pierce, a common FD choice to see parked in front of a minor medical call, awaiting the ambulance to arrive for actual transport.
Fire departments kill more small infill housing projects than anything else.
Which is especially costly since infill reduces auto trips, whereas sprawl increases them. All while requiring expensive new fire stations, trucks & 24/7 staff to serve it.
Which is especially costly since infill reduces auto trips, whereas sprawl increases them. All while requiring expensive new fire stations, trucks & 24/7 staff to serve it.
March 23, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Fire departments kill more small infill housing projects than anything else.
Which is especially costly since infill reduces auto trips, whereas sprawl increases them. All while requiring expensive new fire stations, trucks & 24/7 staff to serve it.
Which is especially costly since infill reduces auto trips, whereas sprawl increases them. All while requiring expensive new fire stations, trucks & 24/7 staff to serve it.
What do these streets in Charleston, Savannah, Boston and Philadelphia have in common?
March 21, 2025 at 5:48 PM
What do these streets in Charleston, Savannah, Boston and Philadelphia have in common?
It turns out that when you subject a small 3-story, 12 unit apartment building that fits on a single lot to the same requirements, length & cost of process, etc as a 240 unit, 6 story building spanning an entire block you only get the latter.
March 20, 2025 at 7:10 PM
It turns out that when you subject a small 3-story, 12 unit apartment building that fits on a single lot to the same requirements, length & cost of process, etc as a 240 unit, 6 story building spanning an entire block you only get the latter.
Derivatives you say.
March 20, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Derivatives you say.
Hell yeah richer than ever before
March 20, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Hell yeah richer than ever before
“The wealthiest 10% of American households—those making more than $250,000 a year, roughly—are now responsible for half of all US consumer spending”
March 20, 2025 at 3:40 PM
“The wealthiest 10% of American households—those making more than $250,000 a year, roughly—are now responsible for half of all US consumer spending”
“I just think we should make the developer build buildings that look like my favorite old ones” with zero understanding of construction, finance, rents, or present day building & fire code.
“I just don’t believe we should be in the business of helping developers make money.”
“Neighborhood association” consisting of three retirees who have seen their home values increase 12% annually for the past decade by lobbying against every proposed project.
“Neighborhood association” consisting of three retirees who have seen their home values increase 12% annually for the past decade by lobbying against every proposed project.
March 20, 2025 at 1:40 PM
“I just think we should make the developer build buildings that look like my favorite old ones” with zero understanding of construction, finance, rents, or present day building & fire code.
We can’t expand a hospital because it might be 10 feet too tall but we can drive semi trucks around to help people who tripped in the grocery store because the 1st and only rule is don’t make someone slow down on their way to the drive thru.
March 19, 2025 at 3:23 AM
We can’t expand a hospital because it might be 10 feet too tall but we can drive semi trucks around to help people who tripped in the grocery store because the 1st and only rule is don’t make someone slow down on their way to the drive thru.
Every large corp wants return to office but none of them want to carve a chunk out of one of their floors for an affordable daycare that’s open 7-6 so here we are.
March 17, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Every large corp wants return to office but none of them want to carve a chunk out of one of their floors for an affordable daycare that’s open 7-6 so here we are.
This is just a chart of housing affordability
March 17, 2025 at 5:30 PM
This is just a chart of housing affordability
“I just don’t believe we should be in the business of helping developers make money.”
“Neighborhood association” consisting of three retirees who have seen their home values increase 12% annually for the past decade by lobbying against every proposed project.
“Neighborhood association” consisting of three retirees who have seen their home values increase 12% annually for the past decade by lobbying against every proposed project.
March 14, 2025 at 6:23 PM
“I just don’t believe we should be in the business of helping developers make money.”
“Neighborhood association” consisting of three retirees who have seen their home values increase 12% annually for the past decade by lobbying against every proposed project.
“Neighborhood association” consisting of three retirees who have seen their home values increase 12% annually for the past decade by lobbying against every proposed project.