Matt Emmons
@memmons.bsky.social
Urbanism, politics, ecology, maps, sports or whatever
Reposted by Matt Emmons
new-ish working paper on Los Angeles' mansion tax argues that the revenue estimates are severely overstated.
the paper argues that somewhere between 2/3 and *all* the direct revenue generated by the tax is offset by tax decreasing transaction volume.
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
the paper argues that somewhere between 2/3 and *all* the direct revenue generated by the tax is offset by tax decreasing transaction volume.
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
November 12, 2025 at 2:29 AM
new-ish working paper on Los Angeles' mansion tax argues that the revenue estimates are severely overstated.
the paper argues that somewhere between 2/3 and *all* the direct revenue generated by the tax is offset by tax decreasing transaction volume.
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
the paper argues that somewhere between 2/3 and *all* the direct revenue generated by the tax is offset by tax decreasing transaction volume.
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Reposted by Matt Emmons
First: Supply matters. To decarbonize, you need green energy infrastructure. For universal health care, you need a lot of doctors. And you can't buy your way out of supply constraints solely through subsidies. You need subsidy *and* increased supply. rooseveltinstitute.org/publications...
Lessons from YIMBYism: Taking “Abundance” Back to Its Fundamentals
Lessons from YIMBYism examines how supply-side reforms, public investment, and state capacity can make progressive social policy work as intended.
rooseveltinstitute.org
January 21, 2026 at 3:59 PM
First: Supply matters. To decarbonize, you need green energy infrastructure. For universal health care, you need a lot of doctors. And you can't buy your way out of supply constraints solely through subsidies. You need subsidy *and* increased supply. rooseveltinstitute.org/publications...
Reposted by Matt Emmons
The biggest thing that blackpilled me on housing costs was a paper from the mid 00s which said "as recently as the 1960s someone who was on drugs who did basic day labor could afford a safe small single room even in expensive cities. In an attempt to remove this cities invented homelessness
Positively shocked that the house magazine of the Manhattan Institute is upset that my book refuses to attribute America's record-high homelessness to "personal choices"—rather than, say, rents outpacing income gains by 325 percent since 1985.
“There Is No Place for Us”: A Sympathetic, but Skewed, Portrait of the Working Homeless
Brian Goldstone’s new book downplays the role of personal choices.
www.city-journal.org
January 17, 2026 at 4:08 PM
The biggest thing that blackpilled me on housing costs was a paper from the mid 00s which said "as recently as the 1960s someone who was on drugs who did basic day labor could afford a safe small single room even in expensive cities. In an attempt to remove this cities invented homelessness
In Ottawa, on my commute on Rideau St going west on the bus from Wurtemburg to Rideau LRT entrance there are 8 stops with an average distance of 180m. Cutting out Charlotte and Dalhousie stops would improve operations and still fall within the 400m distance between stops that the article suggests.
Increasing the distance between stops from 700–800 feet to 1,300 feet (typical spacing in Western Europe) can deliver faster service, better reliability, and more service with the same resources.
worksinprogress.co/issue/the-un...
worksinprogress.co/issue/the-un...
The United States needs fewer bus stops - Works in Progress Magazine
Bus stop balancing is fast, cheap, and effective. It can turn a service people tolerate into one they’re happy to use.
worksinprogress.co
January 18, 2026 at 2:52 AM
In Ottawa, on my commute on Rideau St going west on the bus from Wurtemburg to Rideau LRT entrance there are 8 stops with an average distance of 180m. Cutting out Charlotte and Dalhousie stops would improve operations and still fall within the 400m distance between stops that the article suggests.
Reposted by Matt Emmons
Excited to see more discussion on single-egress stair (SES) housing. I started advocating for this with City of Ottawa staff in 2023 and recently started again. SES opens the door to more infill development and diversifies the range of units being built. www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic... 1/
How ‘single exit stairway’ buildings could make cities better and safer
Several Canadian jurisdictions are re-examining their rules to allow ‘single egress’ buildings
www.theglobeandmail.com
January 17, 2026 at 5:22 PM
Excited to see more discussion on single-egress stair (SES) housing. I started advocating for this with City of Ottawa staff in 2023 and recently started again. SES opens the door to more infill development and diversifies the range of units being built. www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic... 1/
Reposted by Matt Emmons
1/ Something which I don't think gets articulated clearly often enough is that a system where countries generally respect international sovereignty and territorial integrity is not pure charity or morality by the United States, but in its direct interests.
Despite it being the strongest bear.
Despite it being the strongest bear.
January 17, 2026 at 10:24 AM
1/ Something which I don't think gets articulated clearly often enough is that a system where countries generally respect international sovereignty and territorial integrity is not pure charity or morality by the United States, but in its direct interests.
Despite it being the strongest bear.
Despite it being the strongest bear.
Reposted by Matt Emmons
We have a new blog up dedicated to a summary of the analysis some of our members have done regarding the property tax for the city, and what that means for our city finances in general.
More to come in the future! Huge thanks to the members that worked on this
strongtownsottawa.ca/2025/09/04/p...
More to come in the future! Huge thanks to the members that worked on this
strongtownsottawa.ca/2025/09/04/p...
Property Tax Revenue Analysis and Dataset
Where does the money come from?
strongtownsottawa.ca
September 4, 2025 at 8:40 PM
We have a new blog up dedicated to a summary of the analysis some of our members have done regarding the property tax for the city, and what that means for our city finances in general.
More to come in the future! Huge thanks to the members that worked on this
strongtownsottawa.ca/2025/09/04/p...
More to come in the future! Huge thanks to the members that worked on this
strongtownsottawa.ca/2025/09/04/p...
Reposted by Matt Emmons
This building height diagram, shared by @stephenjacobsmith.com is from Germany’s regulations limits single-stair as follows:
•7m max height with an open staircase and ground ladder access
•22m max height w/ an open stair and aerial ladder access
•60m max height w/ an enclosed fire stair
•7m max height with an open staircase and ground ladder access
•22m max height w/ an open stair and aerial ladder access
•60m max height w/ an enclosed fire stair
January 12, 2026 at 6:06 PM
This building height diagram, shared by @stephenjacobsmith.com is from Germany’s regulations limits single-stair as follows:
•7m max height with an open staircase and ground ladder access
•22m max height w/ an open stair and aerial ladder access
•60m max height w/ an enclosed fire stair
•7m max height with an open staircase and ground ladder access
•22m max height w/ an open stair and aerial ladder access
•60m max height w/ an enclosed fire stair
Reposted by Matt Emmons
I don’t think there was ever a world where Detroit would’ve embraced cheap EV sedans, it’s just not in their DNA, but we’ve clearly lost that opportunity for good: apnews.com/article/chin...
Canada agrees to cut tariff on Chinese EVs in return for lower tariffs on Canadian farm products
Canada has agreed to cut its 100% tariff on Chinese electric cars in return for lower tariffs on Canadian farm products.
apnews.com
January 16, 2026 at 12:16 PM
I don’t think there was ever a world where Detroit would’ve embraced cheap EV sedans, it’s just not in their DNA, but we’ve clearly lost that opportunity for good: apnews.com/article/chin...
Reposted by Matt Emmons
Canadian canola meal, lobsters, crabs and peas will no longer be subject to Chinese tariffs from March to at least the end of the year, while Canada will accept 49,000 Chinese EVs at 6.1% tariff.
Carney reaches tariff-quota deal with China on EVs, canola | CBC News
Prime Minister Mark Carney says he has reached a deal with China to allow tens of thousands of Chinese electric vehicles into the country in exchange for lower canola duties.
www.cbc.ca
January 16, 2026 at 10:51 AM
Canadian canola meal, lobsters, crabs and peas will no longer be subject to Chinese tariffs from March to at least the end of the year, while Canada will accept 49,000 Chinese EVs at 6.1% tariff.
Reposted by Matt Emmons
She found that there were NO fire deaths in these "high risk" houses in their data which covers 2005 to 2024. There were 187 home fire deaths in Houston during this time period, with this break down across housing types:
January 15, 2026 at 2:04 AM
She found that there were NO fire deaths in these "high risk" houses in their data which covers 2005 to 2024. There were 187 home fire deaths in Houston during this time period, with this break down across housing types:
Reposted by Matt Emmons
Common Sense, published 250 years ago today.
January 10, 2026 at 9:09 PM
Common Sense, published 250 years ago today.
Reposted by Matt Emmons
Daily reminder that the primary benefit of railway electrification is not to reduce railway emissions.
It is to enable faster acceleration which reduces travel time and thereby increases frequency without adding operating cost.
That then attracts more riders and thereby more revenue.
It is to enable faster acceleration which reduces travel time and thereby increases frequency without adding operating cost.
That then attracts more riders and thereby more revenue.
January 9, 2026 at 1:04 AM
Daily reminder that the primary benefit of railway electrification is not to reduce railway emissions.
It is to enable faster acceleration which reduces travel time and thereby increases frequency without adding operating cost.
That then attracts more riders and thereby more revenue.
It is to enable faster acceleration which reduces travel time and thereby increases frequency without adding operating cost.
That then attracts more riders and thereby more revenue.
Reposted by Matt Emmons
I think one of the lessons that the huge success of congestion pricing in NYC is that charging a nominal upfront fee- even one far less the the levellized cost you are paying for elsewhere- is very good at cutting off the bottom 5% of bad behavior that makes things worse for everyone.
December 23, 2025 at 11:46 PM
I think one of the lessons that the huge success of congestion pricing in NYC is that charging a nominal upfront fee- even one far less the the levellized cost you are paying for elsewhere- is very good at cutting off the bottom 5% of bad behavior that makes things worse for everyone.
Reposted by Matt Emmons
Consultants contracted by Minnesota found that an eight-story single-stair building with 6,000 sq. ft. per floor (building 4) has dramatically lower fire risk than a same-height code-compliant two-stair building with a larger floor plate (building 1) www.dli.mn.gov/sites/defaul...
December 12, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Consultants contracted by Minnesota found that an eight-story single-stair building with 6,000 sq. ft. per floor (building 4) has dramatically lower fire risk than a same-height code-compliant two-stair building with a larger floor plate (building 1) www.dli.mn.gov/sites/defaul...
Reposted by Matt Emmons
They also compared the mid-rise single-stair building to a code-compliant low-rise single-stair building. They found slightly more risk, easily mitigated with smoke detectors in the corridor OR improved inspections. This is the finding they highlighted, and the direction they are pushing in.
December 12, 2025 at 9:31 PM
They also compared the mid-rise single-stair building to a code-compliant low-rise single-stair building. They found slightly more risk, easily mitigated with smoke detectors in the corridor OR improved inspections. This is the finding they highlighted, and the direction they are pushing in.
Reposted by Matt Emmons
Umm what did you say @ttcriders.bsky.social?
h/t @auguststreet.ca @chmarco.bsky.social @ohtheurbanity.bsky.social @rmtransit.bsky.social @taras-grescoe.com @femwriter.bsky.social
h/t @auguststreet.ca @chmarco.bsky.social @ohtheurbanity.bsky.social @rmtransit.bsky.social @taras-grescoe.com @femwriter.bsky.social
December 9, 2025 at 5:25 PM
Reposted by Matt Emmons
Ex-official explained this in a way that will stick with me forever: Within fire departments, the EMTs are overworked and underpaid and don’t have time to advocate for policy. The fire chiefs, on the other hand, have a lot more time on their hands. So fire response, not medical, dictates policy.
November 30, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Ex-official explained this in a way that will stick with me forever: Within fire departments, the EMTs are overworked and underpaid and don’t have time to advocate for policy. The fire chiefs, on the other hand, have a lot more time on their hands. So fire response, not medical, dictates policy.
Reposted by Matt Emmons
Like, it's really not rocket science. Even the dumbest Ontarian driver could understand what those means. And that the funnily shaped traffic light is none of his business.
November 26, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Like, it's really not rocket science. Even the dumbest Ontarian driver could understand what those means. And that the funnily shaped traffic light is none of his business.
Reposted by Matt Emmons
#Montreal 's just leap-frogged other cities in North America by opening the REM.
Automated. Electric. Frequent (2.5 minute headways). Fast (100 km/h plus). Cheap to build. (One tenth the price of other systems)
And really fun to ride...
🧵
Automated. Electric. Frequent (2.5 minute headways). Fast (100 km/h plus). Cheap to build. (One tenth the price of other systems)
And really fun to ride...
🧵
November 26, 2025 at 2:17 PM
#Montreal 's just leap-frogged other cities in North America by opening the REM.
Automated. Electric. Frequent (2.5 minute headways). Fast (100 km/h plus). Cheap to build. (One tenth the price of other systems)
And really fun to ride...
🧵
Automated. Electric. Frequent (2.5 minute headways). Fast (100 km/h plus). Cheap to build. (One tenth the price of other systems)
And really fun to ride...
🧵
Reposted by Matt Emmons
🚨We analyzed 138 million geocoded property tax records to quantify how municipal boundaries spatially overlap onto economic segregation in every US metro area—creating disparities in localities’ ability to fund public goods. And we made an interactive map of our results! [1/16]
November 24, 2025 at 4:31 PM
🚨We analyzed 138 million geocoded property tax records to quantify how municipal boundaries spatially overlap onto economic segregation in every US metro area—creating disparities in localities’ ability to fund public goods. And we made an interactive map of our results! [1/16]
Reposted by Matt Emmons
This is a very cool paper with a clever identification strategy to test the causal impact of the opioid epidemic on various political outcomes.
A key point that’s not in the abstract —causal mechanism is voters agreed with GOP tough on crime rhetoric and policy.
A key point that’s not in the abstract —causal mechanism is voters agreed with GOP tough on crime rhetoric and policy.
Recently accepted by #QJE, “Republican Support and Economic Hardship: The Enduring Effects of the Opioid Epidemic,” by Arteaga (@caroartc.bsky.social) and Barone (@vickybarone.bsky.social): doi.org/10.1093/qje/...
Republican Support and Economic Hardship: The Enduring Effects Of the Opioid Epidemic
Abstract. In this paper, we establish a causal connection between two of the most salient social developments in the United States over the past decades: t
doi.org
November 24, 2025 at 12:17 AM
This is a very cool paper with a clever identification strategy to test the causal impact of the opioid epidemic on various political outcomes.
A key point that’s not in the abstract —causal mechanism is voters agreed with GOP tough on crime rhetoric and policy.
A key point that’s not in the abstract —causal mechanism is voters agreed with GOP tough on crime rhetoric and policy.
Reposted by Matt Emmons
The benchmark for affordability in this case is that until about 2000, Americans born outside major cities who moved to major cities saw their incomes net of rent rise; this century, only ones who have college degrees do, because the urban rent premium has outpaced the urban wage premium.
November 20, 2025 at 6:12 PM
The benchmark for affordability in this case is that until about 2000, Americans born outside major cities who moved to major cities saw their incomes net of rent rise; this century, only ones who have college degrees do, because the urban rent premium has outpaced the urban wage premium.
Reposted by Matt Emmons
Charting number of rental units in apartment buildings in Toronto by year of construction
(This is a quick update to a similar chart I made ~2.5 years ago)
#toronto #housing #dataviz #NationalHousingDay
(This is a quick update to a similar chart I made ~2.5 years ago)
#toronto #housing #dataviz #NationalHousingDay
November 22, 2025 at 1:03 PM
Charting number of rental units in apartment buildings in Toronto by year of construction
(This is a quick update to a similar chart I made ~2.5 years ago)
#toronto #housing #dataviz #NationalHousingDay
(This is a quick update to a similar chart I made ~2.5 years ago)
#toronto #housing #dataviz #NationalHousingDay
Reposted by Matt Emmons
No mention of Land Value Tax 🥲
Toronto Star: Why hundreds of empty lots are stuck in limbo
www.thestar.com/news/gta/why...
Toronto Star: Why hundreds of empty lots are stuck in limbo
www.thestar.com/news/gta/why...
Why hundreds of empty Toronto lots are stuck in limbo, attracting garbage, pests — and the anger of their neighbours
They may one day be home to towering condos, but for now, they are unkempt empty lots that attract pests and garbage — and the anger of nearby neighbours.
www.thestar.com
November 16, 2025 at 2:42 PM
No mention of Land Value Tax 🥲
Toronto Star: Why hundreds of empty lots are stuck in limbo
www.thestar.com/news/gta/why...
Toronto Star: Why hundreds of empty lots are stuck in limbo
www.thestar.com/news/gta/why...