M. Nolan Gray 🥑
@mnolangray.bsky.social
the once and future city planner // senior legislative director for california YIMBY // proud kentuckian // #BBN // buy my book ❤
Thrilled to be receiving this first print edition of Works in Progress! @worksinprogress.bsky.social
November 25, 2025 at 4:13 AM
Thrilled to be receiving this first print edition of Works in Progress! @worksinprogress.bsky.social
How did it come to be the case that the State of California designates neighborhoods of 1.5 to 10 million dollar homes as lower opportunity than neighborhoods of rent controlled 75 year old dingbats?
November 25, 2025 at 12:32 AM
How did it come to be the case that the State of California designates neighborhoods of 1.5 to 10 million dollar homes as lower opportunity than neighborhoods of rent controlled 75 year old dingbats?
Eight townhouses on a 18,400 square foot lot in Auckland—roughly one unit per 2,300 square feet. This is the sort of infill homeownership opportunity SB 684-1123 aims to encourage in California.
November 24, 2025 at 10:34 PM
Eight townhouses on a 18,400 square foot lot in Auckland—roughly one unit per 2,300 square feet. This is the sort of infill homeownership opportunity SB 684-1123 aims to encourage in California.
Learning that Annemarie Gray (no relation) of Open New York, NYC's YIMBY group, has been appointed to Mayor-elect Mamdani's housing transition team. This is FANTASTIC news!
November 24, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Learning that Annemarie Gray (no relation) of Open New York, NYC's YIMBY group, has been appointed to Mayor-elect Mamdani's housing transition team. This is FANTASTIC news!
Television Circle? Wait, do you mean Mint Chip Lane? Or actually, do mean Chinatown Alley?
November 24, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Television Circle? Wait, do you mean Mint Chip Lane? Or actually, do mean Chinatown Alley?
The rare highly blessed back door smoker station.
November 24, 2025 at 5:24 AM
The rare highly blessed back door smoker station.
Fall in Sacramento is such a funny season. On the one hand, the shorter days mean all the deciduous trees are dying. On the other hand, it marks the the first rain in six months, such that the underbrush and grasses start going wild. You get this really nice blend of orange and green.
November 24, 2025 at 12:31 AM
Fall in Sacramento is such a funny season. On the one hand, the shorter days mean all the deciduous trees are dying. On the other hand, it marks the the first rain in six months, such that the underbrush and grasses start going wild. You get this really nice blend of orange and green.
I wonder whether drivers go slower when leaves or snow create narrower vehicle travel lanes like this. Also note how the pedestrian islands serve to practically narrow the travel lanes far beyond their physical footprint.
November 24, 2025 at 12:26 AM
I wonder whether drivers go slower when leaves or snow create narrower vehicle travel lanes like this. Also note how the pedestrian islands serve to practically narrow the travel lanes far beyond their physical footprint.
Nature craves boulevards and bump outs.
November 24, 2025 at 12:23 AM
Nature craves boulevards and bump outs.
Absolutely love it when the vegetation envelopes the sidewalk and creates a sort of green arcade.
November 24, 2025 at 12:20 AM
Absolutely love it when the vegetation envelopes the sidewalk and creates a sort of green arcade.
Fallen leaves reveal a desire boulevard.
November 23, 2025 at 11:53 PM
Fallen leaves reveal a desire boulevard.
I'm baffled by what I was led to believe is the "smart" treatment on UFOs. At least 25% of the way in, it's a series of anecdotes about various con men, credulously reported without an ounce of honest, critical engagement, and none of the promised religious studies context. DNF.
November 23, 2025 at 2:21 AM
I'm baffled by what I was led to believe is the "smart" treatment on UFOs. At least 25% of the way in, it's a series of anecdotes about various con men, credulously reported without an ounce of honest, critical engagement, and none of the promised religious studies context. DNF.
One house turns into 10 homes in Palms, Los Angeles. (2018➡️2022)
November 19, 2025 at 10:03 PM
One house turns into 10 homes in Palms, Los Angeles. (2018➡️2022)
Love this inspiring quote from @abundanthousingla.bsky.social.
November 19, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Love this inspiring quote from @abundanthousingla.bsky.social.
My Canadian YIMBY t-shirt collection keeps growing...
November 18, 2025 at 5:27 AM
My Canadian YIMBY t-shirt collection keeps growing...
Canada needs more Latinos.
November 14, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Canada needs more Latinos.
Actually, I don't think the World War II consensus is breaking down.
November 13, 2025 at 5:14 AM
Actually, I don't think the World War II consensus is breaking down.
Getting hyped for Toronto in my own freaky way: by reading a book comparing US and Canadian urban governance.
November 12, 2025 at 8:11 PM
Getting hyped for Toronto in my own freaky way: by reading a book comparing US and Canadian urban governance.
A row to myself! Yet more evidence that I am the chosen one.
November 12, 2025 at 8:07 PM
A row to myself! Yet more evidence that I am the chosen one.
I went to planning school, worked as a public planner for two years, and secured AICP. I view some combo of two of these as the minumum to call yourself a planner. (And even I sometimes worry that I'm stealing valor, to the extent planners have it!) I don't think this biography clears that hurdle.
November 12, 2025 at 6:36 PM
I went to planning school, worked as a public planner for two years, and secured AICP. I view some combo of two of these as the minumum to call yourself a planner. (And even I sometimes worry that I'm stealing valor, to the extent planners have it!) I don't think this biography clears that hurdle.
Sacramento's annexation history. I wonder if the southern suburbs (Fruitridge Pocket, Lemon Hill, etc) will ever be annexed?
November 11, 2025 at 11:16 PM
Sacramento's annexation history. I wonder if the southern suburbs (Fruitridge Pocket, Lemon Hill, etc) will ever be annexed?
Yet more evidence that any given specific NIMBY objection to a project is, more often than not, a shell game for generalized opposition to change—it's merely the most compelling sounding argument—and addressing such individual concerns will usually not meaningfully reduce opposition.
November 11, 2025 at 9:38 PM
Yet more evidence that any given specific NIMBY objection to a project is, more often than not, a shell game for generalized opposition to change—it's merely the most compelling sounding argument—and addressing such individual concerns will usually not meaningfully reduce opposition.
Happy Veterans Day!
November 11, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Happy Veterans Day!
A wealthy safe streets advocate could do the most good by paying a team of maybe a half dozen journalists to aggressively and comprehensively report every single traffic death in every major city. Depicting the horrifying human cost, FOIing PDs and DOTS, contextualizing it in policy choices, etc.
November 9, 2025 at 5:55 PM
A wealthy safe streets advocate could do the most good by paying a team of maybe a half dozen journalists to aggressively and comprehensively report every single traffic death in every major city. Depicting the horrifying human cost, FOIing PDs and DOTS, contextualizing it in policy choices, etc.