Steven L. Johnson
@stevenljohnson.org
We keep each other safe
YIMBY Co-chair @livablecville.bsky.social 🏘️ 🚲🚶🏽🧑🏽🦽🌎
More at: https://stevenljohnson.org
Disclaimer: Personal account. Does not reflect my employer
YIMBY Co-chair @livablecville.bsky.social 🏘️ 🚲🚶🏽🧑🏽🦽🌎
More at: https://stevenljohnson.org
Disclaimer: Personal account. Does not reflect my employer
Pinned
Is your Holiday Season calendar starting to fill up? Well, here's something to add while you still have room! The monthly Livable Cville social is a welcoming drop-in occasion—no agenda or hurry—and all are welcome. See you Thursday, December 11, from 5-7 (and then some) at Ix Brazos Tacos
Reposted by Steven L. Johnson
I am thankful for this Bluesky community! I always get a little spark of joy when you all comment or interact 🍁😊🍁
November 27, 2025 at 5:21 PM
I am thankful for this Bluesky community! I always get a little spark of joy when you all comment or interact 🍁😊🍁
Reposted by Steven L. Johnson
The Trump regime confirms that its commitment to racism & white supremacy informs its every move. Substitute, say, Ireland or Israel for Afghanistan in the post below, & you'll see the problem. People whom the regime sees as white wouldn't be subjected to this collective punishment.
The Trump administration said Wednesday that it had stopped processing immigration applications from Afghanistan, hours after officials in Washington detained an Afghan man they said had shot two National Guard troops near the White House.
Here's what to know.
Here's what to know.
Trump Administration Pauses Immigration From Afghanistan After D.C. Shooting
The U.S. agency overseeing immigration made the announcement after an Afghan man shot two National Guard troops near the White House.
nyti.ms
November 27, 2025 at 4:10 PM
The Trump regime confirms that its commitment to racism & white supremacy informs its every move. Substitute, say, Ireland or Israel for Afghanistan in the post below, & you'll see the problem. People whom the regime sees as white wouldn't be subjected to this collective punishment.
Reposted by Steven L. Johnson
FRITZI RITZ BY ERNIE BUSHMILLER
NOVEMBER 27,1939
NOVEMBER 27,1939
November 27, 2025 at 3:25 PM
FRITZI RITZ BY ERNIE BUSHMILLER
NOVEMBER 27,1939
NOVEMBER 27,1939
🍾
November 27, 2025 at 4:01 PM
🍾
Reposted by Steven L. Johnson
Great suggestions! I also recommend Doug Tallamy’s Home Grown National Park because any environmental movement needs to have ecological restoration at its heart.
Via The Architect’s Newspaper:
“The authors mix history, outrage, and optimism to show that ditching car dependency isn’t anti-progress; it’s survival.”
www.archpaper.com/2025/11/eigh...
“The authors mix history, outrage, and optimism to show that ditching car dependency isn’t anti-progress; it’s survival.”
www.archpaper.com/2025/11/eigh...
November 27, 2025 at 2:37 PM
Great suggestions! I also recommend Doug Tallamy’s Home Grown National Park because any environmental movement needs to have ecological restoration at its heart.
Good lazing in bed waking up with the sunrise to you
November 27, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Good lazing in bed waking up with the sunrise to you
Reposted by Steven L. Johnson
“In downzoned areas, housing supply declined, but housing values and white population shares increased. Overall, downzoning has contributed to reduced housing availability in high-demand neighborhoods, while reinforcing class and racial segregation.”
What happens when you downzone?
Our new open-access research paper in @findingspress.org investigates effects of decades of downzoning in Chicago.
Findings:
—Downzoned areas added 1/7th of the new units as comparable non-downzoned areas;
—Downzoned areas became more white & were more expensive.
Our new open-access research paper in @findingspress.org investigates effects of decades of downzoning in Chicago.
Findings:
—Downzoned areas added 1/7th of the new units as comparable non-downzoned areas;
—Downzoned areas became more white & were more expensive.
Downzoning Chicago: How Local Land Use Policy Has Reduced Housing Construction and Reinforced Segregation | Published in Findings
By Yonah Freemark, George Kisiel. Downzonings were used by US cities in the postwar period to preserve neighborhood character. These land-use policies were associated with lower housing supply, higher...
findingspress.org
November 26, 2025 at 8:57 PM
“In downzoned areas, housing supply declined, but housing values and white population shares increased. Overall, downzoning has contributed to reduced housing availability in high-demand neighborhoods, while reinforcing class and racial segregation.”
Reposted by Steven L. Johnson
And while we're on the subject, don't drive or park in bike lanes either, both of which I've seen multiple times today.
Just a reminder: don't rake leaves onto sidewalks or into bike lanes.
November 26, 2025 at 7:49 PM
And while we're on the subject, don't drive or park in bike lanes either, both of which I've seen multiple times today.
Reposted by Steven L. Johnson
From time to time people suggest that Charlottesville move (return?) to a ward based council. I think that would be a mistake.
Relative to peer jurisdictions, I think Arlington County, VA is quite well-governed. However, the county has an advisory panel going to consider big changes to our governance, including a ❗ move from at-large to district-based representation❗
November 26, 2025 at 2:43 PM
From time to time people suggest that Charlottesville move (return?) to a ward based council. I think that would be a mistake.
Good morning from a scenic sunrise view
November 26, 2025 at 12:52 PM
Good morning from a scenic sunrise view
Reposted by Steven L. Johnson
Congrats to Denver!
It's official, last night Denver City Council adopted a local single-stair ordinance!
Beginning December 31, 2025, 5-story single-stair housing will be permitted in Denver!
www.coloradopolitics.com/2025/11/24/d...
Beginning December 31, 2025, 5-story single-stair housing will be permitted in Denver!
www.coloradopolitics.com/2025/11/24/d...
Denver City Council approves single-stair building ordinance
Denver City Council approves ordinance for 5-story single-stair buildings, promoting affordable housing and flexible building options.
www.coloradopolitics.com
November 26, 2025 at 2:31 AM
Congrats to Denver!
Reposted by Steven L. Johnson
Albemarle County drives up development costs at every step along the home building process. It doesn’t take a genius to understand why developers stay away. The demand for housing is there. The process to provide it is an expensive quagmire. www.29news.com/2025/11/25/w...
Well starts to run dry on interested housing developers for Albemarle
High costs and lengthy approval processes are deterring builders as job growth brings more residents, housing observers say.
www.29news.com
November 26, 2025 at 1:19 AM
Albemarle County drives up development costs at every step along the home building process. It doesn’t take a genius to understand why developers stay away. The demand for housing is there. The process to provide it is an expensive quagmire. www.29news.com/2025/11/25/w...
Reposted by Steven L. Johnson
This is wild!
Seven-day-ahead weather forecasts in high-income countries are more accurate than one-day-ahead weather forecasts in low-income countries.
Seven-day-ahead weather forecasts in high-income countries are more accurate than one-day-ahead weather forecasts in low-income countries.
November 25, 2025 at 9:07 PM
This is wild!
Seven-day-ahead weather forecasts in high-income countries are more accurate than one-day-ahead weather forecasts in low-income countries.
Seven-day-ahead weather forecasts in high-income countries are more accurate than one-day-ahead weather forecasts in low-income countries.
Reposted by Steven L. Johnson
Great piece on how density restrictions in zoning are essentially BS.
November 24, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Great piece on how density restrictions in zoning are essentially BS.
Good morning from a scenic sunrise view
November 25, 2025 at 12:13 PM
Good morning from a scenic sunrise view
exciting to see @cvillecityhall.bsky.social taking tangible steps towards its climate action goals!
www.charlottesville.gov/civicalerts....
www.charlottesville.gov/civicalerts....
City of Charlottesville and Charlottesville City Schools Complete Solar System Installation at CATEC
City of Charlottesville and Charlottesville City Schools complete installation of 262.9 kW solar system on CATEC.
www.charlottesville.gov
November 24, 2025 at 9:55 PM
exciting to see @cvillecityhall.bsky.social taking tangible steps towards its climate action goals!
www.charlottesville.gov/civicalerts....
www.charlottesville.gov/civicalerts....
Status update: Thanksgiving vacation underway
November 24, 2025 at 9:40 PM
Status update: Thanksgiving vacation underway
I often say if we can’t figure out how to get to a more just and equitable future for everyone here in Charlottesville where can we? I’m grateful for @emily.gorcen.ski and many others working towards that aspiration
yep. this town building something, I see it in so many different ongoing threads here. wouldn’t choose to be anywhere else in these times my own self.
She's been around the world over the last year — but came back to Charlottesville because she sees people ready to lead
Emily Gorcenski sees a growing rejection of hopelessness over national politics. It's being replaced by active learning and participation in local issues, she writes.
www.cvilletomorrow.org
November 24, 2025 at 8:54 PM
I often say if we can’t figure out how to get to a more just and equitable future for everyone here in Charlottesville where can we? I’m grateful for @emily.gorcen.ski and many others working towards that aspiration
Reposted by Steven L. Johnson
yep. this town building something, I see it in so many different ongoing threads here. wouldn’t choose to be anywhere else in these times my own self.
She's been around the world over the last year — but came back to Charlottesville because she sees people ready to lead
Emily Gorcenski sees a growing rejection of hopelessness over national politics. It's being replaced by active learning and participation in local issues, she writes.
www.cvilletomorrow.org
November 24, 2025 at 7:58 PM
yep. this town building something, I see it in so many different ongoing threads here. wouldn’t choose to be anywhere else in these times my own self.
Reposted by Steven L. Johnson
Will Virginia’s legislature finally step up and pass some good housing bills? If there ever was a time, it’s now.
dailyprogress.com/news/state-r...
dailyprogress.com/news/state-r...
Affordable housing to be a key issue in Virginia's next legislative session
Virginia housing advocates say now is the time to change how cities and counties exert control over developments.
dailyprogress.com
November 24, 2025 at 11:48 AM
Will Virginia’s legislature finally step up and pass some good housing bills? If there ever was a time, it’s now.
dailyprogress.com/news/state-r...
dailyprogress.com/news/state-r...
I'm reading a book on the end of the world as we know it,
and I feel fine
and I feel fine
I'm reading a book on automated vehicles. it's driving me crazy
I’m reading a book on anti gravity. It’s impossible to put down
November 24, 2025 at 10:40 AM
I'm reading a book on the end of the world as we know it,
and I feel fine
and I feel fine
Reposted by Steven L. Johnson
This is spot-on.
The UVA "deal" might be the worst/most dangerous (so far). With the help of UVA's leadership, Trump coerced a leading U.S. university to foreswear all efforts (including 100% lawful measures) to achieve diversity.
A betrayal of our values.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
The UVA "deal" might be the worst/most dangerous (so far). With the help of UVA's leadership, Trump coerced a leading U.S. university to foreswear all efforts (including 100% lawful measures) to achieve diversity.
A betrayal of our values.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
The University of Virginia and Cornell deals with Trump set a dangerous precedent | Serena Mayeri and Amanda Shanor
The bespoke agreements are full of peril for the universities, allowing the federal government to quietly exert control
www.theguardian.com
November 24, 2025 at 2:20 AM
This is spot-on.
The UVA "deal" might be the worst/most dangerous (so far). With the help of UVA's leadership, Trump coerced a leading U.S. university to foreswear all efforts (including 100% lawful measures) to achieve diversity.
A betrayal of our values.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
The UVA "deal" might be the worst/most dangerous (so far). With the help of UVA's leadership, Trump coerced a leading U.S. university to foreswear all efforts (including 100% lawful measures) to achieve diversity.
A betrayal of our values.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
I'm reading a book on automated vehicles. it's driving me crazy
I’m reading a book on anti gravity. It’s impossible to put down
November 24, 2025 at 12:22 AM
I'm reading a book on automated vehicles. it's driving me crazy
Reposted by Steven L. Johnson
Well put. The agreement this week was a very bitter pill.
Two billion kids would REALLY appreciate it if we did more about this than just make a few non-binding promises every year & then instantly forget about them.
#COP30
#COP30
November 23, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Well put. The agreement this week was a very bitter pill.
For the love of humanity, don't buy kids in your life toys that require a cloud connection, much less anything with AI-powered chat ability.
"...powered by Wi-Fi, powered by artificial intelligence, those types of things are red flags that a lot of children’s data might be collected here.”
"...powered by Wi-Fi, powered by artificial intelligence, those types of things are red flags that a lot of children’s data might be collected here.”
November 23, 2025 at 1:19 PM
For the love of humanity, don't buy kids in your life toys that require a cloud connection, much less anything with AI-powered chat ability.
"...powered by Wi-Fi, powered by artificial intelligence, those types of things are red flags that a lot of children’s data might be collected here.”
"...powered by Wi-Fi, powered by artificial intelligence, those types of things are red flags that a lot of children’s data might be collected here.”