2018February
"You’re Not a Progressive If You’re Also a NIMBY"
Why housing is a liberal imperative.
Here in the liberal East Bay, we’re proud of our inclusiveness and openness. Most of us are disgusted by President Trump’s efforts to target undocumented immigrants and break apart families.
...More"“Simplicity is the key to excellence” says Dieter Rams"
In a rare interview, German designer Dieter Rams has called for a return to well-made, long-lasting products, even if it comes at the expense of design innovation.
...More"Editorial: Silicon Valley still leads, but costs are catching up to innovation"
Silicon Valley continues to lead the country in innovation, according to the latest update to the Silicon Valley Leadership Group’s comprehensive report on regional competitiveness and innovation.
...More"San Francisco Man Has Spent 4 Years and $1 Million Trying to Get Approval to Turn His Own Laundromat Into an Apartment Building"
Now the city wants the laundromat studied to see if it is a historic resource.
To understand how difficult and expensive it is to build housing in San Francisco, observe the case of Robert Tillman. Tillman owns a single-story laundromat in the city’s Mission District. Since 2014, he has been attempting to develop his property into a 75-unit apartment building.
...More"How Seattle Is Winning the War on the Car Commute"
Despite massive job growth, just 25 percent of workers drove themselves in 2017.
Seattle is among the fastest growing cities in the U.S., thanks largely to Amazon’s addition of 35,000 employees since 2010. For all the economic benefits that come with growth, it has also created a variety of civic headaches, crippling traffic chief among them.
...More"So, You Think Housing in the East Bay Is Expensive and Scarce?"
Just wait a decade. (Unless we do something about it now.)
Actually, there’s good and bad news about the future of housing in the East Bay.
First, the bad news: Experts say there’s a possibility that the housing situation could get worse.
...More"The High Cost of ‘Affordable Housing’ Mandates"
‘Inclusionary zoning’ laws create a vicious circle of higher prices and reduced demand.
As housing prices recover from the Great Recession, municipalities across America are considering laws that will raise the cost of homeownership.
...More"98% of California jurisdictions fail to approve adequate housing, state report finds"
The state housing department released its first list showing how many California cities and counties are meeting their local homebuilding goals.
The conclusion: More than 500 local jurisdictions — 98 percent of those in the state — are failing.
...More
