The most successful housing policy you've never heard of
Nearly half a million rent control apartments were built in the decade following World War II with financial engineering rather than direct subsidy.
The Urban Condition
Excavating the future of cities
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Revolving loan funds: The next big thing in housing?
A deep dive into what could be the highest-impact policy tool for stimulating housing production.
Social housing is really happening in Seattle
Seattle Social Housing Developer—the closest approximation of a Vienna-style municipal housing authority in the US—has over $100 million on hand and is moving ahead with its first acquisitions.
Unlocking the full potential of the IBX
A few strategic projects could turn the IBX into a spine of the regional transportation network, not just a leg of the NYC subway system.
The IBX could be the start of an outer borough transit renaissance
How New York City's first entirely new transit line in nearly a century could reshape the geography of Brooklyn and Queens.
How malls can become the midtowns of the future
Mall and office park redevelopments are a generational opportunity to create new nodes of urbanity.
What's the matter with SoDoSoPa?
Post-industrial neighborhoods can be cringey. But they're also a reflection of urbanites' needs — and government's failure to meet them.
What should America’s transit ‘moonshot’ look like?
The nation doesn’t just need more transit. It needs to build faster, more advanced transit in the places with the highest ridership potential.
SimParkingLot is no fun
The creators of SimCity wanted to create a realistic city-building game. The absurdities of America's parking policies made that impossible.
S.F.’s Marina District towers are bad, actually
A 25-story building should not be allowed to go up on a lot zoned for 4 stories. Cities need better zoning, not no zoning.
American cities are poised for a street design revolution
Zohran Mamdani, the avatar of New York City street life himself, could show the way.
How "YMCA" explains the homelessness crisis
The Village People's 1978 megahit was the swan song of SROs. As this housing of last resort was demolished, homelessness was the inevitable result.
Housing affordability and the declining fortunes of Democrats
An inability to build housing is the central reason blue states are projected to lose 12 electoral college votes by 2032. When will liberal activists start paying attention?
Zohran Mamdani's other election victory
On top of his historic mayoral election, Mamdani won an even bigger mandate to enact parts of his housing agenda.
How Southern California would benefit from electric trains
Electrification and level boarding platforms can significantly improve rail travel on the west coast, too.
Why automated metros are the future
High-tech transit can be cost-effective transit. Just look at Canada.
Why are so many transit agencies facing ‘fiscal cliffs’?
Covid and inflation played a role. But for many agencies, the crisis goes much deeper.
We need to talk about ‘missing massive’ housing
In most neighborhoods, missing middle housing will do the trick. But right on top of subway stations, urbanists should think bigger.
Can California High-Speed Rail make it to the Bay?
The project notched a major victory by securing long-term funding. But getting the line to major population centers remains an enormous challenge.
The Freudian underbelly of self-driving cars
Cars have traditionally represented autonomy for humans. What happens when that autonomy is transferred to the vehicle?