Charles Montgomery
@charlesincities.bsky.social
Author, Happy City.
Founder, Happy Cities.
I post on the connection between design + social trust.
Cities, algorithms, laws and invisible systems.
🧠🏙️🌈🏔️
Founder, Happy Cities.
I post on the connection between design + social trust.
Cities, algorithms, laws and invisible systems.
🧠🏙️🌈🏔️
Pinned
Hey Bluesky!
Here for evidence-based solutions on design + human wellbeing. 🌇
I'm the author of Happy City and co-founder of the interdisciplinary team at Happy Cities.
My next book digs into ways we can design the world to rebuild social trust. I'm excited to learn from you all.🌱🌃🌈
Here for evidence-based solutions on design + human wellbeing. 🌇
I'm the author of Happy City and co-founder of the interdisciplinary team at Happy Cities.
My next book digs into ways we can design the world to rebuild social trust. I'm excited to learn from you all.🌱🌃🌈
Reposted by Charles Montgomery
The next time an architect tries to sell you an AI-rendered vision of paradise, you might want to run it theough this brilliant Anti-render machine to see what the place might look like on a crappy November morning.
antirender.com
antirender.com
AntiRender - Reality Hits Different
Transform idealized architectural renders into what they'll actually look like. No sunshine. No happy families. Just cold, honest reality.
antirender.com
January 30, 2026 at 6:55 PM
The next time an architect tries to sell you an AI-rendered vision of paradise, you might want to run it theough this brilliant Anti-render machine to see what the place might look like on a crappy November morning.
antirender.com
antirender.com
One of the most powerful things we can do to improve the lives of poorer children is let them live amongst wealthier people.
Raj Chetty’s research points the way.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/28/o...
Raj Chetty’s research points the way.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/28/o...
Opinion | How to Bring Back the American Dream
www.nytimes.com
January 29, 2026 at 8:34 PM
One of the most powerful things we can do to improve the lives of poorer children is let them live amongst wealthier people.
Raj Chetty’s research points the way.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/28/o...
Raj Chetty’s research points the way.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/28/o...
This is a fascinating analysis of the Minnesota ICE raids pushback: How a community rejected violent extremists' attempt to define the American in-group.
thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/anatomy-of-e... #Extremism #Fascism #ICE #Immigration via @mitpress.bsky.social
thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/anatomy-of-e... #Extremism #Fascism #ICE #Immigration via @mitpress.bsky.social
Anatomy of Extremism: What ICE Is Revealing in Minnesota
The federal persecution of immigrants and white citizens alike lays bare the unstable logic of in-group power.
thereader.mitpress.mit.edu
January 27, 2026 at 7:43 PM
This is a fascinating analysis of the Minnesota ICE raids pushback: How a community rejected violent extremists' attempt to define the American in-group.
thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/anatomy-of-e... #Extremism #Fascism #ICE #Immigration via @mitpress.bsky.social
thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/anatomy-of-e... #Extremism #Fascism #ICE #Immigration via @mitpress.bsky.social
When AI Can Fake Majorities, Democracy Dies Quietly
open.substack.com/pub/powerofu...
open.substack.com/pub/powerofu...
When AI Can Fake Majorities, Democracy Dies Quietly
The new threat of "malicious AI swarms”—and how to defend the public sphere
open.substack.com
January 27, 2026 at 4:22 PM
When AI Can Fake Majorities, Democracy Dies Quietly
open.substack.com/pub/powerofu...
open.substack.com/pub/powerofu...
It appears that TikTok USA is being configured as a state surveillance operation.
TikTok is now under “US” ownership.
Lots of red flags in the terms of service and privacy policy.
Lots of red flags in the terms of service and privacy policy.
January 23, 2026 at 8:54 PM
It appears that TikTok USA is being configured as a state surveillance operation.
Reposted by Charles Montgomery
In 2025, City Hall paralysis blocked 6 key sites from being developed. Ken Sim couldn’t build the majority required to get things done.
Enough. I’m moving to immediately unlock these sites for 4,000 affordable homes. No more excuses. #VanPoli #HousingNow
Enough. I’m moving to immediately unlock these sites for 4,000 affordable homes. No more excuses. #VanPoli #HousingNow
January 20, 2026 at 5:57 PM
In 2025, City Hall paralysis blocked 6 key sites from being developed. Ken Sim couldn’t build the majority required to get things done.
Enough. I’m moving to immediately unlock these sites for 4,000 affordable homes. No more excuses. #VanPoli #HousingNow
Enough. I’m moving to immediately unlock these sites for 4,000 affordable homes. No more excuses. #VanPoli #HousingNow
Hey Canadians,
Here's a smart essay from the brilliant @khelsilem.bsky.social on the purpose, limits and misuse of "land acknowledgements"
Dial down the performance and crank up the pragmatism. Really worth reading.
open.substack.com/pub/khelsile...
Here's a smart essay from the brilliant @khelsilem.bsky.social on the purpose, limits and misuse of "land acknowledgements"
Dial down the performance and crank up the pragmatism. Really worth reading.
open.substack.com/pub/khelsile...
Understanding the Purpose, Limits, and Misuse of "Land Acknowledgements"
On symbolism, substance, and the limits of public ritual
open.substack.com
January 20, 2026 at 5:47 PM
Hey Canadians,
Here's a smart essay from the brilliant @khelsilem.bsky.social on the purpose, limits and misuse of "land acknowledgements"
Dial down the performance and crank up the pragmatism. Really worth reading.
open.substack.com/pub/khelsile...
Here's a smart essay from the brilliant @khelsilem.bsky.social on the purpose, limits and misuse of "land acknowledgements"
Dial down the performance and crank up the pragmatism. Really worth reading.
open.substack.com/pub/khelsile...
New Trust Barometer reveals diverging trust.
- Decline in trust in government leaders, news organizations.
- Growth in trust trust among neighbors, family, friends, coworkers, and even bosses.
People are good. It's our systems of governance, media that are broken.
lnkd.in/grdSwvyg
- Decline in trust in government leaders, news organizations.
- Growth in trust trust among neighbors, family, friends, coworkers, and even bosses.
People are good. It's our systems of governance, media that are broken.
lnkd.in/grdSwvyg
LinkedIn
This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn
lnkd.in
January 19, 2026 at 6:24 PM
New Trust Barometer reveals diverging trust.
- Decline in trust in government leaders, news organizations.
- Growth in trust trust among neighbors, family, friends, coworkers, and even bosses.
People are good. It's our systems of governance, media that are broken.
lnkd.in/grdSwvyg
- Decline in trust in government leaders, news organizations.
- Growth in trust trust among neighbors, family, friends, coworkers, and even bosses.
People are good. It's our systems of governance, media that are broken.
lnkd.in/grdSwvyg
It sounds counterintuitive, but allowing buildings with just one staircase access can actually produce safer buildings.
Not to mention the tremendous effect on liveability that can come with smaller footprint buildings.
Read this excellent story!
Not to mention the tremendous effect on liveability that can come with smaller footprint buildings.
Read this excellent story!
Our piece on single stair: a crucial change that is slowly coming to Canadian cities
By me and @johnlorinc.bsky.social
By me and @johnlorinc.bsky.social
January 17, 2026 at 4:09 PM
It sounds counterintuitive, but allowing buildings with just one staircase access can actually produce safer buildings.
Not to mention the tremendous effect on liveability that can come with smaller footprint buildings.
Read this excellent story!
Not to mention the tremendous effect on liveability that can come with smaller footprint buildings.
Read this excellent story!
How can different ppl watch the same ICE shooting video but see totally different things?
@jayvanbavel.bsky.social explores the science between partisan bias. I see an unprovoked attack. Someone on the far right sees self-defence. (Plz read before reacting)
open.substack.com/pub/powerofu...
@jayvanbavel.bsky.social explores the science between partisan bias. I see an unprovoked attack. Someone on the far right sees self-defence. (Plz read before reacting)
open.substack.com/pub/powerofu...
Why video evidence is unable to create a shared reality
Why partisans disagree over the tragic shooting by an ICE agent
open.substack.com
January 16, 2026 at 6:25 PM
How can different ppl watch the same ICE shooting video but see totally different things?
@jayvanbavel.bsky.social explores the science between partisan bias. I see an unprovoked attack. Someone on the far right sees self-defence. (Plz read before reacting)
open.substack.com/pub/powerofu...
@jayvanbavel.bsky.social explores the science between partisan bias. I see an unprovoked attack. Someone on the far right sees self-defence. (Plz read before reacting)
open.substack.com/pub/powerofu...
Reposted by Charles Montgomery
wikipedia turns 25 today! the last unenshittified major website! backbone of online info! triumph of humanity! powered by urge of unpaid randos to correct each other! somehow mostly reliable! "good thing wikipedia works in practice, because it sure doesn't work in theory" - old wiki adage
January 15, 2026 at 1:47 PM
wikipedia turns 25 today! the last unenshittified major website! backbone of online info! triumph of humanity! powered by urge of unpaid randos to correct each other! somehow mostly reliable! "good thing wikipedia works in practice, because it sure doesn't work in theory" - old wiki adage
Reposted by Charles Montgomery
Fun little programming note for Vancouver political nerds: @cbcstephenquinn.bsky.social and I will be hosting a live OneCity mayoral debate between Will Azaroff and Amanda Burrows tomorrow on the Early Edition.
Tune in around 8:10!
(we'll have a podcast version as well)
Tune in around 8:10!
(we'll have a podcast version as well)
January 14, 2026 at 6:20 PM
Fun little programming note for Vancouver political nerds: @cbcstephenquinn.bsky.social and I will be hosting a live OneCity mayoral debate between Will Azaroff and Amanda Burrows tomorrow on the Early Edition.
Tune in around 8:10!
(we'll have a podcast version as well)
Tune in around 8:10!
(we'll have a podcast version as well)
Vancouver OneCity Mayoral candidate @wazaroff.bsky.social wants to make child care an “outright use” in all residential neighbourhoods, so that if the application meets safety standards and the property has enough space, it will be permitted.
Love this idea.
Love this idea.
Sophie Ngo and her husband spend three hours every day driving between Richmond and Vancouver just to drop off their two kids at different daycares. It is the only way they can find care. "I don’t know why it’s so hard," she says. She is right.
vancouversun.com/opinion/colu...
vancouversun.com/opinion/colu...
January 14, 2026 at 3:46 PM
Vancouver OneCity Mayoral candidate @wazaroff.bsky.social wants to make child care an “outright use” in all residential neighbourhoods, so that if the application meets safety standards and the property has enough space, it will be permitted.
Love this idea.
Love this idea.
USA pulls of the amazing feat of slowing GDP growth while growing greenhouse gas emissions.
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Data Centers and Coal Helped Drive Up US Emissions in 2025
The country’s greenhouse gas emissions grew by an estimated 2.4%, reversing the downward trend of the previous two years.
www.bloomberg.com
January 13, 2026 at 10:36 PM
USA pulls of the amazing feat of slowing GDP growth while growing greenhouse gas emissions.
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
One small action I take to fight against the chaos is to regularly donate to @wikipedia.org
It's still the Internet's best encyclopedia because its pages are produced by human volunteers in constant collaboration, not algorithms.
donate.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?...
It's still the Internet's best encyclopedia because its pages are produced by human volunteers in constant collaboration, not algorithms.
donate.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?...
Make your donation now - Wikimedia Foundation
Donate to the Wikimedia Foundation, the nonprofit that hosts Wikipedia and other crucial free knowledge projects. Each year, the generosity of the 2% of readers who donate allows us to expand the reac...
donate.wikimedia.org
January 13, 2026 at 6:01 PM
One small action I take to fight against the chaos is to regularly donate to @wikipedia.org
It's still the Internet's best encyclopedia because its pages are produced by human volunteers in constant collaboration, not algorithms.
donate.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?...
It's still the Internet's best encyclopedia because its pages are produced by human volunteers in constant collaboration, not algorithms.
donate.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?...
We can save the world AND live for joy!
Thrilled to see this new book coming out from @dunnhappylab.bsky.social and @jiayingzhao.bsky.social
www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/authors/2310...
Thrilled to see this new book coming out from @dunnhappylab.bsky.social and @jiayingzhao.bsky.social
www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/authors/2310...
Jiaying Zhao | Penguin Random House Canada
test
www.penguinrandomhouse.ca
January 9, 2026 at 6:04 PM
We can save the world AND live for joy!
Thrilled to see this new book coming out from @dunnhappylab.bsky.social and @jiayingzhao.bsky.social
www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/authors/2310...
Thrilled to see this new book coming out from @dunnhappylab.bsky.social and @jiayingzhao.bsky.social
www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/authors/2310...
Reposted by Charles Montgomery
Three-quarters of teens say it often or sometimes makes them feel happy (74%) or peaceful (72%) when they don’t have their smartphone.
These positive emotions are much more common than negative feelings, like anxiety or loneliness.
These positive emotions are much more common than negative feelings, like anxiety or loneliness.
March 16, 2024 at 1:16 PM
Three-quarters of teens say it often or sometimes makes them feel happy (74%) or peaceful (72%) when they don’t have their smartphone.
These positive emotions are much more common than negative feelings, like anxiety or loneliness.
These positive emotions are much more common than negative feelings, like anxiety or loneliness.
Reposted by Charles Montgomery
Since I wrote that, the "supply skepticism" argument at even the micro level has been thoroughly refuted; roundup of peer-reviewed evidence here
furmancenter.org/thestoop/ent...
furmancenter.org/thestoop/ent...
Supply Skepticism Revisited: What New Research Shows About the Impact of Supply on Affordability
Furman Center faculty directors Vicki Been, Ingrid Gould Ellen, and Kathy O’Regan recently released “Supply Skepticism Revisited”, highlighting the latest rigorous research that draws out the nuanced ...
furmancenter.org
January 6, 2026 at 7:05 PM
Since I wrote that, the "supply skepticism" argument at even the micro level has been thoroughly refuted; roundup of peer-reviewed evidence here
furmancenter.org/thestoop/ent...
furmancenter.org/thestoop/ent...
Choosing a title for my forthcoming book about designing for trust. Which would you buy?
1/ The Trust Experiments: How to rebuild our relationships in a world designed to divide us
2/ Escaping the Maze: Redesigning the cities, screens and invisible systems that shape our trust in each other
1/ The Trust Experiments: How to rebuild our relationships in a world designed to divide us
2/ Escaping the Maze: Redesigning the cities, screens and invisible systems that shape our trust in each other
January 6, 2026 at 6:49 PM
Choosing a title for my forthcoming book about designing for trust. Which would you buy?
1/ The Trust Experiments: How to rebuild our relationships in a world designed to divide us
2/ Escaping the Maze: Redesigning the cities, screens and invisible systems that shape our trust in each other
1/ The Trust Experiments: How to rebuild our relationships in a world designed to divide us
2/ Escaping the Maze: Redesigning the cities, screens and invisible systems that shape our trust in each other
That big house may make you miserable.
Excellent WaPo story featuring Happy Cities research. When it comes to happiness, your social life of your home and neighbourhood matters more than square footage.
Gift link:
wapo.st/49qfhDa
Excellent WaPo story featuring Happy Cities research. When it comes to happiness, your social life of your home and neighbourhood matters more than square footage.
Gift link:
wapo.st/49qfhDa
Column | Why smaller houses can lead to happier lives
It turns out asking “Are you happy with your home?” yields a very different answer than “Are you happy with your life?”
wapo.st
January 6, 2026 at 5:11 PM
That big house may make you miserable.
Excellent WaPo story featuring Happy Cities research. When it comes to happiness, your social life of your home and neighbourhood matters more than square footage.
Gift link:
wapo.st/49qfhDa
Excellent WaPo story featuring Happy Cities research. When it comes to happiness, your social life of your home and neighbourhood matters more than square footage.
Gift link:
wapo.st/49qfhDa
Chatbots are oversimplifying the world, leading us away from complexity and difference. The startup Freespoke offers an alternative.
Another excellent piece from @socialcohesiontech.bsky.social
open.substack.com/pub/techands...
Another excellent piece from @socialcohesiontech.bsky.social
open.substack.com/pub/techands...
Giving Up Googling - But at What Cost?
As chatbots replace search engines, our ability to engage with diverse perspectives may be quietly eroding
open.substack.com
January 4, 2026 at 9:38 PM
Chatbots are oversimplifying the world, leading us away from complexity and difference. The startup Freespoke offers an alternative.
Another excellent piece from @socialcohesiontech.bsky.social
open.substack.com/pub/techands...
Another excellent piece from @socialcohesiontech.bsky.social
open.substack.com/pub/techands...
Reposted by Charles Montgomery
“Survey after survey has shown that business owners overestimate how many customers drive to their stores vs walking or biking. In a 2012 Los Angeles study, more than half of the store owners on the bike-laned part of the boulevard thought most of their customers drove. The actual number was 15%.”
I read all the studies on the economic impact of bike lanes. Here's what I learned.
Research proves that bike lanes are good for business. So why do so many stores and restaurants still oppose them?
www.businessinsider.com
January 2, 2026 at 4:41 AM
“Survey after survey has shown that business owners overestimate how many customers drive to their stores vs walking or biking. In a 2012 Los Angeles study, more than half of the store owners on the bike-laned part of the boulevard thought most of their customers drove. The actual number was 15%.”
And so it goes…
“This could look like a user asking how much ibuprofen to take for a headache receiving a promoted ad for Advil in the chatbot’s response. Meanwhile, actual results on correct dosage may be brushed to the side, or buried under a mountain of ad text…”
OpenAI Reportedly Planning to Make ChatGPT "Prioritize" Advertisers in Conversation
OpenAI employees working on ChatGPT report plans to unleash sponsored advertisements above organic results.
futurism.com
December 31, 2025 at 4:44 AM
And so it goes…