Leslie Ridings
@leslieridings.bsky.social
Angeleno. Mostly LA politics & urbanism. USC Roski and Columbia Law Alum; formerly at El Prado Bar, lluminati Motorcycles, adjunct/guest lecturer at USC Annenberg, & founder at Black Noise Industries. 1st gen Indigenous/Latinx he/him/él.
Reposted by Leslie Ridings
I've got an op-ed in @calmatters.org today about SB 79 and "local control." If a city's policy decisions hurt people outside its borders, then it's the state--not the city--who should be given the final say.
The longer California squabbles over 'local control,' the more people it pushes to other states | Opinion
California’s housing crisis proves that control and decision-making authority can no longer be local when the consequences are universal.
calmatters.org
September 10, 2025 at 3:52 PM
I've got an op-ed in @calmatters.org today about SB 79 and "local control." If a city's policy decisions hurt people outside its borders, then it's the state--not the city--who should be given the final say.
Reposted by Leslie Ridings
#NowThatsWhatICallAProtectedBikeLane New concrete Toronto Barriers on 3rd St. bikeway in #DTLA
August 20, 2025 at 6:22 PM
#NowThatsWhatICallAProtectedBikeLane New concrete Toronto Barriers on 3rd St. bikeway in #DTLA
Reposted by Leslie Ridings
Thank you @asmmarkgonzalez.bsky.social, @jessearreguin.bsky.social, and @scottwiener.bsky.social for championing transit funding in this year’s budget!
June 13, 2025 at 7:55 PM
Thank you @asmmarkgonzalez.bsky.social, @jessearreguin.bsky.social, and @scottwiener.bsky.social for championing transit funding in this year’s budget!
Reposted by Leslie Ridings
the nytimes doesn't get LA and never will
June 9, 2025 at 3:37 AM
the nytimes doesn't get LA and never will
Scarcity benefits the wealthy—those who control all the pieces already on the board.
They don’t want you to have your own pieces, they want you to need theirs.
Abundance benefits the working & middle class; it dilutes the power of the wealthy by adding more pieces to the board.
They don’t want you to have your own pieces, they want you to need theirs.
Abundance benefits the working & middle class; it dilutes the power of the wealthy by adding more pieces to the board.
March 20, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Scarcity benefits the wealthy—those who control all the pieces already on the board.
They don’t want you to have your own pieces, they want you to need theirs.
Abundance benefits the working & middle class; it dilutes the power of the wealthy by adding more pieces to the board.
They don’t want you to have your own pieces, they want you to need theirs.
Abundance benefits the working & middle class; it dilutes the power of the wealthy by adding more pieces to the board.
Reposted by Leslie Ridings
🚨MAJOR HOUSING VOTE TODAY (2/25)
TODAY AT 2PM, City Council’s Planning & Land Use Management (PLUM) committee is voting on The Livable Communities Initiative, which could bring MORE housing, BETTER sidewalks, and SAFER streets to LA. 🏘️🚶♀️🚲
Agenda: lacity.primegov.com/Portal/Meeti...
TODAY AT 2PM, City Council’s Planning & Land Use Management (PLUM) committee is voting on The Livable Communities Initiative, which could bring MORE housing, BETTER sidewalks, and SAFER streets to LA. 🏘️🚶♀️🚲
Agenda: lacity.primegov.com/Portal/Meeti...
MeetingMeeting
lacity.primegov.com
February 25, 2025 at 4:41 PM
🚨MAJOR HOUSING VOTE TODAY (2/25)
TODAY AT 2PM, City Council’s Planning & Land Use Management (PLUM) committee is voting on The Livable Communities Initiative, which could bring MORE housing, BETTER sidewalks, and SAFER streets to LA. 🏘️🚶♀️🚲
Agenda: lacity.primegov.com/Portal/Meeti...
TODAY AT 2PM, City Council’s Planning & Land Use Management (PLUM) committee is voting on The Livable Communities Initiative, which could bring MORE housing, BETTER sidewalks, and SAFER streets to LA. 🏘️🚶♀️🚲
Agenda: lacity.primegov.com/Portal/Meeti...
Reposted by Leslie Ridings
The thing the right-wing took away from non-prosecution of W-era torture wasn't that they were fortunate that Obama was willing to look forward, it was that installing John Yoo's to write memos saying "[illegal thing] is actually legal" is a cheat code to rewrite the laws however you want
The Secretary of Defense goes on tv to explain he is preparing to have the military break the law.
Hegseth says firing of top military lawyers was about making sure "they don't exist to be roadblocks to anything that happens."
February 23, 2025 at 5:51 PM
The thing the right-wing took away from non-prosecution of W-era torture wasn't that they were fortunate that Obama was willing to look forward, it was that installing John Yoo's to write memos saying "[illegal thing] is actually legal" is a cheat code to rewrite the laws however you want
Reposted by Leslie Ridings
You've already covered it, but here's a handy little guide for people that want to spot the new Model Y for whatever reason they might want to do that!
February 23, 2025 at 6:03 PM
You've already covered it, but here's a handy little guide for people that want to spot the new Model Y for whatever reason they might want to do that!
Kind of annoying that the people running around screaming “America First” actually seem to be doing everything in their power to break American alliances, cede American power, harm American industry, kowtow to American competitors, and undermine American democracy—all while wrapped in the flag.
February 23, 2025 at 5:24 AM
Kind of annoying that the people running around screaming “America First” actually seem to be doing everything in their power to break American alliances, cede American power, harm American industry, kowtow to American competitors, and undermine American democracy—all while wrapped in the flag.
Very darkly funny to me that the party obsessed with expanding the 2nd amendment and stuffing guns into every inch of the country to resist a “tyrannical government” is now supporting the ushering in of a tyrannical, tin-pot racist kleptocracy and being very quiet about the whole “liberty” thing.
February 23, 2025 at 4:46 AM
Very darkly funny to me that the party obsessed with expanding the 2nd amendment and stuffing guns into every inch of the country to resist a “tyrannical government” is now supporting the ushering in of a tyrannical, tin-pot racist kleptocracy and being very quiet about the whole “liberty” thing.
Reposted by Leslie Ridings
We chanted “no kings, just trains” at trans. sec. Sean Duffy in L.A. Union Station the other day; people seemed to love shouting it. Highly recommend this format.
(I might recommend _trying_ to keep it to two syllables of equal weight per line — but hey, do whatever and see what works!)
(I might recommend _trying_ to keep it to two syllables of equal weight per line — but hey, do whatever and see what works!)
February 22, 2025 at 11:47 PM
We chanted “no kings, just trains” at trans. sec. Sean Duffy in L.A. Union Station the other day; people seemed to love shouting it. Highly recommend this format.
(I might recommend _trying_ to keep it to two syllables of equal weight per line — but hey, do whatever and see what works!)
(I might recommend _trying_ to keep it to two syllables of equal weight per line — but hey, do whatever and see what works!)
Reposted by Leslie Ridings
In this thread, I'll be sharing California YIMBY's 2025 legislative package. We are supporting an excellent group in legislators in running one of the most ambitious pro-housing agendas in California history—and this is only the beginning.
February 21, 2025 at 11:22 PM
In this thread, I'll be sharing California YIMBY's 2025 legislative package. We are supporting an excellent group in legislators in running one of the most ambitious pro-housing agendas in California history—and this is only the beginning.
Reposted by Leslie Ridings
Musk has tweeted more than 220 times in last 24 hrs.
That's not counting the replies.
That's not counting the replies.
February 23, 2025 at 4:14 AM
Musk has tweeted more than 220 times in last 24 hrs.
That's not counting the replies.
That's not counting the replies.
Reposted by Leslie Ridings
You’ve probably heard about the proposed LA County Resolution that would ask the state to suspend a bunch of housing laws.
Is it as bad as people are claiming?
Let’s go line-by-line through the resolution:
Is it as bad as people are claiming?
Let’s go line-by-line through the resolution:
January 27, 2025 at 10:00 PM
You’ve probably heard about the proposed LA County Resolution that would ask the state to suspend a bunch of housing laws.
Is it as bad as people are claiming?
Let’s go line-by-line through the resolution:
Is it as bad as people are claiming?
Let’s go line-by-line through the resolution:
LA relief centers were inundated with donations over the weekend and are in desperate need of volunteers to sort and deliver things during the week. If you are safe & have a flexible schedule or can take PTO, now's the time. Consider volunteering w/ Ketchum YMCA in DTLA at 401 S. Hope!
January 14, 2025 at 6:01 PM
LA relief centers were inundated with donations over the weekend and are in desperate need of volunteers to sort and deliver things during the week. If you are safe & have a flexible schedule or can take PTO, now's the time. Consider volunteering w/ Ketchum YMCA in DTLA at 401 S. Hope!
Reposted by Leslie Ridings
A huge share of the housing California has built over the past 50 years has been in disaster-prone areas. There's no sustainable alternative to making it easier to build more infill housing.
Built:LA has a map of building ages from 1890 to 1908. Note the upper development was mostly built in the 1970s and 1980s, but more were added in the 1990s and 2000s. Adding homes up and up the canyons
cityhubla.github.io/LA_Building_...
cityhubla.github.io/LA_Building_...
January 9, 2025 at 1:27 AM
A huge share of the housing California has built over the past 50 years has been in disaster-prone areas. There's no sustainable alternative to making it easier to build more infill housing.
Reposted by Leslie Ridings
NYT is softening every edge in the framing but this article is a bombshell
Conclusive evidence that environmental scientists have been willing to use the ESA to knowingly invent "conservation species" and then using the newly created NEPA (passed in 1970) to litigate
Conclusive evidence that environmental scientists have been willing to use the ESA to knowingly invent "conservation species" and then using the newly created NEPA (passed in 1970) to litigate
January 4, 2025 at 6:41 PM
NYT is softening every edge in the framing but this article is a bombshell
Conclusive evidence that environmental scientists have been willing to use the ESA to knowingly invent "conservation species" and then using the newly created NEPA (passed in 1970) to litigate
Conclusive evidence that environmental scientists have been willing to use the ESA to knowingly invent "conservation species" and then using the newly created NEPA (passed in 1970) to litigate
Reposted by Leslie Ridings
🎉We did it. The 3rd circuit has rejected New Jersey’s last minute request, meaning congestion pricing is officially going to begin in exactly 11 hours. 🎉
I wrote an article about how everyone benefits from congestion pricing, feel free to share with any skeptics!
open.substack.com/pub/betterci...
I wrote an article about how everyone benefits from congestion pricing, feel free to share with any skeptics!
open.substack.com/pub/betterci...
Everybody Wins with Congestion Pricing
Yes, even drivers!
open.substack.com
January 4, 2025 at 6:00 PM
🎉We did it. The 3rd circuit has rejected New Jersey’s last minute request, meaning congestion pricing is officially going to begin in exactly 11 hours. 🎉
I wrote an article about how everyone benefits from congestion pricing, feel free to share with any skeptics!
open.substack.com/pub/betterci...
I wrote an article about how everyone benefits from congestion pricing, feel free to share with any skeptics!
open.substack.com/pub/betterci...
Why can’t you take a train to Joshua tree smh
December 14, 2024 at 10:35 PM
Why can’t you take a train to Joshua tree smh
"‘No one should work a full-time job in the city of LA and not be able to afford a place to live,’ Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson said.”
Min wage hike for select group is good for them, but seems like it’d be equally effective to make it easier to build housing?
patch.com/california/l...
Min wage hike for select group is good for them, but seems like it’d be equally effective to make it easier to build housing?
patch.com/california/l...
LA's Tourism $30 Minimum Wage Approved By City Council
The Los Angeles City Council approved the gradual increase of the city's tourism minimum wage to $22.50 next year and to $30 by 2028.
patch.com
December 12, 2024 at 11:23 PM
"‘No one should work a full-time job in the city of LA and not be able to afford a place to live,’ Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson said.”
Min wage hike for select group is good for them, but seems like it’d be equally effective to make it easier to build housing?
patch.com/california/l...
Min wage hike for select group is good for them, but seems like it’d be equally effective to make it easier to build housing?
patch.com/california/l...
Reposted by Leslie Ridings
Nothing pisses me off more than reading a CA suburban city's zoning code.
Most of these appear to purposefully be designed to make it impossible to build anything in multifamily zones
What do you mean your "R4" zone only allows one unit per 1,740 sq ft of land area??
Most of these appear to purposefully be designed to make it impossible to build anything in multifamily zones
What do you mean your "R4" zone only allows one unit per 1,740 sq ft of land area??
December 1, 2024 at 10:38 PM
Nothing pisses me off more than reading a CA suburban city's zoning code.
Most of these appear to purposefully be designed to make it impossible to build anything in multifamily zones
What do you mean your "R4" zone only allows one unit per 1,740 sq ft of land area??
Most of these appear to purposefully be designed to make it impossible to build anything in multifamily zones
What do you mean your "R4" zone only allows one unit per 1,740 sq ft of land area??
There is no word in the tongues of elves or men to describe how happy and excited I am for this extension. Now let’s get the SPTC and Vermont Corridor done as HRT and convert the G line to a B line extension that runs above grade 😤🚃
December 1, 2024 at 10:52 PM
There is no word in the tongues of elves or men to describe how happy and excited I am for this extension. Now let’s get the SPTC and Vermont Corridor done as HRT and convert the G line to a B line extension that runs above grade 😤🚃
Reposted by Leslie Ridings
We’ve had viable solutions for mobility both within & between cities for a long time, like high-speed rail, prioritized public transit and networks of protected bike-lanes. We need leadership. And we need to stop letting “shiny new tech” distract us from implementing them. Image via UrbanThoughts11
November 25, 2024 at 5:33 AM
We’ve had viable solutions for mobility both within & between cities for a long time, like high-speed rail, prioritized public transit and networks of protected bike-lanes. We need leadership. And we need to stop letting “shiny new tech” distract us from implementing them. Image via UrbanThoughts11
Uh… @nerd4cities.bsky.social is killing it! Can’t wait to watch and so excited to have a zealous housing/transit/city advocate climbing the ladder of social influence. Great get, Ray!
My episode with Secretary Pete is now up on the usual video sharing platform. So much good stuff in here, and I hope to get him back on in the future!
youtu.be/F7oN6w6vEGI
youtu.be/F7oN6w6vEGI
The Future of US Passenger Rail (with Secretary Pete Buttigieg!)
YouTube video by Ray Delahanty | CityNerd
youtu.be
November 27, 2024 at 9:55 PM
Uh… @nerd4cities.bsky.social is killing it! Can’t wait to watch and so excited to have a zealous housing/transit/city advocate climbing the ladder of social influence. Great get, Ray!
Reposted by Leslie Ridings
If it doesn’t exist on this app, someone should make a thread of all the European plazas that used to be filled with parked cars
November 25, 2024 at 4:08 PM
If it doesn’t exist on this app, someone should make a thread of all the European plazas that used to be filled with parked cars