"Michael Monaco"
@mmonaco.bsky.social
A guy who works in Crozet. If you know me you know me. was once known as "bookshelfstud." posts never reflect my employer or other bodies i'm on.
serious site: https://which-side-are-you-on.ghost.io
fun site: https://michaelbookshelf.neocities.org/
serious site: https://which-side-are-you-on.ghost.io
fun site: https://michaelbookshelf.neocities.org/
Pinned
"Michael Monaco"
@mmonaco.bsky.social
· Jul 3
Quick Note: Colonialist Violence, July 3 2025
This morning, while waiting to see if Republicans strip the life from millions of Americans, I watched news coverage from Al Jazeera revealing video of U.S. contractors firing on Palestinians seeking ...
which-side-are-you-on.ghost.io
i've debated for a while about starting a blog of some sort; i have a lot to say that i don't usually feel like converting into microblogging format. i'm going to try out Ghost for a while and see how it goes. it'll probably be mostly housing stuff, but today it's about colonialist violence.
Reposted by "Michael Monaco"
Reposted by "Michael Monaco"
this is cool
this is cool
this is really, really cool
this is cool
this is really, really cool
**Important update**
Some new details on what property owners can build by right on land zoned for residential under Pritzker's plan:
≤2,500 sq ft: 1 unit
2,500–5,000 sq ft: up to 4 units
5,000–7,500 sq ft: up to 6 units
7,500+ sq ft: up to 8 units
Some new details on what property owners can build by right on land zoned for residential under Pritzker's plan:
≤2,500 sq ft: 1 unit
2,500–5,000 sq ft: up to 4 units
5,000–7,500 sq ft: up to 6 units
7,500+ sq ft: up to 8 units
February 18, 2026 at 4:59 PM
this is cool
this is cool
this is really, really cool
this is cool
this is really, really cool
Reposted by "Michael Monaco"
Appreciating @nathanalderman.com’s considered and diligent reporting. Note that institutions have little power or interest in using it to keep us safe. It’s the folks doing the day-in, day-out work of caring for our neighbors who will get us thru this time. We can all be those ppl — and we must be.
"I want to do a disaster preparedness story," I told my editor at @cvilleweekly.bsky.social. "And the disaster is ICE." 🧵
How local government and institutions are preparing—or not—to protect us from ICE - C-VILLE Weekly
By now, you’ve likely seen them: videos of people in homes like ours, on streets like ours, sobbing, screaming, or silent. Dragged from their cars, their homes, their lives by masked, anonymous men dr...
c-ville.com
February 18, 2026 at 2:40 PM
Appreciating @nathanalderman.com’s considered and diligent reporting. Note that institutions have little power or interest in using it to keep us safe. It’s the folks doing the day-in, day-out work of caring for our neighbors who will get us thru this time. We can all be those ppl — and we must be.
Reposted by "Michael Monaco"
Supply AND demand? In this economy?
February 16, 2026 at 8:12 PM
Supply AND demand? In this economy?
Reposted by "Michael Monaco"
Important things happening in cville. Add this to your calendar. I am looking forward to learning more about these efforts!
February 17, 2026 at 10:29 PM
Important things happening in cville. Add this to your calendar. I am looking forward to learning more about these efforts!
In moments of what can only be described as self-harm, I do sometimes think about what ~2013-era-media would do with an Obama-appointed DHS head who
1) shot a dog
2) diverted a c-130 away from search and rescue for a cost guardsman
3) threw a temper tantrum over a heated blanket
1) shot a dog
2) diverted a c-130 away from search and rescue for a cost guardsman
3) threw a temper tantrum over a heated blanket
How is it possible that Kristi Noem still has this job. Imagine if you’re a family member or a shipmate of this guardsman.
www.nbcnews.com/politics/imm...
www.nbcnews.com/politics/imm...
February 17, 2026 at 4:36 PM
In moments of what can only be described as self-harm, I do sometimes think about what ~2013-era-media would do with an Obama-appointed DHS head who
1) shot a dog
2) diverted a c-130 away from search and rescue for a cost guardsman
3) threw a temper tantrum over a heated blanket
1) shot a dog
2) diverted a c-130 away from search and rescue for a cost guardsman
3) threw a temper tantrum over a heated blanket
local congressman announces he will argue with high schoolers during their lunch period in exchange for free pizza
February 16, 2026 at 4:21 PM
local congressman announces he will argue with high schoolers during their lunch period in exchange for free pizza
Reposted by "Michael Monaco"
This thread is the we are going to win thread, is the kids are alright thread, is the STOP ICE thread, is the civil society rising thread; read it through.
Let me tell you a tale of how completely the normies have been mobilized. My 14 year-old niece has done School of Rock for the past 5 years; last summer she was part of their touring band, and the kids loved playing together so much that they decided to keep doing it. (1/?)
February 16, 2026 at 4:01 AM
This thread is the we are going to win thread, is the kids are alright thread, is the STOP ICE thread, is the civil society rising thread; read it through.
Reposted by "Michael Monaco"
Sunshine Mathon, executive director of Piedmont Housing Alliance, writes about his personal experience with housing instability and how it informs his work in affordable housing.
In 20 years, Sunshine Mathon hopes that entrenched income inequality in central Virginia will be a thing of the past
Over 20% of the city of Charlottesville lives in poverty — which has been true for the past three decades, according to the U.S. Economic Development Administration.
www.cvilletomorrow.org
February 16, 2026 at 2:30 PM
Sunshine Mathon, executive director of Piedmont Housing Alliance, writes about his personal experience with housing instability and how it informs his work in affordable housing.
Huge shoutout to the folks at Praha in Crozet playing "Falling" by Julee Cruise over the bluetooth. perfect valentines vibes in the coffee shop
February 14, 2026 at 9:02 PM
Huge shoutout to the folks at Praha in Crozet playing "Falling" by Julee Cruise over the bluetooth. perfect valentines vibes in the coffee shop
I've been thinking about two numbers: the county's most recent land use buildout project, and the county's estimated need for affordable housing. I'm very confident there's an impassable gap here, and I feel like ringing some alarm bells. which-side-are-you-on.ghost.io/how-will-we-...
How Will We Build Enough Affordable Housing in Albemarle County?
As with so many data stories, it started with a chart.
The May 2025 Annual Affordable Housing report for Albemarle County includes a chart showing the estimated number of Affordable Housing Units nee...
which-side-are-you-on.ghost.io
February 13, 2026 at 2:26 PM
I've been thinking about two numbers: the county's most recent land use buildout project, and the county's estimated need for affordable housing. I'm very confident there's an impassable gap here, and I feel like ringing some alarm bells. which-side-are-you-on.ghost.io/how-will-we-...
Folks if i had a nickel for every time i have asked someone "what decisions will this data help you make?" I could subsidize housing preservation in Crozet all on my lonesome
Monaco asks "what decisions is the county gonna make" based on this data. Tax breaks for identified units?
In answer to Mallek's hypothetical about the existing tiny house, Alderman suggests by right building of ADUs on those lots.
In answer to Mallek's hypothetical about the existing tiny house, Alderman suggests by right building of ADUs on those lots.
February 12, 2026 at 3:48 AM
Folks if i had a nickel for every time i have asked someone "what decisions will this data help you make?" I could subsidize housing preservation in Crozet all on my lonesome
They're calling it "the most brutal meeting timekeeping anyone has ever seen"
Monaco, who is a brutal time enforcer, says let's identify some action items. Sounds like folks are interested in a survey? I'm not sure what the survey is exactly going to be attempting to find though. Sounds like we're going to take advantage of connections to the school of architecture.
February 12, 2026 at 3:31 AM
They're calling it "the most brutal meeting timekeeping anyone has ever seen"
Reposted by "Michael Monaco"
https://www.newsweek.com/us-military-shot-down-party-balloon-el-paso-drone-reports-11506981 🎶 Ninety nine red balloons 🎶 #uspolitics #travel 🎈
US Military Shot Down Party Balloon After Assessing As Drone: Reports
U.S. military shot down suspected drone near El Paso; object later identified as party balloon, reports say.
www.newsweek.com
February 11, 2026 at 9:16 PM
https://www.newsweek.com/us-military-shot-down-party-balloon-el-paso-drone-reports-11506981 🎶 Ninety nine red balloons 🎶 #uspolitics #travel 🎈
Reposted by "Michael Monaco"
C'ville folks! Local luminary and lender of e-bikes Josh Carp created this very cool site, which combines videos of public meetings with searchable, linkable transcripts. meetings.cvilledata.org/meetings
Localities
meetings.cvilledata.org
February 11, 2026 at 2:47 AM
C'ville folks! Local luminary and lender of e-bikes Josh Carp created this very cool site, which combines videos of public meetings with searchable, linkable transcripts. meetings.cvilledata.org/meetings
Qualitatively, then, following this logic, my home is built at a density of 50 units/acre.
Commissioner Carrazana, chair: says there's quantitative density and qualitative density. Says "qualitatively" this is 14 units/acre. Says it's not considerate to neighbors.
Me: again, that's the nature of buildings: they're not spread out evenly.
Me: again, that's the nature of buildings: they're not spread out evenly.
February 11, 2026 at 1:03 AM
Qualitatively, then, following this logic, my home is built at a density of 50 units/acre.
A relatively active week for Crozet local government coming up:
- Planning Commission meets tomorrow to talk Windy Knoll (and riparian buffers! Everyone's favorite kind of buffer!)
- Crozet CAC meets on Wednesday to talk 2026 topics...and Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing!
- Planning Commission meets tomorrow to talk Windy Knoll (and riparian buffers! Everyone's favorite kind of buffer!)
- Crozet CAC meets on Wednesday to talk 2026 topics...and Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing!
February 9, 2026 at 4:37 PM
A relatively active week for Crozet local government coming up:
- Planning Commission meets tomorrow to talk Windy Knoll (and riparian buffers! Everyone's favorite kind of buffer!)
- Crozet CAC meets on Wednesday to talk 2026 topics...and Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing!
- Planning Commission meets tomorrow to talk Windy Knoll (and riparian buffers! Everyone's favorite kind of buffer!)
- Crozet CAC meets on Wednesday to talk 2026 topics...and Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing!
Reposted by "Michael Monaco"
Reposted by "Michael Monaco"
Relevant to Charlottesville
Homeless people are not the only people who need homes.
There are millions of people who’d like to move out of their parents’ homes, ditch their roommates, leave their abusive partners, or move to a different city but can’t because housing scarcity makes rent too expensive where they want to live.
There are millions of people who’d like to move out of their parents’ homes, ditch their roommates, leave their abusive partners, or move to a different city but can’t because housing scarcity makes rent too expensive where they want to live.
1 million
Bwahahahahaha
The US census bureau says 16 million or approximately 28 homes per unhoused person.
I'll send you the links
Bwahahahahaha
The US census bureau says 16 million or approximately 28 homes per unhoused person.
I'll send you the links
February 8, 2026 at 7:35 PM
Relevant to Charlottesville
Reposted by "Michael Monaco"
I just spent an hour reading through various bills and trying to find news articles about them - this looks so much better 😅 but oh my goodness 👀👀👀 there are some very encouraging bills on the table.
I have been having difficulty keeping all of the different housing legislation being considered this year in Virginia in my head so I am very happy to find this resource https://vahousingalliance.org/legislative-tracker/ #housing #virginia #valeg #Inflation #shortage
State Legislative Trackers - Virginia Housing Alliance
Legislative Trackers
vahousingalliance.org
February 7, 2026 at 3:56 PM
I just spent an hour reading through various bills and trying to find news articles about them - this looks so much better 😅 but oh my goodness 👀👀👀 there are some very encouraging bills on the table.
Reposted by "Michael Monaco"
it's not just that Mamdani is charming af (he is), it's that he is normalizing the idea that children are full members of society that we all share a collective responsibility for
From @acyn.bsky.social (posted on X)
"Reporter: Do any of you have a favorite animal?
Child: My favorite one is a gold snake that can move. It has gold eyes, and it has a super-duper tail…
Reporter: Mr. Mamdani, the second question for you.
Mamdani: Yes. It’s also the golden snake."
"Reporter: Do any of you have a favorite animal?
Child: My favorite one is a gold snake that can move. It has gold eyes, and it has a super-duper tail…
Reporter: Mr. Mamdani, the second question for you.
Mamdani: Yes. It’s also the golden snake."
February 6, 2026 at 5:19 PM
it's not just that Mamdani is charming af (he is), it's that he is normalizing the idea that children are full members of society that we all share a collective responsibility for
Reposted by "Michael Monaco"
My essay reckoning with Wendell Berry, in the first issue of Southlands magazine, is online now: southlandsmag.com/after-the-ye...
February 5, 2026 at 4:46 PM
My essay reckoning with Wendell Berry, in the first issue of Southlands magazine, is online now: southlandsmag.com/after-the-ye...
Reposted by "Michael Monaco"
breathtaking
Sir Ian McKellen performing a monologue from Shakespeare’s Sir Thomas More on the Stephen Colbert show. Never have I heard this monologue performed with such a keen sense of prescience. Nor have I ever been in this exact historical moment.TY Sir Ian, for reaching us once again.
#Pinks #ProudBlue
#Pinks #ProudBlue
February 5, 2026 at 2:59 PM
breathtaking
Reposted by "Michael Monaco"
NEW: Abigail Spanberger this afternoon ordered that all state agencies leave ICE's 287(g) program.
This means that the state police (and some other agencies) will no longer be empowered to detain and arrest people for ICE.
Big, big move by the governor within weeks of coming into office.
This means that the state police (and some other agencies) will no longer be empowered to detain and arrest people for ICE.
Big, big move by the governor within weeks of coming into office.
Virginia’s New Governor Ends ICE Program. Local Contracts Remain, For Now. - Bolts
Abigail Spanberger left the 287(g) program, which empowered state law enforcement to detain immigrants. Will Democrats also bar local police and sheriffs from the program?
boltsmag.org
February 4, 2026 at 10:36 PM
NEW: Abigail Spanberger this afternoon ordered that all state agencies leave ICE's 287(g) program.
This means that the state police (and some other agencies) will no longer be empowered to detain and arrest people for ICE.
Big, big move by the governor within weeks of coming into office.
This means that the state police (and some other agencies) will no longer be empowered to detain and arrest people for ICE.
Big, big move by the governor within weeks of coming into office.