Stephen Jacob Smith
@stephenjacobsmith.com
Executive director of the Center for Building in North America, stephen@centerforbuilding.org. Personal account. Brooklyn, NY.
Reposted by Stephen Jacob Smith
The 26ft clear road width requirement from the US model fire code, Appendix D:
Not only making road diets ineffective and brownfield redevelopment boring and car-centric, but now also being used to prevent construction of taller, safer buildings on streets that don't comply.
This rule needs to go.
Not only making road diets ineffective and brownfield redevelopment boring and car-centric, but now also being used to prevent construction of taller, safer buildings on streets that don't comply.
This rule needs to go.
The good news: Portland is opting into Oregon's optional 4-story single-stair code section.
The bad news: Portland's fire marshal has managed to insert a poison pill into what appeared to be a take-it-or-leave-it appendix text, likely making it unusable in most cases.
djcoregon.com/news/2025/11...
The bad news: Portland's fire marshal has managed to insert a poison pill into what appeared to be a take-it-or-leave-it appendix text, likely making it unusable in most cases.
djcoregon.com/news/2025/11...
Portland’s new single-staircase rule faces big hurdles
The city now allows single-staircase buildings as tall as four stories, but a fire access rule may make most projects unbuildable, one designer warns.
djcoregon.com
November 11, 2025 at 1:49 AM
The 26ft clear road width requirement from the US model fire code, Appendix D:
Not only making road diets ineffective and brownfield redevelopment boring and car-centric, but now also being used to prevent construction of taller, safer buildings on streets that don't comply.
This rule needs to go.
Not only making road diets ineffective and brownfield redevelopment boring and car-centric, but now also being used to prevent construction of taller, safer buildings on streets that don't comply.
This rule needs to go.
Reposted by Stephen Jacob Smith
Reposted by Stephen Jacob Smith
For AB2097 projects (within 1/2 mile of major transit stops) the Coastal Commission’s authority to require parking has been limited but they don’t like this and will instead require in-lieu fees or other “mitigations” which has the net effect of causing developers to just build the parking.
November 11, 2025 at 1:44 AM
For AB2097 projects (within 1/2 mile of major transit stops) the Coastal Commission’s authority to require parking has been limited but they don’t like this and will instead require in-lieu fees or other “mitigations” which has the net effect of causing developers to just build the parking.
What if – windows that kept sound out?
Zoning Practice magazine devotes an entire issue to *checks notes* pickleball noise
November 11, 2025 at 1:31 AM
What if – windows that kept sound out?
Don’t worry, Americans – it won’t be sold in the US any time soon. It uses R290 refrigerant, which is not allowed here.
Holy shit. This company claims it has developed an air-source heat pump with a COP of *7* (3-5 is considered good). For you non-nerds, that basically means it produces 7 units of heat for every unit of electricity it consumes. How are they doing it? You're not gonna like this answer, but: it's AI.
Fairland COP7 R290 ATW HeatPump - The Future of AI HeatPump
/PRNewswire/ -- As gentle heat wraps around you, you walk barefoot to bathroom and enjoy an instant hot shower—no waiting, no cold shock. Every corner indoors...
www.prnewswire.co.uk
November 11, 2025 at 1:29 AM
Don’t worry, Americans – it won’t be sold in the US any time soon. It uses R290 refrigerant, which is not allowed here.
Don’t worry, this is not true. The city of LA and the state of California are ensuring that nothing except luxury single-family mansions (with the occasional guest house ADU for visitors/the help) can be built in Pacific Palisades.
Trump on Newsom: "He did something even worse than that. He's now taking a big section of Palisades or some area and he's gonna build low income income where they used to have luxury housing."
November 11, 2025 at 1:03 AM
Don’t worry, this is not true. The city of LA and the state of California are ensuring that nothing except luxury single-family mansions (with the occasional guest house ADU for visitors/the help) can be built in Pacific Palisades.
Reposted by Stephen Jacob Smith
Reposted by Stephen Jacob Smith
Single-Stair Sickos might like to learn that a lot of European cities used to produce detailed books on their built environment, including complete floor plans.
Here's a snippet from Hamburg und Seine Bauten (1914)
Here's a snippet from Hamburg und Seine Bauten (1914)
November 10, 2025 at 11:31 PM
Single-Stair Sickos might like to learn that a lot of European cities used to produce detailed books on their built environment, including complete floor plans.
Here's a snippet from Hamburg und Seine Bauten (1914)
Here's a snippet from Hamburg und Seine Bauten (1914)
Reposted by Stephen Jacob Smith
Check out the depth of this @thecacoast.bsky.social required parking lot for a new apartment building in Santa Monica. This looks like an expensive hole! Great news for renters. And I’m sure the neighbors will love all the additional cars this puts on the road.
November 11, 2025 at 12:25 AM
Check out the depth of this @thecacoast.bsky.social required parking lot for a new apartment building in Santa Monica. This looks like an expensive hole! Great news for renters. And I’m sure the neighbors will love all the additional cars this puts on the road.
Next Wednesday, November 19, I am participating in a panel discussion at AIA Brooklyn with @holz-bau.bsky.social and SO-IL's Jonathan Molloy about building code reform. It will be in-person in Downtown Brooklyn from 6 to 8:30 p.m., register free to attend here: www.eventbrite.com/e/rethinking...
Rethinking the Shape of the City: SingleStair Reform in Multifamily Housing
Hear from Michael Eliason, Jonathan Molloy and Stephen Smith.
www.eventbrite.com
November 10, 2025 at 10:22 PM
Next Wednesday, November 19, I am participating in a panel discussion at AIA Brooklyn with @holz-bau.bsky.social and SO-IL's Jonathan Molloy about building code reform. It will be in-person in Downtown Brooklyn from 6 to 8:30 p.m., register free to attend here: www.eventbrite.com/e/rethinking...
The good news: Portland is opting into Oregon's optional 4-story single-stair code section.
The bad news: Portland's fire marshal has managed to insert a poison pill into what appeared to be a take-it-or-leave-it appendix text, likely making it unusable in most cases.
djcoregon.com/news/2025/11...
The bad news: Portland's fire marshal has managed to insert a poison pill into what appeared to be a take-it-or-leave-it appendix text, likely making it unusable in most cases.
djcoregon.com/news/2025/11...
Portland’s new single-staircase rule faces big hurdles
The city now allows single-staircase buildings as tall as four stories, but a fire access rule may make most projects unbuildable, one designer warns.
djcoregon.com
November 10, 2025 at 9:31 PM
The good news: Portland is opting into Oregon's optional 4-story single-stair code section.
The bad news: Portland's fire marshal has managed to insert a poison pill into what appeared to be a take-it-or-leave-it appendix text, likely making it unusable in most cases.
djcoregon.com/news/2025/11...
The bad news: Portland's fire marshal has managed to insert a poison pill into what appeared to be a take-it-or-leave-it appendix text, likely making it unusable in most cases.
djcoregon.com/news/2025/11...
Reposted by Stephen Jacob Smith
"I was going to run for my mom's congressional seat, but I realized I couldn't beat Scott Wiener. Now I'm running for his senate seat instead! No, I could not be bothered to re-film this video to focus on issues that actually pertain to this race. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"
November 10, 2025 at 8:31 PM
"I was going to run for my mom's congressional seat, but I realized I couldn't beat Scott Wiener. Now I'm running for his senate seat instead! No, I could not be bothered to re-film this video to focus on issues that actually pertain to this race. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"
Reposted by Stephen Jacob Smith
The video says she's "fighting for consumer rights, women’s rights, gun violence survivors, immigrants, and our most vulnerable communities against the threat we face."
Pretty much feels like it was filmed for a congressional run that's not happening.
Pretty much feels like it was filmed for a congressional run that's not happening.
November 10, 2025 at 8:27 PM
The video says she's "fighting for consumer rights, women’s rights, gun violence survivors, immigrants, and our most vulnerable communities against the threat we face."
Pretty much feels like it was filmed for a congressional run that's not happening.
Pretty much feels like it was filmed for a congressional run that's not happening.
Reposted by Stephen Jacob Smith
Pelosi's announcement video for her state senate run (released on Twitter this morning) mentions absolutely nothing about cost of living or affordability or any major California-centric issues. Off to a great start!
Days after Representative Nancy Pelosi announced her retirement from Congress, her daughter Christine Pelosi said on Monday that she would not seek her mother’s seat and would run instead for the California State Senate. nyti.ms/4oEDaNI
Christine Pelosi Will Not Run for Nancy Pelosi’s House Seat
Christine Pelosi, a Democratic activist, announced that she will run instead for a California State Senate seat, ending speculation that she would try to succeed Nancy Pelosi in the U.S. House.
nyti.ms
November 10, 2025 at 8:24 PM
Pelosi's announcement video for her state senate run (released on Twitter this morning) mentions absolutely nothing about cost of living or affordability or any major California-centric issues. Off to a great start!
Reposted by Stephen Jacob Smith
Meanwhile, '3rd world' India has almost electrified all of its vast network in record time. infra.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/railway...
Over 99% electrification of Indian Railways network complete
Indian Railways Electrification: The Indian Railways has completed over 99% electrification of its broad-gauge network, with a significant push towards renewable energy, including rooftop solar panels...
infra.economictimes.indiatimes.com
November 9, 2025 at 11:44 AM
Meanwhile, '3rd world' India has almost electrified all of its vast network in record time. infra.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/railway...
Reposted by Stephen Jacob Smith
@stephenjacobsmith.com you should see their ratios. a D ticket is 15 trips a month to be worth it.
www.mvg.de/abos-tickets...
www.mvg.de/abos-tickets...
Einzel- & Tageskarten | MVG
Für alle, die nicht regelmäßig unterwegs sind - kaufen und sofort losfahren.
www.mvg.de
November 10, 2025 at 8:02 PM
@stephenjacobsmith.com you should see their ratios. a D ticket is 15 trips a month to be worth it.
www.mvg.de/abos-tickets...
www.mvg.de/abos-tickets...
Reposted by Stephen Jacob Smith
huh I didnt realize a single ticket in munich is 4.10€ ($4.75) now
November 10, 2025 at 8:01 PM
huh I didnt realize a single ticket in munich is 4.10€ ($4.75) now
If you don’t like the look of these new “zebra buildings” in Spain, fine, but to say they’re “globalized” is ridiculous – you only see these in Spain. It’s a uniquely Spanish contemporary style! You won’t find these buildings in France, Italy, or China.
November 10, 2025 at 6:07 PM
If you don’t like the look of these new “zebra buildings” in Spain, fine, but to say they’re “globalized” is ridiculous – you only see these in Spain. It’s a uniquely Spanish contemporary style! You won’t find these buildings in France, Italy, or China.
Reposted by Stephen Jacob Smith
An extremely high marginal tax rate on production of a socially desirable thing that there's a broad shortage of, no matter how that tax is spent, seems like... extremely bad policy with a huge deadweight loss
In 2018, then-Mayor Ada Colau called Barcelona’s new 30% inclusionary housing requirement for projects over 600m^2 a “paradigm shift,” making housing “a right and not a commodity.” It was supposed to produce 330 affordable units a year. The reality: just 31 affordable apartments in all these years.
Cuando se ha aprobó esta medida dije repetidamente que iba a ser un fracaso y que no construirían nada de vivienda asequible. Se ha probado en mil sitios y no funciona.
Acerté. www.lavanguardia.com/local/barcel...
Acerté. www.lavanguardia.com/local/barcel...
November 9, 2025 at 8:01 PM
An extremely high marginal tax rate on production of a socially desirable thing that there's a broad shortage of, no matter how that tax is spent, seems like... extremely bad policy with a huge deadweight loss
Reposted by Stephen Jacob Smith
Though they are usually well intentioned, unfunded inclusionary zoning requirements make housing less affordable by increasing the cost of building new homes, which worsens the housing shortage and drives up rents.
In 2018, then-Mayor Ada Colau called Barcelona’s new 30% inclusionary housing requirement for projects over 600m^2 a “paradigm shift,” making housing “a right and not a commodity.” It was supposed to produce 330 affordable units a year. The reality: just 31 affordable apartments in all these years.
Cuando se ha aprobó esta medida dije repetidamente que iba a ser un fracaso y que no construirían nada de vivienda asequible. Se ha probado en mil sitios y no funciona.
Acerté. www.lavanguardia.com/local/barcel...
Acerté. www.lavanguardia.com/local/barcel...
November 10, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Though they are usually well intentioned, unfunded inclusionary zoning requirements make housing less affordable by increasing the cost of building new homes, which worsens the housing shortage and drives up rents.
Construction will soon start at 130 Lafayette St., a 25-story mixed-income tower allowed by the SoHo/NoHo rezoning that @opennewyork.org fought for and won newyorkyimby.com/2025/11/cons...
Construction Set to Begin At 130 Lafayette Street in Soho, Manhattan - New York YIMBY
Work is set to begin at 130 Lafayette Street, the site of a 25-story, 104-unit project from Marvel and Trammell Crow in Soho, Manhattan.
newyorkyimby.com
November 10, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Construction will soon start at 130 Lafayette St., a 25-story mixed-income tower allowed by the SoHo/NoHo rezoning that @opennewyork.org fought for and won newyorkyimby.com/2025/11/cons...
Reposted by Stephen Jacob Smith
Trump trade war costs US Italian pasta: “Exporters say import and antidumping duties totaling 107% on their pasta brands will make doing business in America too costly and are preparing to pull out of U.S. stores as soon as January.” Via WSJ
Italian Pasta Is Poised to Disappear From American Grocery Shelves — The Wall Street Journal
Trump administration is set to impose duties of 107% on Italian pasta imports, among most punitive of tariffs it has levied
apple.news
November 10, 2025 at 12:12 PM
Trump trade war costs US Italian pasta: “Exporters say import and antidumping duties totaling 107% on their pasta brands will make doing business in America too costly and are preparing to pull out of U.S. stores as soon as January.” Via WSJ
NYC Council Speaker race seems to be narrowing to Julie Menin (UES moderate, lots of union support) and Crystal Hudson (Brooklyn progressive, my sense is she’s better on urbanist issues) www.nytimes.com/2025/11/10/n...
Who Will Be Mamdani’s City Council Partner? Get Ready for a Battle.
www.nytimes.com
November 10, 2025 at 2:50 PM
NYC Council Speaker race seems to be narrowing to Julie Menin (UES moderate, lots of union support) and Crystal Hudson (Brooklyn progressive, my sense is she’s better on urbanist issues) www.nytimes.com/2025/11/10/n...
The Fed must set different interest rates in Spokane
Spokane has been killing it with housing reforms:
eliminating parking minimums near transit
increasing height maximums
Reducing lot minimums
THE RESULTS? The proof is in the puddin':
eliminating parking minimums near transit
increasing height maximums
Reducing lot minimums
THE RESULTS? The proof is in the puddin':
November 10, 2025 at 1:58 PM
The Fed must set different interest rates in Spokane
France has gotta get with the program and do some communal waste containerization. Paris is full of these little green bins and it’s ugly! This is a city that knows how to bury things underground, put them there!
Breaking News: Nicolas Sarkozy, the former president of France, will be released from prison pending an appeal of his conviction in a campaign finance scandal, weeks into a five-year sentence.
Nicolas Sarkozy, Former French President, Will Be Released From Prison Pending Appeal
Nicolas Sarkozy served about three weeks of a five-year prison sentence for his conviction in a campaign finance scandal.
nyti.ms
November 10, 2025 at 1:51 PM
France has gotta get with the program and do some communal waste containerization. Paris is full of these little green bins and it’s ugly! This is a city that knows how to bury things underground, put them there!