Andrew Damitio
@andrewdamitio.bsky.social
Environmental Economics and Policy | Municipal Reform | PNW Expat | YIMBY | Techno-Optimist | Opinions Mine, Not My Employer's | Pro-Economic Growth |
Under Portland's new single-stair laws (which only go to 4 stories, there's a maximum of 4 units per-floor, making that design impossible.
Also there's a 4k sq/ft limit per floor, meaning the city's 5K sq/ft lots can't be built corner-to-corner, even w/o setbacks.
www.portland.gov/ppd/codes-ru...
Also there's a 4k sq/ft limit per floor, meaning the city's 5K sq/ft lots can't be built corner-to-corner, even w/o setbacks.
www.portland.gov/ppd/codes-ru...
November 8, 2025 at 12:15 AM
Under Portland's new single-stair laws (which only go to 4 stories, there's a maximum of 4 units per-floor, making that design impossible.
Also there's a 4k sq/ft limit per floor, meaning the city's 5K sq/ft lots can't be built corner-to-corner, even w/o setbacks.
www.portland.gov/ppd/codes-ru...
Also there's a 4k sq/ft limit per floor, meaning the city's 5K sq/ft lots can't be built corner-to-corner, even w/o setbacks.
www.portland.gov/ppd/codes-ru...
People love blaming parking minimums as to why the US doesn't build like this.
It's more complicated.
The lot couldn't be utilized corner-to-corner due to setbacks.
The project wouldn't pencil due to space lost for the large elevator, dual stairwells, and wide hallway to meet building codes.
It's more complicated.
The lot couldn't be utilized corner-to-corner due to setbacks.
The project wouldn't pencil due to space lost for the large elevator, dual stairwells, and wide hallway to meet building codes.
November 8, 2025 at 12:15 AM
People love blaming parking minimums as to why the US doesn't build like this.
It's more complicated.
The lot couldn't be utilized corner-to-corner due to setbacks.
The project wouldn't pencil due to space lost for the large elevator, dual stairwells, and wide hallway to meet building codes.
It's more complicated.
The lot couldn't be utilized corner-to-corner due to setbacks.
The project wouldn't pencil due to space lost for the large elevator, dual stairwells, and wide hallway to meet building codes.
Oregon's community colleges are a great example of government quietly working well, without any headlines.
They're modern facilities funded by stable property tax district revenue that teach ~200k students/yr, creating new tradesmen across the state and providing opportunity for the working class.
They're modern facilities funded by stable property tax district revenue that teach ~200k students/yr, creating new tradesmen across the state and providing opportunity for the working class.
April 9, 2025 at 1:16 AM
Oregon's community colleges are a great example of government quietly working well, without any headlines.
They're modern facilities funded by stable property tax district revenue that teach ~200k students/yr, creating new tradesmen across the state and providing opportunity for the working class.
They're modern facilities funded by stable property tax district revenue that teach ~200k students/yr, creating new tradesmen across the state and providing opportunity for the working class.
Another example of "plug and play" low-cost electrification not allowed in most of the US:
Instead of installing Level 2 home EV chargers which take up to 4 hours of electrician time to install and may necessitate electrical panel upgrades, meter-socket adapters can be installed in 20 minutes.
Instead of installing Level 2 home EV chargers which take up to 4 hours of electrician time to install and may necessitate electrical panel upgrades, meter-socket adapters can be installed in 20 minutes.
March 19, 2025 at 2:45 AM
Another example of "plug and play" low-cost electrification not allowed in most of the US:
Instead of installing Level 2 home EV chargers which take up to 4 hours of electrician time to install and may necessitate electrical panel upgrades, meter-socket adapters can be installed in 20 minutes.
Instead of installing Level 2 home EV chargers which take up to 4 hours of electrician time to install and may necessitate electrical panel upgrades, meter-socket adapters can be installed in 20 minutes.
In America, residential solar costs $10K-$50K.
In Europe, plug & play solar kits are sold for a few hundred dollars, DIY installed & plugged directly into wall outlets, defraying home energy use without export.
No IX agreement or professional install needed.
But plug & play is illegal in the US.
In Europe, plug & play solar kits are sold for a few hundred dollars, DIY installed & plugged directly into wall outlets, defraying home energy use without export.
No IX agreement or professional install needed.
But plug & play is illegal in the US.
March 13, 2025 at 12:25 AM
In America, residential solar costs $10K-$50K.
In Europe, plug & play solar kits are sold for a few hundred dollars, DIY installed & plugged directly into wall outlets, defraying home energy use without export.
No IX agreement or professional install needed.
But plug & play is illegal in the US.
In Europe, plug & play solar kits are sold for a few hundred dollars, DIY installed & plugged directly into wall outlets, defraying home energy use without export.
No IX agreement or professional install needed.
But plug & play is illegal in the US.
The Sightline Institute documented this in 2017, comparing 1970 data to 2010 data.
Many entirely single family zoned neighborhoods in Seattle lost population even as Seattle's population grew, as kids left the nest and only the aging parents remained.
www.sightline.org/2017/05/04/s...
Many entirely single family zoned neighborhoods in Seattle lost population even as Seattle's population grew, as kids left the nest and only the aging parents remained.
www.sightline.org/2017/05/04/s...
February 26, 2025 at 1:45 AM
The Sightline Institute documented this in 2017, comparing 1970 data to 2010 data.
Many entirely single family zoned neighborhoods in Seattle lost population even as Seattle's population grew, as kids left the nest and only the aging parents remained.
www.sightline.org/2017/05/04/s...
Many entirely single family zoned neighborhoods in Seattle lost population even as Seattle's population grew, as kids left the nest and only the aging parents remained.
www.sightline.org/2017/05/04/s...
There's a monument in Portland to a tree planting happening without an Environmental Impact Statement, design review, or public comment taking place.
February 21, 2025 at 1:05 AM
There's a monument in Portland to a tree planting happening without an Environmental Impact Statement, design review, or public comment taking place.
To prevent a chicken and egg issue, the US mandated large gas stations offer unleaded gas by July 1, 1974 to accomodate the catalytic converters having 1975 model year vehicles.
Unleaded was only sold from narrow nozzles so people wouldn't fill up with leaded gas accidentally.
Unleaded was only sold from narrow nozzles so people wouldn't fill up with leaded gas accidentally.
January 25, 2025 at 2:54 AM
To prevent a chicken and egg issue, the US mandated large gas stations offer unleaded gas by July 1, 1974 to accomodate the catalytic converters having 1975 model year vehicles.
Unleaded was only sold from narrow nozzles so people wouldn't fill up with leaded gas accidentally.
Unleaded was only sold from narrow nozzles so people wouldn't fill up with leaded gas accidentally.
Sankey diagrams showing the electricity inputs needed to power a light-duty vehicle.
Bluntly, non-BEVs won't take off.
1.53 joules are needed to give a battery-electric EV 1 joule of power.
Hydrogen? 4.5
Synthfuels? 9.2
Synthfuel with direct air capture? 11.85.
www.cell.com/joule/abstra...
Bluntly, non-BEVs won't take off.
1.53 joules are needed to give a battery-electric EV 1 joule of power.
Hydrogen? 4.5
Synthfuels? 9.2
Synthfuel with direct air capture? 11.85.
www.cell.com/joule/abstra...
December 20, 2024 at 3:31 PM
Sankey diagrams showing the electricity inputs needed to power a light-duty vehicle.
Bluntly, non-BEVs won't take off.
1.53 joules are needed to give a battery-electric EV 1 joule of power.
Hydrogen? 4.5
Synthfuels? 9.2
Synthfuel with direct air capture? 11.85.
www.cell.com/joule/abstra...
Bluntly, non-BEVs won't take off.
1.53 joules are needed to give a battery-electric EV 1 joule of power.
Hydrogen? 4.5
Synthfuels? 9.2
Synthfuel with direct air capture? 11.85.
www.cell.com/joule/abstra...