City Engineer
@cityengineer.bsky.social
PE. Dengineer. Transportation and Engineering. Safe network builder for people walking, in wheelchairs, cycling & driving. Train lover. Selectboard member. Substack: https://danmurphy672689.substack.com
Pinned
This is the biggest reason young men are struggling.
They have been systematically denied the opportunity to be home providers by the Selfish Generation, the one given a less than 3:1 housing multiplier by the Greatest Generation but so far refuse to pay it forward
#BackTo3
@profgalloway.com
They have been systematically denied the opportunity to be home providers by the Selfish Generation, the one given a less than 3:1 housing multiplier by the Greatest Generation but so far refuse to pay it forward
#BackTo3
@profgalloway.com
Zoning was born from xenophobia and class fear, not “planning.”
Euclid literally called apartments “parasites.”
Local low-density maps blew up budgets, states invented gas taxes, and later feds bankrolled roads those maps required.
We designed and built “Motordom” all on our own and we can undo it.
Euclid literally called apartments “parasites.”
Local low-density maps blew up budgets, states invented gas taxes, and later feds bankrolled roads those maps required.
We designed and built “Motordom” all on our own and we can undo it.
November 25, 2025 at 2:36 AM
Zoning was born from xenophobia and class fear, not “planning.”
Euclid literally called apartments “parasites.”
Local low-density maps blew up budgets, states invented gas taxes, and later feds bankrolled roads those maps required.
We designed and built “Motordom” all on our own and we can undo it.
Euclid literally called apartments “parasites.”
Local low-density maps blew up budgets, states invented gas taxes, and later feds bankrolled roads those maps required.
We designed and built “Motordom” all on our own and we can undo it.
When the feds wrote zoning in the 1920s, they never imagined they’d later bankroll the roads those maps required.
Zoning was meant as a local police-power tool, not a federal infrastructure mandate.
But low-density, separation-based zoning blew up city budgets, states invented gas taxes…
Zoning was meant as a local police-power tool, not a federal infrastructure mandate.
But low-density, separation-based zoning blew up city budgets, states invented gas taxes…
November 25, 2025 at 2:20 AM
When the feds wrote zoning in the 1920s, they never imagined they’d later bankroll the roads those maps required.
Zoning was meant as a local police-power tool, not a federal infrastructure mandate.
But low-density, separation-based zoning blew up city budgets, states invented gas taxes…
Zoning was meant as a local police-power tool, not a federal infrastructure mandate.
But low-density, separation-based zoning blew up city budgets, states invented gas taxes…
End the scarcity. End the lotteries.
Return dignity to the housing market.
Return dignity to the housing market.
November 24, 2025 at 11:09 PM
End the scarcity. End the lotteries.
Return dignity to the housing market.
Return dignity to the housing market.
Zoning created a transportation problem that only roads could solve.There was no viable transit answer to the geometry that large lot, single use and separated commercial zoning imposed.
November 24, 2025 at 11:03 PM
Zoning created a transportation problem that only roads could solve.There was no viable transit answer to the geometry that large lot, single use and separated commercial zoning imposed.
what??!!
Did you guys hear about the Georgia man who died in a scuba diving accident after which family looked in the backyard treehouse and found the skeletal remains of his missing adult son? It’s such a weird story and I need there to be any kind of resolution.
Skeletal remains of missing son found in backyard tree house days after father dies in scuba accident
Henry Hank Frantz, 32, went missing four years ago, according to reports.
www.nbcnews.com
November 24, 2025 at 2:50 AM
what??!!
Reposted by City Engineer
The last century built the middle class by making homeownership possible. This century must rebuild it by making it affordable again.
November 8, 2025 at 4:34 PM
The last century built the middle class by making homeownership possible. This century must rebuild it by making it affordable again.
Still true folks
Housing abundance is letting a homeowner put an apartment above their garage, an apartment in her house, allowing ADUs by right, making the duplex the by right base in some districts, allowing multifamily housing by right near transit. What is being “removed” other than unnecessary restrictions ?
November 24, 2025 at 12:58 AM
Still true folks
Reposted by City Engineer
In 1977, the U.S. median home cost about 2.8× the median wage; by 2023, it’s roughly 6.5×.
As wages rose to $75K, housing costs rose far faster to nearly $500K, decoupling of shelter from labor income. The “dream” of owning a home through steady work, now requires dual earners or inherited capital.
As wages rose to $75K, housing costs rose far faster to nearly $500K, decoupling of shelter from labor income. The “dream” of owning a home through steady work, now requires dual earners or inherited capital.
November 9, 2025 at 3:11 PM
In 1977, the U.S. median home cost about 2.8× the median wage; by 2023, it’s roughly 6.5×.
As wages rose to $75K, housing costs rose far faster to nearly $500K, decoupling of shelter from labor income. The “dream” of owning a home through steady work, now requires dual earners or inherited capital.
As wages rose to $75K, housing costs rose far faster to nearly $500K, decoupling of shelter from labor income. The “dream” of owning a home through steady work, now requires dual earners or inherited capital.
Reposted by City Engineer
If you talk about affordability of electricity, gas, eggs, even health insurance but not HOUSING you are distracting. Housing is severly inflated by scarcity. If you can't say how you'll make market housing affordable in time, like when Boomers were buying in 1970, you are saying mostly nothing.
November 9, 2025 at 7:42 PM
If you talk about affordability of electricity, gas, eggs, even health insurance but not HOUSING you are distracting. Housing is severly inflated by scarcity. If you can't say how you'll make market housing affordable in time, like when Boomers were buying in 1970, you are saying mostly nothing.
Reposted by City Engineer
If you zone for more and more cars, that’s exactly what you’ll get.
November 11, 2025 at 1:57 AM
If you zone for more and more cars, that’s exactly what you’ll get.
Reposted by City Engineer
Housing scarcity is a major driver of inequality
Supply restrictions are a regressive tax on younger households
Zoning reform is economically necessary
High-multiplier metros distort national productivity
More building is the correct macro response
Supply restrictions are a regressive tax on younger households
Zoning reform is economically necessary
High-multiplier metros distort national productivity
More building is the correct macro response
November 13, 2025 at 11:44 AM
Housing scarcity is a major driver of inequality
Supply restrictions are a regressive tax on younger households
Zoning reform is economically necessary
High-multiplier metros distort national productivity
More building is the correct macro response
Supply restrictions are a regressive tax on younger households
Zoning reform is economically necessary
High-multiplier metros distort national productivity
More building is the correct macro response
Reposted by City Engineer
Housing scarcity turns shelter into a speculative asset
November 15, 2025 at 4:37 PM
Housing scarcity turns shelter into a speculative asset
Reposted by City Engineer
Local governments were enabled with nearly full control over land use, while depending on massive state and federal subsidies to sustain the low-density, car-centric built form that their land-use decisions require.
November 15, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Local governments were enabled with nearly full control over land use, while depending on massive state and federal subsidies to sustain the low-density, car-centric built form that their land-use decisions require.
Reposted by City Engineer
In high-demand urban areas, premiums for homes on well connected greenways can reach 10–20% when directly connected to a high-quality bike/ped greenway.
November 15, 2025 at 5:31 PM
In high-demand urban areas, premiums for homes on well connected greenways can reach 10–20% when directly connected to a high-quality bike/ped greenway.
Reposted by City Engineer
Not many votes but wisdom prevails
November 16, 2025 at 8:04 PM
Not many votes but wisdom prevails
Reposted by City Engineer
I like the goal of less cars but can’t help think that fighting a war on cars is like taking an Advil, like winning the Battle of Iwo Jima and that zoning reform, treating the infection with antibiotics, is how you defeat Germany and collapse car centrism decisively.
@thewaroncars.bsky.social
@thewaroncars.bsky.social
The War on Cars (@thewaroncars.bsky.social)
A podcast about the fight against car culture. Hosted by Sarah Goodyear & Doug Gordon.
Our new book, "Life After Cars" is out now from Thesis / Penguin Random House.
https://www.lifeaftercars.com/
...
thewaroncars.bsky.social
November 17, 2025 at 2:18 AM
I like the goal of less cars but can’t help think that fighting a war on cars is like taking an Advil, like winning the Battle of Iwo Jima and that zoning reform, treating the infection with antibiotics, is how you defeat Germany and collapse car centrism decisively.
@thewaroncars.bsky.social
@thewaroncars.bsky.social
Reposted by City Engineer
If the federal government had not funded local arterials and collectors, U.S. land-use patterns would look fundamentally different and zoning very likely would have been forced to evolve for higher residential density and more mixed use.
November 17, 2025 at 2:34 AM
If the federal government had not funded local arterials and collectors, U.S. land-use patterns would look fundamentally different and zoning very likely would have been forced to evolve for higher residential density and more mixed use.
Reposted by City Engineer
The bogeyman is looking at us in the mirror on housing affordability
November 17, 2025 at 3:40 AM
The bogeyman is looking at us in the mirror on housing affordability
Reposted by City Engineer
If locals had to bear the cost of their zoning choices, things would look
much different today.
#DenseClusters
#BackTo3
much different today.
#DenseClusters
#BackTo3
November 17, 2025 at 3:45 AM
If locals had to bear the cost of their zoning choices, things would look
much different today.
#DenseClusters
#BackTo3
much different today.
#DenseClusters
#BackTo3
Reposted by City Engineer
Local zoning created a country wide road network that only worked if someone else paid for it.. and that’s exactly what happened.
November 17, 2025 at 11:21 AM
Local zoning created a country wide road network that only worked if someone else paid for it.. and that’s exactly what happened.
Reposted by City Engineer
Serious question
“If the U.S. never adopted exclusionary Euclidean zoning, how many premature deaths would NOT have occurred?”
“If the U.S. never adopted exclusionary Euclidean zoning, how many premature deaths would NOT have occurred?”
November 20, 2025 at 2:17 AM
Serious question
“If the U.S. never adopted exclusionary Euclidean zoning, how many premature deaths would NOT have occurred?”
“If the U.S. never adopted exclusionary Euclidean zoning, how many premature deaths would NOT have occurred?”
Reposted by City Engineer
We keep acting like America’s car dominance was inevitable.
But no country accidentally bans mixed-use housing, outlaws duplexes, mandates parking, and then shrugs: “Guess people love driving!”
We engineered car dependence, with zoning maps.
But no country accidentally bans mixed-use housing, outlaws duplexes, mandates parking, and then shrugs: “Guess people love driving!”
We engineered car dependence, with zoning maps.
November 20, 2025 at 4:30 AM
We keep acting like America’s car dominance was inevitable.
But no country accidentally bans mixed-use housing, outlaws duplexes, mandates parking, and then shrugs: “Guess people love driving!”
We engineered car dependence, with zoning maps.
But no country accidentally bans mixed-use housing, outlaws duplexes, mandates parking, and then shrugs: “Guess people love driving!”
We engineered car dependence, with zoning maps.
Reposted by City Engineer
Someone asked me which map has killed more Americans:
A war map?
A colonial boundary?
No.
It’s the zoning map, the one that forced millions into cars, long commutes, particulate exposure, isolation, and 100 years of preventable deaths.
A war map?
A colonial boundary?
No.
It’s the zoning map, the one that forced millions into cars, long commutes, particulate exposure, isolation, and 100 years of preventable deaths.
November 20, 2025 at 4:33 AM
Someone asked me which map has killed more Americans:
A war map?
A colonial boundary?
No.
It’s the zoning map, the one that forced millions into cars, long commutes, particulate exposure, isolation, and 100 years of preventable deaths.
A war map?
A colonial boundary?
No.
It’s the zoning map, the one that forced millions into cars, long commutes, particulate exposure, isolation, and 100 years of preventable deaths.
Reposted by City Engineer
The most destructive number in America isn’t inflation or interest rates.
It’s the housing multiplier,the ratio of home price to full-time income.
When it jumped from 3× to 8×, we didn’t get richer.
We just transferred our kids’ futures to banks and landowners.
It’s the housing multiplier,the ratio of home price to full-time income.
When it jumped from 3× to 8×, we didn’t get richer.
We just transferred our kids’ futures to banks and landowners.
November 20, 2025 at 9:50 AM
The most destructive number in America isn’t inflation or interest rates.
It’s the housing multiplier,the ratio of home price to full-time income.
When it jumped from 3× to 8×, we didn’t get richer.
We just transferred our kids’ futures to banks and landowners.
It’s the housing multiplier,the ratio of home price to full-time income.
When it jumped from 3× to 8×, we didn’t get richer.
We just transferred our kids’ futures to banks and landowners.
Reposted by City Engineer
The Greatest Generation, built a country where homes cost 3× income. Homes weren’t “investments”.
We turned “no new housing” into a moral crusade and pushed prices to 8× median full time wage leaving the country’s young drowning in 20–25% credit.
Honor our elders.
Fix this before it’s too late.
We turned “no new housing” into a moral crusade and pushed prices to 8× median full time wage leaving the country’s young drowning in 20–25% credit.
Honor our elders.
Fix this before it’s too late.
November 20, 2025 at 11:14 AM
The Greatest Generation, built a country where homes cost 3× income. Homes weren’t “investments”.
We turned “no new housing” into a moral crusade and pushed prices to 8× median full time wage leaving the country’s young drowning in 20–25% credit.
Honor our elders.
Fix this before it’s too late.
We turned “no new housing” into a moral crusade and pushed prices to 8× median full time wage leaving the country’s young drowning in 20–25% credit.
Honor our elders.
Fix this before it’s too late.