Pinned
Dan Keshet
@dankeshet.bsky.social
· Nov 21
#atxurbanists, I've built a starter pack! Please use it to pad out your follows and invite new friends! Also LMK if you are an Austin urbanist not on here, even if urbanism isn't your main bleat area!
Has anyone successfully loosened development rules in a big city with a direct appeal to growing the tax base? It's at the core of the Small Towns approach, but I haven't seen it work in a bigger city. Maybe that was because revenue was already growing, and it'll work better in a downturn?
November 11, 2025 at 8:52 PM
Has anyone successfully loosened development rules in a big city with a direct appeal to growing the tax base? It's at the core of the Small Towns approach, but I haven't seen it work in a bigger city. Maybe that was because revenue was already growing, and it'll work better in a downturn?
Voters in Austin suburb Bee Cave unlocked a free library hack: vote yes to approve building a new library, vote no to pass the bond that funds the new library.
Voters approve new Bee Cave library but vote down funding, unofficial results show
If approved, both propositions will allow for the construction of a new library building.
communityimpact.com
November 7, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Voters in Austin suburb Bee Cave unlocked a free library hack: vote yes to approve building a new library, vote no to pass the bond that funds the new library.
Chilling from Sudan:
“I haven’t seen violence like this since Rwanda. The velocity and ferocity of the RSF killing civilians since Sunday is unlike anything I’ve seen in 26 years of doing this work, and HRL has been reporting on the RSF and the Sudanese war for a while"
“I haven’t seen violence like this since Rwanda. The velocity and ferocity of the RSF killing civilians since Sunday is unlike anything I’ve seen in 26 years of doing this work, and HRL has been reporting on the RSF and the Sudanese war for a while"
Yale lab reports mass killings in Sudan, calls for student activism
The Humanitarian Research Lab was told this week that over 10,000 people in Sudan were killed within three days.
yaledailynews.com
November 6, 2025 at 2:33 AM
Chilling from Sudan:
“I haven’t seen violence like this since Rwanda. The velocity and ferocity of the RSF killing civilians since Sunday is unlike anything I’ve seen in 26 years of doing this work, and HRL has been reporting on the RSF and the Sudanese war for a while"
“I haven’t seen violence like this since Rwanda. The velocity and ferocity of the RSF killing civilians since Sunday is unlike anything I’ve seen in 26 years of doing this work, and HRL has been reporting on the RSF and the Sudanese war for a while"
Y'all remember that big zoning reform Cambridge, MA passed? It's already paying off.
This is what #CambMA has seen in just 8 months since zoning reform that passed in Feb of this year. This is the reform that a slate of candidates promised to repeal if elected. None of them were elected last night! #CambMA rocks!
www.abciepac.org/2025-accompl...
www.abciepac.org/2025-accompl...
www.abciepac.org/2025-accompl...
www.abciepac.org/2025-accompl...
2025 Zoning Accomplishments — A Better Cambridge IEPAC
www.abciepac.org
November 5, 2025 at 11:06 PM
Y'all remember that big zoning reform Cambridge, MA passed? It's already paying off.
There's a lot of golf courses out there in cities that don't have the water to support them. Cities have a lot of room for creativity in how to use this space.
November 5, 2025 at 5:09 PM
There's a lot of golf courses out there in cities that don't have the water to support them. Cities have a lot of room for creativity in how to use this space.
Austin voters sending a strong message they want the city to grow the tax base, not the tax rate. The only way we can do this is to make it easier and cheaper to build within city limits.
Austin early vote totals show strong opposition to Prop Q
The city is asking voters to approve a property tax increase that it says would help fund homeless services and other city projects.
www.kut.org
November 5, 2025 at 3:06 AM
Austin voters sending a strong message they want the city to grow the tax base, not the tax rate. The only way we can do this is to make it easier and cheaper to build within city limits.
New Frisco apartment: "Residents will enjoy amenities such as co-working and conference spaces, a fitness center, dog spa, bike storage, a resident lounge with golf simulators, and a pool deck with cabanas and fire tables."
Wilks Breaks Ground on First Firefly Park Construction Project - Connect CRE
Wilks Development has officially broken ground on The Noc, the first residential community at Firefly Park and the first vertical construction within the 217-acre mixed-use development in Frisco. Comp...
www.connectcre.com
November 4, 2025 at 4:00 PM
New Frisco apartment: "Residents will enjoy amenities such as co-working and conference spaces, a fitness center, dog spa, bike storage, a resident lounge with golf simulators, and a pool deck with cabanas and fire tables."
Urbanists believe building more housing reduces homelessness. There could be many mechanisms:
- At the margin, lower rents help some people make rent.
- More vacancy means landlords are more forgiving on late rent.
- Lower asking rents mean subsidies go further
Has anyone quantified any of this?
- At the margin, lower rents help some people make rent.
- More vacancy means landlords are more forgiving on late rent.
- Lower asking rents mean subsidies go further
Has anyone quantified any of this?
November 2, 2025 at 2:27 PM
Urbanists believe building more housing reduces homelessness. There could be many mechanisms:
- At the margin, lower rents help some people make rent.
- More vacancy means landlords are more forgiving on late rent.
- Lower asking rents mean subsidies go further
Has anyone quantified any of this?
- At the margin, lower rents help some people make rent.
- More vacancy means landlords are more forgiving on late rent.
- Lower asking rents mean subsidies go further
Has anyone quantified any of this?
Large Dallas office tower partially converting to hotels and residences.
Comerica Tower Slated for Major Revamp - Connect CRE
Slate Asset Management, the owner of the 60-story Comerica Bank Tower, is partnering with Stream Realty Partners to transform the building into a mix of residential and hotel with some office space pr...
www.connectcre.com
October 29, 2025 at 1:19 PM
Large Dallas office tower partially converting to hotels and residences.
BlueSky pro tip: Comment politely on subjects you don't know much about and people will share the coolest info with you.
October 26, 2025 at 12:26 AM
BlueSky pro tip: Comment politely on subjects you don't know much about and people will share the coolest info with you.
The Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) is larger than Maryland, slightly smaller than Massachusetts, and roughly the same size as Albania or Rwanda.
One Billion Houstonians 🤔
October 25, 2025 at 4:16 PM
The Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) is larger than Maryland, slightly smaller than Massachusetts, and roughly the same size as Albania or Rwanda.
We have historic districts. Why don't we have futuristic districts? I want to live somewhere zoned only for portals.
October 25, 2025 at 3:43 PM
We have historic districts. Why don't we have futuristic districts? I want to live somewhere zoned only for portals.
I'm guessing the fact that Texas' General Land Office wants to ensure there's a workforce (presumably subsidized) housing component on its land breaks some people's priors of how Texas state government works.
www.connectcre.com/stories/hine...
www.connectcre.com/stories/hine...
Hines Chosen to Redevelop Hobby State Building - Connect CRE
Hines signed a ground lease with the Texas General Land Office (GLO) for the site of the shuttered William P. Hobby Jr. State Office Building and will redevelop it. In 2023, the GLO began soliciting ...
www.connectcre.com
October 17, 2025 at 3:51 PM
I'm guessing the fact that Texas' General Land Office wants to ensure there's a workforce (presumably subsidized) housing component on its land breaks some people's priors of how Texas state government works.
www.connectcre.com/stories/hine...
www.connectcre.com/stories/hine...
California joins the Year of Housing, with a blockbuster housing bill signed into law. Excited for all the folks who will be able to afford transit-accessible housing in the coming years!
Ladies and gentlemen, we did it. SB 79 has been signed.
October 10, 2025 at 4:46 PM
California joins the Year of Housing, with a blockbuster housing bill signed into law. Excited for all the folks who will be able to afford transit-accessible housing in the coming years!
My wife sometimes treats my daughter to "coffee-juicy". She could make coffee at home and buy juice at the store. What she can't do at home is have the barista recognize my daughter, draw a special picture for her on the top of the cup, and give her extra stickers. That's what community looks like.
Austin's "Community not Commodity" NIMBYs opposes community coffee shops. Remember: to build community, there should be no places to gather.
October 7, 2025 at 3:00 PM
My wife sometimes treats my daughter to "coffee-juicy". She could make coffee at home and buy juice at the store. What she can't do at home is have the barista recognize my daughter, draw a special picture for her on the top of the cup, and give her extra stickers. That's what community looks like.
Reposted by Dan Keshet
NEW: GLOBAL RENEWABLES OVERTAKES COAL
How the heck did that happen so quickly?!...🧵
How the heck did that happen so quickly?!...🧵
October 7, 2025 at 6:06 AM
NEW: GLOBAL RENEWABLES OVERTAKES COAL
How the heck did that happen so quickly?!...🧵
How the heck did that happen so quickly?!...🧵
Austin's "Community not Commodity" NIMBYs opposes community coffee shops. Remember: to build community, there should be no places to gather.
October 7, 2025 at 1:25 PM
Austin's "Community not Commodity" NIMBYs opposes community coffee shops. Remember: to build community, there should be no places to gather.
One thing I've learned from watching the war in Ukraine is that high-rise buildings are very dangerous defensive platforms and very difficult to capture.
Something to think about as we ponder our national security...
Something to think about as we ponder our national security...
October 3, 2025 at 1:50 PM
One thing I've learned from watching the war in Ukraine is that high-rise buildings are very dangerous defensive platforms and very difficult to capture.
Something to think about as we ponder our national security...
Something to think about as we ponder our national security...
Cool to see Austin using dedicated machines to speed up building curb-separated bike lanes!
h/t @cityjane.bsky.social
h/t @cityjane.bsky.social
Very exciting to see the City of Austin trialing a quick roll out of bike lane separators using a slipform extruded curb that's "keyed" into the asphalt to keep it in place. All about be...
Very exciting to see the City of Austin trialing a quick roll out of bike lane separators using a slipform extruded curb that's "keyed" into the asphalt to keep it in place. All about being quick and ...
www.linkedin.com
October 1, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Cool to see Austin using dedicated machines to speed up building curb-separated bike lanes!
h/t @cityjane.bsky.social
h/t @cityjane.bsky.social
Sorry for the urbanist bro take but the Russia-Ukraine war is proving that fossil fuel transportation systems are an enormous national security liability.
This applies to the US as much as anywhere else -- Russia's enormous size was a strategic asset in WW2 but is now a liability.
This applies to the US as much as anywhere else -- Russia's enormous size was a strategic asset in WW2 but is now a liability.
⛽️🚫 Gasoline, even the most expensive brand A100, has completely disappeared from gas stations in the annexed Crimea since September 24, - Krym.Realii
September 26, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Sorry for the urbanist bro take but the Russia-Ukraine war is proving that fossil fuel transportation systems are an enormous national security liability.
This applies to the US as much as anywhere else -- Russia's enormous size was a strategic asset in WW2 but is now a liability.
This applies to the US as much as anywhere else -- Russia's enormous size was a strategic asset in WW2 but is now a liability.
It's been almost two years since Austin removed parking mandates and somehow life has continued to go on.
September 23, 2025 at 6:24 PM
It's been almost two years since Austin removed parking mandates and somehow life has continued to go on.
Tyler, Texas (pop 250k, Trump +46) exploring light rail as population grows www.texastribune.org/2025/09/23/t...
A growing East Texas city is exploring a new transportation method: light rail
The Tyler metro area is home to about 250,000 and a growing health care hub. City leaders want to get ahead of more traffic and cars.
www.texastribune.org
September 23, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Tyler, Texas (pop 250k, Trump +46) exploring light rail as population grows www.texastribune.org/2025/09/23/t...
Russia is executing one of the fastest shifts away from fossil fuel infrastructure I've ever seen.
💥 Russia: Kirishi Oil Refinery struck by Ukraine near Saint Petersburg in Leningrad region.
It is the second-largest refinery in all of Russia with a refining capacity of 20.2 million tons per year; 402,000 barrels per day.
pump.fun/8TdnjHX4emsM...
It is the second-largest refinery in all of Russia with a refining capacity of 20.2 million tons per year; 402,000 barrels per day.
pump.fun/8TdnjHX4emsM...
September 14, 2025 at 3:11 AM
Russia is executing one of the fastest shifts away from fossil fuel infrastructure I've ever seen.
YIMBYs are successful because we have such a detailed and accurate theory of power.
50% +1 on every single vote. Cleanest possible we could have passed. I love this team!
September 13, 2025 at 3:43 PM
YIMBYs are successful because we have such a detailed and accurate theory of power.
Self-recommending report from new Center for Building in North America board member John Zeanah on building code barriers to (missing) middle housing in North America
www.centerforbuilding.org
September 12, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Self-recommending report from new Center for Building in North America board member John Zeanah on building code barriers to (missing) middle housing in North America