In the greatest city of the world, voters approved all 3 contentious initiatives that will change the power dynamics of building housing in NYC. @davidfbrand.bsky.social with a good summary at gothamist.com/news/nyc-vot... (10)

More Colorado news. Littleton, with 55%, enshrined single-family zoning in the city’s charter. This was in response to proposed duplexes and will put the city at odds with Gov. Polis Executive Order that would steer $ away from cities that prohibit new housing. (9)

coloradosun.com/2025/11/04/l...

Santa Cruz is voting on Measure C that would create a property transfer tax and parcel tax to fund affordable housing development and homelessness services. Polls are still open but here is a really good primer on the debate. (8)

santacruzlocal.org/2025/11/04/f...

Voters in Louisville, CO rejected by 75% ballot Measure 300 that would raise the % of affordable housing that must come with new developments & Measure 301 higher fees for those developers. They'll be some interesting YIMBY takes on this loss. (7)

www.coloradohometownweekly.com/2025/11/04/l...

Denver's Ballot Issue 2E is a $59.3M in bonds to repair & improve housing to reduce rent & support affordability, provide affordable housing on city facilities, & improve shelters to make them safer & accessible to people with disabilities. Currently Yes is at 62%. (6)
denvergov.org/Government/E...

Voters in Knoxville TN rejected a proposal to raise the sales tax by 1/2 cent with $10M dedicated to easing the affordable housing crisis by 62%. (5)

www.wbir.com/article/news...

While this happened last month I feel I should highlight voters in Oklahoma City approved Prop 5 $175M bond for economic development & affordable housing programs with 75% of the vote. I'm curious to compare election results between bonds and taxes. (4)

freepressokc.com/okc-bond-ele...

Columbus OH is the 15th largest city & is voting on large bond package that includes Issue 8 which dedicates $500M for neighborhood development & affordable housing, including income-qualified rental & affordable home ownership opportunities. Yes at 67% but early. (3) www.10tv.com/article/news...

Cleveland, unlike NYC, votes for the Housing Court judge that oversees eviction cases and housing violations.

Fascinating to see what an open election for this important role looks like with a nice summary by @nickcastele.bsky.social. (2)

signalcleveland.org/cleveland-ho...

Housing insecurity reduces grades & grad rates while increasing absenteeism.

If education is essential to the pathway to success then stable housing is the bedrock on which the path is built.

Hoping the mayoral discussions will turn to topics like this that have grown too big for far too long.

Since this definition includes funding it is the rare case where officials are incentivized to get accurate numbers unlike the standard theatrics of waiting until January to count people who appear unhoused living outside.

schoolhouseconnection.org/article/the-...

The reason we know is the 2001 McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act defines homelessness broadly as "individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence" encompassing not just people in the shelter system but doubled up families and other insecure living situations.

This number has kept growing for the last decade with a new article every year announcing our failure to provide safe & affordable housing for families.

In 2023, it was 1 out of 9 students. www.nytimes.com/2023/11/01/n...

In 2018, it was 1 out of 10 students. www.nytimes.com/2018/10/15/n....