M. Nolan Gray 🥑
@mnolangray.bsky.social
the once and future city planner // senior legislative director for california YIMBY // proud kentuckian // #BBN // buy my book ❤
Actually, I don't think the World War II consensus is breaking down.
November 13, 2025 at 5:14 AM
Actually, I don't think the World War II consensus is breaking down.
Getting hyped for Toronto in my own freaky way: by reading a book comparing US and Canadian urban governance.
November 12, 2025 at 8:11 PM
Getting hyped for Toronto in my own freaky way: by reading a book comparing US and Canadian urban governance.
A row to myself! Yet more evidence that I am the chosen one.
November 12, 2025 at 8:07 PM
A row to myself! Yet more evidence that I am the chosen one.
I went to planning school, worked as a public planner for two years, and secured AICP. I view some combo of two of these as the minumum to call yourself a planner. (And even I sometimes worry that I'm stealing valor, to the extent planners have it!) I don't think this biography clears that hurdle.
November 12, 2025 at 6:36 PM
I went to planning school, worked as a public planner for two years, and secured AICP. I view some combo of two of these as the minumum to call yourself a planner. (And even I sometimes worry that I'm stealing valor, to the extent planners have it!) I don't think this biography clears that hurdle.
Sacramento's annexation history. I wonder if the southern suburbs (Fruitridge Pocket, Lemon Hill, etc) will ever be annexed?
November 11, 2025 at 11:16 PM
Sacramento's annexation history. I wonder if the southern suburbs (Fruitridge Pocket, Lemon Hill, etc) will ever be annexed?
Yet more evidence that any given specific NIMBY objection to a project is, more often than not, a shell game for generalized opposition to change—it's merely the most compelling sounding argument—and addressing such individual concerns will usually not meaningfully reduce opposition.
November 11, 2025 at 9:38 PM
Yet more evidence that any given specific NIMBY objection to a project is, more often than not, a shell game for generalized opposition to change—it's merely the most compelling sounding argument—and addressing such individual concerns will usually not meaningfully reduce opposition.
Happy Veterans Day!
November 11, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Happy Veterans Day!
A wealthy safe streets advocate could do the most good by paying a team of maybe a half dozen journalists to aggressively and comprehensively report every single traffic death in every major city. Depicting the horrifying human cost, FOIing PDs and DOTS, contextualizing it in policy choices, etc.
November 9, 2025 at 5:55 PM
A wealthy safe streets advocate could do the most good by paying a team of maybe a half dozen journalists to aggressively and comprehensively report every single traffic death in every major city. Depicting the horrifying human cost, FOIing PDs and DOTS, contextualizing it in policy choices, etc.
"How Sacramento CAN Grow" (circa 1960)
November 7, 2025 at 5:39 PM
"How Sacramento CAN Grow" (circa 1960)
I've been negatively polarized against mainstream vexillology, but I will admit that we need to fix this one.
November 7, 2025 at 5:42 AM
I've been negatively polarized against mainstream vexillology, but I will admit that we need to fix this one.
According to building management, the Samsung washing machine in my two-year old unit had a core component break. Your friendly reminder to just buy a Speed Queen!
November 6, 2025 at 5:58 AM
According to building management, the Samsung washing machine in my two-year old unit had a core component break. Your friendly reminder to just buy a Speed Queen!
It's a great time to be alive.
November 6, 2025 at 3:57 AM
It's a great time to be alive.
If reversing the fertility decline were my thing, I would have this tattooed on my forehead.
November 6, 2025 at 3:46 AM
If reversing the fertility decline were my thing, I would have this tattooed on my forehead.
Google Maps is a more impressive achievement than any given physical wonder of the world, in my opinion.
November 6, 2025 at 3:38 AM
Google Maps is a more impressive achievement than any given physical wonder of the world, in my opinion.
Such an odd little corner of the globe. Sovereign French territory, a Hindu-majority country in South America, and a nation that is ~75% claimed by its neighbor. Virtually all uninhabited.
November 6, 2025 at 2:06 AM
Such an odd little corner of the globe. Sovereign French territory, a Hindu-majority country in South America, and a nation that is ~75% claimed by its neighbor. Virtually all uninhabited.
Guyana City, a midsized city in eastern Venezuela that you've never heard of, has a larger population than the entire nation of Guyana.
November 6, 2025 at 1:58 AM
Guyana City, a midsized city in eastern Venezuela that you've never heard of, has a larger population than the entire nation of Guyana.
It looks like New Yorkers just passed all three pro-housing charter amendments on the ballot. The mandate is clear: it's time to build more housing.
November 5, 2025 at 3:05 AM
It looks like New Yorkers just passed all three pro-housing charter amendments on the ballot. The mandate is clear: it's time to build more housing.
Wow, cost of living is the top issue? You're telling me that for the first time.
November 5, 2025 at 2:23 AM
Wow, cost of living is the top issue? You're telling me that for the first time.
The whole RHNA framework depended on everyone politely pretending to comply, and now a court has very politely pointed out that the emperor has no clothes.
www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/emil...
www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/emil...
November 2, 2025 at 8:52 PM
The whole RHNA framework depended on everyone politely pretending to comply, and now a court has very politely pointed out that the emperor has no clothes.
www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/emil...
www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/emil...
Why might I be going to Cedar Rapids? Wrong answers only.
November 2, 2025 at 5:46 PM
Why might I be going to Cedar Rapids? Wrong answers only.
"Whaaa, your program assembled a bunch of the best living players onto one team and they stomped my program...!" Yes.
November 2, 2025 at 4:54 AM
"Whaaa, your program assembled a bunch of the best living players onto one team and they stomped my program...!" Yes.
Kentuckians doing big things!
November 2, 2025 at 4:21 AM
Kentuckians doing big things!
I hope everyone has a great time we California YIMBY's well-deserved victory party! I really wish I could have been there, but I spent the week traveling across Kentucky, working to help local YIMBYs pull off something similar. The work of a revolutionary never ends!
October 31, 2025 at 12:50 AM
I hope everyone has a great time we California YIMBY's well-deserved victory party! I really wish I could have been there, but I spent the week traveling across Kentucky, working to help local YIMBYs pull off something similar. The work of a revolutionary never ends!