Patrick Siegman
@siegman.biz
Transportation planner and economist. Founder, Siegman & Associates. Formerly Principal & Shareholder at Nelson\Nygaard. LinkedIn: https://tinyurl.com/5cekhrjh
Pinned
Patrick Siegman
@siegman.biz
· Nov 29
Owners of even the cheapest fleabag motels know they must keep track of how many rooms they have and whether they are empty or full.
But today, the year’s busiest shopping day, most retail areas won’t be tracking how many parking spots they have and whether they are empty or full. 🧵/1
But today, the year’s busiest shopping day, most retail areas won’t be tracking how many parking spots they have and whether they are empty or full. 🧵/1
Who would be willing to support a bill that removes all minimum parking mandates, statewide, in #California?
Here's a coalition of 41 nonprofits from around Oregon, organized by us at @Sightline, that specifically endorsed the parking reform proposals: advocates for housing, environment, mobility, justice, and local...
November 22, 2025 at 10:11 PM
Who would be willing to support a bill that removes all minimum parking mandates, statewide, in #California?
“In the last few years, some #Massachusetts cities have eliminated parking minimums for new apartment buildings. Most of the state’s gateway cities now have smaller zoning districts that only require one space or fewer per apartment, Rapoza’s research has found.”
Less parking, more housing: New Bedford City Council to take up zoning proposals - The New Bedford Light
The ordinances, going before the council Nov. 20, would reduce the amount of parking required for new developments and make it easier to build on small vacant lots.
newbedfordlight.org
November 22, 2025 at 8:11 PM
“In the last few years, some #Massachusetts cities have eliminated parking minimums for new apartment buildings. Most of the state’s gateway cities now have smaller zoning districts that only require one space or fewer per apartment, Rapoza’s research has found.”
I would like to see this table updated to add a new column listing fire deaths per 100,000 people. This would reveal that #Switzerland allows single-stair high-rise towers and has a fire death rate five times LOWER than the United States.
#BuildingCode #FireCode #Firefighting
#BuildingCode #FireCode #Firefighting
November 22, 2025 at 8:03 PM
I would like to see this table updated to add a new column listing fire deaths per 100,000 people. This would reveal that #Switzerland allows single-stair high-rise towers and has a fire death rate five times LOWER than the United States.
#BuildingCode #FireCode #Firefighting
#BuildingCode #FireCode #Firefighting
Many fire departments around the world use ladder trucks with outriggers that fully deploy in far less than 26 feet of width. In fact, many have outriggers that work just fine on streets with far less than 20’ of clear width.
For more info on this topic, read this.
For more info on this topic, read this.
If You Want Safe Streets, Buy a Better Fire Engine - Opticos Design
If you want safe streets, you need to buy fire engines that fit on safe streets. The same goes for ladder trucks, foam tenders, HazMat rigs, and other fire department vehicles.
opticosdesign.com
November 22, 2025 at 3:57 AM
Many fire departments around the world use ladder trucks with outriggers that fully deploy in far less than 26 feet of width. In fact, many have outriggers that work just fine on streets with far less than 20’ of clear width.
For more info on this topic, read this.
For more info on this topic, read this.
The DMV “has approved a sweeping enlargement of Waymo’s…territory, a move that could soon allow the company’s robotaxis to travel everywhere from Wine Country tasting rooms to the streets of Sacramento & the sprawling communities between Los Angeles & San Diego.”
Parking demand is going to go down.
Parking demand is going to go down.
Waymo secures approval to expand driverless service across much of California
California quietly opened the door to one of the largest geographic expansions of autonomous ride-hailing the state has ever seen after the DMV approved an enlargement of Waymo’s operating...
www.sfchronicle.com
November 22, 2025 at 3:36 AM
The DMV “has approved a sweeping enlargement of Waymo’s…territory, a move that could soon allow the company’s robotaxis to travel everywhere from Wine Country tasting rooms to the streets of Sacramento & the sprawling communities between Los Angeles & San Diego.”
Parking demand is going to go down.
Parking demand is going to go down.
#Italy allows single-stair apartment buildings up to 26 stories high. U.S. cities (with rare exceptions) limit single-stair apartment buildings to 3 stories. Which one has a higher fire death rate?
The United States! The fire death rate in the United States is more than twice as high as in Italy.
The United States! The fire death rate in the United States is more than twice as high as in Italy.
November 22, 2025 at 12:25 AM
#Italy allows single-stair apartment buildings up to 26 stories high. U.S. cities (with rare exceptions) limit single-stair apartment buildings to 3 stories. Which one has a higher fire death rate?
The United States! The fire death rate in the United States is more than twice as high as in Italy.
The United States! The fire death rate in the United States is more than twice as high as in Italy.
When a professor lives in her car and her husband sleeps in a tent a few feet away, how does the Census Bureau define the couple’s housing costs as a percentage of income? Is it 0%, because the vehicle counts as a transport expense and the tent as a recreational expense?
The Homeless Professor Who Lives in Her Car | NEA
Despite the four college courses she teaches, and the master’s degree she earned a few years ago, Tara James-Penny is homeless. Other adjunct professors across the nation face a similar economic pligh...
www.nea.org
November 21, 2025 at 10:09 PM
When a professor lives in her car and her husband sleeps in a tent a few feet away, how does the Census Bureau define the couple’s housing costs as a percentage of income? Is it 0%, because the vehicle counts as a transport expense and the tent as a recreational expense?
“The #Netherlands is far more densely populated than the U.S. and has a higher share of residents who live in #multifamily buildings (36% vs. 26% in the U.S.). Yet the Netherlands has one of the lowest rates of fire death in the world, at less than one-third that of the United States.”
Small Single-Stairway Apartment Buildings Have Strong Safety Record
Policymakers could increase the supply of multifamily housing in their states and localities by revising outdated building codes that require more than one stairway in small apartment buildings. If en...
www.pew.org
November 21, 2025 at 7:48 PM
“The #Netherlands is far more densely populated than the U.S. and has a higher share of residents who live in #multifamily buildings (36% vs. 26% in the U.S.). Yet the Netherlands has one of the lowest rates of fire death in the world, at less than one-third that of the United States.”
To build cities that are both safe and affordable, you need to study what works and what doesn’t. It’s hard to do that when critical safety data (like the number of people killed in fires) varies wildly from source to source, and data on where & how fatal fires happened isn’t publicly available.🧵
November 21, 2025 at 1:02 AM
To build cities that are both safe and affordable, you need to study what works and what doesn’t. It’s hard to do that when critical safety data (like the number of people killed in fires) varies wildly from source to source, and data on where & how fatal fires happened isn’t publicly available.🧵
“Transit officials in #SanFrancisco on Tuesday moved forward with a plan that would dramatically increase the number of citations the agency can issue to drivers who park in transit-only lanes and bus stops.”
After Years of Parking Violations, SF is Stepping Up Enforcement in Transit-Only Lanes | KQED
SFMTA officials say automated systems like bus-mounted license plate readers will help them issue more citations to drivers violating transit-only lane rules.
www.kqed.org
November 20, 2025 at 9:14 PM
“Transit officials in #SanFrancisco on Tuesday moved forward with a plan that would dramatically increase the number of citations the agency can issue to drivers who park in transit-only lanes and bus stops.”
Reposted by Patrick Siegman
"One way or the other, the answer was going to be yes."
Great reporting by @conordougherty.bsky.social on the resuscitation of California's builder's remedy.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/b...
Great reporting by @conordougherty.bsky.social on the resuscitation of California's builder's remedy.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/b...
The Housing Strategy That Has California NIMBYs in a Corner
www.nytimes.com
November 20, 2025 at 4:50 PM
"One way or the other, the answer was going to be yes."
Great reporting by @conordougherty.bsky.social on the resuscitation of California's builder's remedy.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/b...
Great reporting by @conordougherty.bsky.social on the resuscitation of California's builder's remedy.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/b...
How much of the perceived difference in lifestyle preferences between the US and Europe can be explained by building codes? Could it be that fewer Americans choose apartments, because America’s peculiar building codes make apartments expensive?🧵
November 19, 2025 at 10:48 PM
How much of the perceived difference in lifestyle preferences between the US and Europe can be explained by building codes? Could it be that fewer Americans choose apartments, because America’s peculiar building codes make apartments expensive?🧵
"It has become clear that parking mandates do more harm than good, increasing development costs and removing high-value real estate from more productive uses."
Michigan Should Eliminate Parking Mandates - Citizens Research Council of Michigan
Municipal parking mandates obstruct efforts to create vibrant livable communities.
crcmich.org
November 19, 2025 at 8:59 PM
"It has become clear that parking mandates do more harm than good, increasing development costs and removing high-value real estate from more productive uses."
The US Fire Administration is launching a new fire information platform, the National Emergency Response Information System (NERIS). Local fire departments aren’t required to report data to it. So NERIS, like its predecessor, won’t provide a complete, accurate picture of US fire deaths and injuries.
November 19, 2025 at 8:45 PM
The US Fire Administration is launching a new fire information platform, the National Emergency Response Information System (NERIS). Local fire departments aren’t required to report data to it. So NERIS, like its predecessor, won’t provide a complete, accurate picture of US fire deaths and injuries.
One thing I appreciated about Donald Shoup is that he didn't waste time speculating about how many automobiles Americans might prefer to buy if minimum parking mandates were removed.
November 19, 2025 at 5:15 PM
One thing I appreciated about Donald Shoup is that he didn't waste time speculating about how many automobiles Americans might prefer to buy if minimum parking mandates were removed.
Reposted by Patrick Siegman
did you know that most development in Chicago is no longer subject to minimum car parking requirements?
yeah, City Council made "as little car parking as your development needs" an option for developments in 74% of the city.
here's what else to know... 🧵
yeah, City Council made "as little car parking as your development needs" an option for developments in 74% of the city.
here's what else to know... 🧵
November 18, 2025 at 4:51 PM
did you know that most development in Chicago is no longer subject to minimum car parking requirements?
yeah, City Council made "as little car parking as your development needs" an option for developments in 74% of the city.
here's what else to know... 🧵
yeah, City Council made "as little car parking as your development needs" an option for developments in 74% of the city.
here's what else to know... 🧵
Passing statewide laws that remove minimum parking mandates is a great first step. The next step, though, is enforcing them. The best state land-use reform laws establish penalties for violators, authorize state officials to enforce the law, and provide funding to any necessary new staff.
ADU ordinance comment to Beaumont, CA for the Nov. 19, 2025 Planning Commission meeting. The City may not impose design standards, parking requirements, front setbacks, or underlying standards on § 66323 ADUs.
drive.google.com/file/d/1vYxV...
drive.google.com/file/d/1vYxV...
Beaumont - ADU Ordinance letter - 17 Nov 2025.pdf
drive.google.com
November 19, 2025 at 4:32 AM
Passing statewide laws that remove minimum parking mandates is a great first step. The next step, though, is enforcing them. The best state land-use reform laws establish penalties for violators, authorize state officials to enforce the law, and provide funding to any necessary new staff.
Have you played, "Guess the minimum parking requirement for an elementary school"?
This game looks like so much fun! 😀
This game looks like so much fun! 😀
parking mandates are ridiculous, continued:
it looks like no city in Illinois can agree on the best way to calculate how much parking an elementary school should provide
Jane made this list showing 20 municipalities with 20 different parking mandate methods
it looks like no city in Illinois can agree on the best way to calculate how much parking an elementary school should provide
Jane made this list showing 20 municipalities with 20 different parking mandate methods
November 19, 2025 at 4:26 AM
Have you played, "Guess the minimum parking requirement for an elementary school"?
This game looks like so much fun! 😀
This game looks like so much fun! 😀
We now return to our regularly scheduled programming on parking reform. The first-ever comprehensive analysis of zoning laws in #Virginia finds that parking mandates have been imposed on 93% of residential land.
Hot off the heels of Virginians electing new statewide leaders, we’re releasing Zoning Report: Virginia—the first-ever comprehensive look at zoning & its impact on housing across all 321 towns, cities, & counties in VA.
www.zoningatlas.org/zoning-repor...
🧵
www.zoningatlas.org/zoning-repor...
🧵
November 18, 2025 at 2:03 AM
We now return to our regularly scheduled programming on parking reform. The first-ever comprehensive analysis of zoning laws in #Virginia finds that parking mandates have been imposed on 93% of residential land.
Reposted by Patrick Siegman
🚨🥳🎉 BIG NEWS 🎉🥳🚨
The most ambitious state-level parking reform *in the nation* has once again passed the Connecticut Statehouse and is off to the Governor's desk. What does it do?
🅿️Totally abolishes Parking Mandates for residential projects under 16 homes
🅿️Sets a reasonable cap on PM above 16 units
The most ambitious state-level parking reform *in the nation* has once again passed the Connecticut Statehouse and is off to the Governor's desk. What does it do?
🅿️Totally abolishes Parking Mandates for residential projects under 16 homes
🅿️Sets a reasonable cap on PM above 16 units
November 14, 2025 at 1:08 PM
🚨🥳🎉 BIG NEWS 🎉🥳🚨
The most ambitious state-level parking reform *in the nation* has once again passed the Connecticut Statehouse and is off to the Governor's desk. What does it do?
🅿️Totally abolishes Parking Mandates for residential projects under 16 homes
🅿️Sets a reasonable cap on PM above 16 units
The most ambitious state-level parking reform *in the nation* has once again passed the Connecticut Statehouse and is off to the Governor's desk. What does it do?
🅿️Totally abolishes Parking Mandates for residential projects under 16 homes
🅿️Sets a reasonable cap on PM above 16 units
“Seattle has had a single-stair allowance on the books since the late 1970s. As a result, ‘all these funky little lots in the city of #Seattle are eligible for nice little boutique apartment buildings,’ said Van Leeuwen."
One California city’s idea to tackle the housing crisis: Take the stairs
For champions of more housing development, ditching the extra staircase has become a buzzy cause in fighting California's housing crisis.
calmatters.org
November 18, 2025 at 1:26 AM
“Seattle has had a single-stair allowance on the books since the late 1970s. As a result, ‘all these funky little lots in the city of #Seattle are eligible for nice little boutique apartment buildings,’ said Van Leeuwen."
Why does America perform poorly on fire safety, traffic safety, and affordability? Part of the problem is poor data. That hinders research. For example, about 28% of local fire departments in the US do NOT report fire deaths to the National Fire Incident Reporting System.
November 18, 2025 at 12:13 AM
Why does America perform poorly on fire safety, traffic safety, and affordability? Part of the problem is poor data. That hinders research. For example, about 28% of local fire departments in the US do NOT report fire deaths to the National Fire Incident Reporting System.
Is this new fire sprinkler regulation good policy? Do its benefits justify the costs? Has a credible cost-benefit analysis of the regulation been conducted? I don't know, but I hope someone looks into it.
Gift link:
www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/arti...
Gift link:
www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/arti...
Sprinkler shock: Owners of S.F. high-rise condos stunned by $300K mandate
A city ordinance affects thousands of condo owners in 126 buildings constructed built before 1975, many of them senior citizens on fixed incomes.
www.sfchronicle.com
November 17, 2025 at 7:50 PM
Is this new fire sprinkler regulation good policy? Do its benefits justify the costs? Has a credible cost-benefit analysis of the regulation been conducted? I don't know, but I hope someone looks into it.
Gift link:
www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/arti...
Gift link:
www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/arti...
“He said rising demand had encouraged him to expand his renewables business, offering EV charger installations as well as solar panels and regenerative elevators to clients in Lima and Arequipa…”
How common are regenerative elevators and how well do they work? Is the US behind on installing them?
How common are regenerative elevators and how well do they work? Is the US behind on installing them?
www.reuters.com
November 17, 2025 at 4:46 PM
“He said rising demand had encouraged him to expand his renewables business, offering EV charger installations as well as solar panels and regenerative elevators to clients in Lima and Arequipa…”
How common are regenerative elevators and how well do they work? Is the US behind on installing them?
How common are regenerative elevators and how well do they work? Is the US behind on installing them?
In the United States, officials with absolutely no training in traffic safety are routinely placed in charge of crucial street design decisions. The results are bad.
Why do US cities and states put unqualified people in charge of key street design decisions?🧵
Why do US cities and states put unqualified people in charge of key street design decisions?🧵
There are huge differences in death rates from road injuries, even across high-income countries
November 17, 2025 at 3:51 AM
In the United States, officials with absolutely no training in traffic safety are routinely placed in charge of crucial street design decisions. The results are bad.
Why do US cities and states put unqualified people in charge of key street design decisions?🧵
Why do US cities and states put unqualified people in charge of key street design decisions?🧵