Ben Phelps
@thisisbenphelps.bsky.social
Musician and self-declared public intellectual
weird 3 arm no leg purple dress guitar girl with no actual friend equivalent just an amalgamation
October 30, 2025 at 9:08 AM
weird 3 arm no leg purple dress guitar girl with no actual friend equivalent just an amalgamation
what in the hell is going on with the door design here
October 30, 2025 at 8:48 AM
what in the hell is going on with the door design here
Then this guy walks in to bypass his first group of weird friends to sit next to his second group of weird friends (also with a guitar)
October 30, 2025 at 8:43 AM
Then this guy walks in to bypass his first group of weird friends to sit next to his second group of weird friends (also with a guitar)
is that a soup kitchen in the back of the Friend's apartment?
October 30, 2025 at 8:38 AM
is that a soup kitchen in the back of the Friend's apartment?
literally at 45 secs a second weird Phoebe duplicates herself out of the first weird Phoebe
October 30, 2025 at 8:32 AM
literally at 45 secs a second weird Phoebe duplicates herself out of the first weird Phoebe
The future of business (nightmare version)
October 29, 2025 at 6:37 AM
The future of business (nightmare version)
and yes coverage of Echo Park was also quite amazing.
September 28, 2025 at 5:14 AM
and yes coverage of Echo Park was also quite amazing.
This actually includes a portion of the so-called "fab 40s" in East Sac, basically the wealthiest neighborhood in the city within the city limits. These properties (1/2 mile, tier 2) are now going from R-1 with 35 ft. height limit to 55 ft, 80 units / acre, FAR 2.5. This is pretty funny. 15/x
September 17, 2025 at 8:15 PM
This actually includes a portion of the so-called "fab 40s" in East Sac, basically the wealthiest neighborhood in the city within the city limits. These properties (1/2 mile, tier 2) are now going from R-1 with 35 ft. height limit to 55 ft, 80 units / acre, FAR 2.5. This is pretty funny. 15/x
Ok enough on S. Pasadena. Expect them to absolutely lose their shit when somebody propses 10 units on one of these lots (single stair now!!). What are some other single family neighborhoods next to major train stations? Don't sleep on Sacramento! Look to East Sac, Curtis Park, and. Land Park. 14/x
September 17, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Ok enough on S. Pasadena. Expect them to absolutely lose their shit when somebody propses 10 units on one of these lots (single stair now!!). What are some other single family neighborhoods next to major train stations? Don't sleep on Sacramento! Look to East Sac, Curtis Park, and. Land Park. 14/x
this will be the rules for tier 2 within 1/4 mile of station
September 16, 2025 at 2:16 AM
this will be the rules for tier 2 within 1/4 mile of station
One of my favorite (derogatory) ways cities try to get out of building the housing they say they are going to is by declaring every property historic. Here's S. Pasadena's historic designations for the neighborhood. SB 79 vanquishes this technique- this is one of the best clauses in the bill. 11/x
September 15, 2025 at 3:13 PM
One of my favorite (derogatory) ways cities try to get out of building the housing they say they are going to is by declaring every property historic. Here's S. Pasadena's historic designations for the neighborhood. SB 79 vanquishes this technique- this is one of the best clauses in the bill. 11/x
South Pasadena does have a compliant Housing Element, which is emblematic of how the RHNA process will never deliver enough housing. They have used every trick in the book to avoid upzoning this neighborhood. 10/x
September 15, 2025 at 1:46 AM
South Pasadena does have a compliant Housing Element, which is emblematic of how the RHNA process will never deliver enough housing. They have used every trick in the book to avoid upzoning this neighborhood. 10/x
OK I'm back this will probably stretch over a few days. Anyway, let's check some relevant property values in the neighborhood. Like NOTHING here is currently for sale and now that all these properties are going to be upzoned you can expect their values to have increased. 9/x
September 14, 2025 at 8:15 PM
OK I'm back this will probably stretch over a few days. Anyway, let's check some relevant property values in the neighborhood. Like NOTHING here is currently for sale and now that all these properties are going to be upzoned you can expect their values to have increased. 9/x
S. Pasadena got out of the half mile upzoning because of the under 35,000 population carveout, which protects its most wealthy areas, but it still has to upzone within a 1/4 mile of its goldline station. Here's some properties within a block of that station. These lots are now zoned for 75 ft. 8/x
September 14, 2025 at 5:59 AM
S. Pasadena got out of the half mile upzoning because of the under 35,000 population carveout, which protects its most wealthy areas, but it still has to upzone within a 1/4 mile of its goldline station. Here's some properties within a block of that station. These lots are now zoned for 75 ft. 8/x
Ok let's dig in. We start in S. Pasadena because I'm obsessed. Previous home to my favorite French Market Nicole's (RIP) out of business because they don't have enough residents. S. Pasadena is an atrocity. They have their own school district, one of the most highly desirable in So Cal. 7/x
September 14, 2025 at 5:40 AM
Ok let's dig in. We start in S. Pasadena because I'm obsessed. Previous home to my favorite French Market Nicole's (RIP) out of business because they don't have enough residents. S. Pasadena is an atrocity. They have their own school district, one of the most highly desirable in So Cal. 7/x
I've really been thinking about SB 79. This is a culmination of a years-long online project for me. We'll see if it works. I've been studying the maps. First of all: the places with the greatest redevelopment potential have the HIGHEST land value, au contraire Assemblymember Zbur. This is obvious.
September 14, 2025 at 4:45 AM
I've really been thinking about SB 79. This is a culmination of a years-long online project for me. We'll see if it works. I've been studying the maps. First of all: the places with the greatest redevelopment potential have the HIGHEST land value, au contraire Assemblymember Zbur. This is obvious.
Sucks doesn’t it www.latimes.com/california/s...
August 20, 2025 at 10:13 PM
Sucks doesn’t it www.latimes.com/california/s...
Hmm why would he be singling out Lisa Cook
August 20, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Hmm why would he be singling out Lisa Cook
I’d also take exception to Natasha’s third point. Because taxes are not necessary for federal revenue, we WANT them to distort the economy. That’s their biggest use. She talks about that in the podcast! She wants a carbon tax! That’s a tax to change (“distort”?) the economy for the better!
August 18, 2025 at 4:58 AM
I’d also take exception to Natasha’s third point. Because taxes are not necessary for federal revenue, we WANT them to distort the economy. That’s their biggest use. She talks about that in the podcast! She wants a carbon tax! That’s a tax to change (“distort”?) the economy for the better!