In 2019, Seattle made it easier to build accessory dwelling units (ADUs). Among other things, they started allowing two ADUs per lot, they stopped requiring the owner to live on site, and they stopped requiring off-street parking. The result is that the city is now… Read More
All posts tagged “los angeles”
An interactive map of industrial space in southern California
Here is an interactive map, created by the Robert Redford Conservancy for Southern California Sustainability, showing the approximately 1,573,777,062 square feet of industrial space that can be found in Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino. The map allows you to zoom in on specific parcels… Read More
Where the rich don’t drive — is density the new luxury?
This data is from 2019, but I imagine that things would look pretty similar today and that it might even be a little more pronounced. The dataset from the above article looked at how many people have cars in a given area (a darker dot… Read More
Los Angeles approves new “mansion tax”
If you’re looking to pass a new ordinance and/or create a new tax, it’s important to have the right name. Take, for example, Los Angeles’ new “mansion tax.” The majority of people do not have a so-called “mansion.” And so signaling to people that you’re… Read More
Swimming in the Seine
There is an ongoing debate about the value of cities hosting the Olympic Games. And that’s because this is usually how it works: You, the host, spend a lot of money (Tokyo 2021 was over $25 billion), it feels really good during the games while… Read More
The story of Los Angeles’ last Japanese boarding house
Rooming houses or boarding houses are a divisive topic. Here in Toronto, they are permitted in the older parts of the city, but illegal everywhere else. Since 2021, we have been talking about changing that in attempt to increase the supply of what is typically… Read More
Sticking close to home — two-thirds of young Americans live near where they grew up
Here in Canada, there is often a belief that Americans tend to be more mobile than Canadians. Don’t like the cold weather? Just move south. Taxes too high? Just move south. Housing too expensive? Just move south. But just how mobile is mobile? A new… Read More
Toronto is the densest urban area in North America
Some of you are probably shocked by this headline. But it is true. Here’s the chart to prove it: Toronto is number one. Los Angeles is number two. And New York sits just behind Winnipeg and Calgary. Huh? The reason this is likely surprising to… Read More
Why traffic fatalities are lower in Canada than in the US
We’ve talked about this before. If you live in New York City, you’re probably about a third as likely to die from a transportation-related accident as compared to the average American. And if you live in Paris, you’re probably about a third as likely to… Read More
Zoning controls, sprawl, and housing affordability
Maybe it’s confirmation bias, but I continue to feel like there is a groundswell of interest in trying to improve housing supply and overall affordability. The YIMBY movement continues to gain steam. Here are are few excerpts from a recent M. Nolan Gray article where… Read More