"The density regulations roughly matched the existing density of each neighborhood, sort of, more or less. That was it. No science. No public health data. Just numbers written into a chart decades ago with the sole goal of preserving the status quo."
this gets at the core of what's wrong with all the arguments I've seen against bill 25-0066
"I find it troubling when neighborhood leaders look enviously at private exclusionary restrictions borne of racism and ask the city to impose similarly exclusionary barriers through public laws."
The "health and safety" pretext for zoning is nonsensical today because it was never more than a Jim Crow assertion of Black neighbors as unsafe and unhealthful.
It's how zoning was legitimated as a police power after antecedants—segregation ordinances, racial covenants—proved legally ineffectual.
Great piece on how density restrictions in zoning are essentially BS.
the idea of a neighborhood character is every bit as reactionary as the idea of a national character, and is motivated by the same thing: "I deserve to be here and others don't"
nothing will radicalize you against zoning quite like engaging with zoning
A 58-year-old man on a bike died on Friday evening after being hit by a driver on Ensor Street along Latrobe Homes
Consistently ranked as one of the best downtowns in New England, attracting tourists from around the world, none of the buildings depicted in this image could be constructed today under our overly restrictive modern zoning regulations.
📍 Salem, MA
In a functional housing market this would have been redeveloped as a small apartment building 30 years ago.
this is true - but pales in comparison to resources required for cars tho
We’re fixing Atlantic Avenue! This is what a comprehensive community-led rezoning looks like 🏠
the embodied carbon potential of point access blocks v. status quo development is quite massive
better homes. higher quality of life. better outcomes related to climate, too.
CNU MID-ATLANTIC PRESENTS: BALTIMORE SINGLE-STAIR DESIGN COMPETITION PANEL & AWARDS CEREMONY $3,000 GRAND PRIZE Join CNU Mid-Atlantic to announce the winners of our Baltimore Single-Stair Design Competition and hear a panel of Jury members discuss Single-Stair reform. The competition requires participants to design a mid-rise single-stair residential building on a small infill lot of their choice in Baltimore City. Agenda: 6:00 pm Welcome & Jury Panel 6:45 pm Awards Announcements 7:15 pm Cocktail Hour & Networking When: May 17th, 2025 6:00pm Where: The Center for Architecture & Design 100 N Charles St, Baltimore, MD 21201 For Full Details: Visit cnudc.org
Excited to be jurying this event today. Hope to see you there.
Amazing and historic council agenda in Baltimore!
No State approval required.
I was thrilled to see @electryandorsey.bsky.social cut to the point about the pernicious social function of restrictive housing laws, especially here in Baltimore
Back now with some more big ones, starting with one from @electryandorsey.bsky.social for Land Use & Transportation. That's right, we're doing single-stair reform!
More on this package here at a press conference organized earlier today by @mayorbmscott.bsky.social & featuring remarks from himself & the other legislators involved in the package: www.youtube.com/watch?v=11pT...
This is how you grow the city.
You really love to see it. 😎
Big things on the agenda for introduction in Baltimore on Monday:
•Plex Reform
•Single-Stair Reform
•Parking Reform
Today, either @mayorbmscott.bsky.social signed my bill to establish a Department of Consumer Protection and Business Licensing, or we’re hit-makers, depending on who you ask.
“The word he’d used for ‘world’ was the word for ‘city’, the one that derived from the verb for ‘correct action’.”
-A Memory Called Empire, Arkady Martine
Every Tuesday I have open office hours.
And every Tuesday somebody comes to tell me that their neighborhood is diverse (by their definition) and they just love it, but that they don’t want those people moving to their neighborhood.
The neighborhood is not theirs. It’s the city’s.
DOT has no contract with its principal streetlight maintenance vendor (BGE), no coherent reporting system, and no discernible system of asset management.
Gee, I wonder why there are still streetlights missing that got knocked down a decade ago.
www.thebaltimorebanner.com/community/tr...
sprawl is an unmitigated environmental, social, and economic disaster
it is no longer affordable (especially when you add in transportation and time)
sprawl is driving climate change. literally.
and it is a ponzi scheme - unable to fund maintenance and replacement costs
That is such great work and great news coming from Baltimore.
www.thebaltimorebanner.com/community/ho...
I’ve never heard a renter demand to only have homeowners as neighbors.
A man died last night after crashing his car in the 2500 block of Hawkins Point Road.
