San Francisco from Twin Peaks

San Francisco Bay Area Housing 3Q17: Affordability Limits Continue to Be Tested

“The story in this market continues to be affordability, or the lack thereof,” said Greg Gross, Regional Director of Metrostudy’s Northern California market. “Our average “offer to build” base price for new Single Family detached homes is up 17%...
Bricktown Canal Water Taxis in Oklahoma City

Local Empowerment Should Be About Local Matters

I've generally been someone who wants to see local governments…
Tory Gattis speaks at HGAC Workshop

MAX Lanes: Handling High Capacity Traffic

Tory Gattis, Founding Senior Fellow of Center for Opportunity Urbanism, gave a presentation on MaX Lanes to HGAC High Capacity Transit Task Force.
Photo credit: Juan Lozano/AP

What Do Houston's Pro-Growth Boosters Think Now?

Hurricane Harvey inflicted an estimated $100 billion in damage on the Houston area in August and September, a catastrophe that some urban planning pundits...
Photo credit: Defense.gov

Hurricane Harvey Whitepaper

In the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, and the disastrous flooding, Houston has come under extreme scrutiny. Much of the current debate starts from a firm misunderstanding of the region’s realities.
Neighbors getting to know each other

Neighborfest: Building a Stronger, More Connected World from the Block Up

by Daniel Homsey and Daniel Aldrich — As we write this piece, the whole world is watching in disbelief as rain and flooding wreak devastation again along the Gulf Coast and Florida...
Photo credit: Jill Carlson (jillcarlson.org) from Roman Forest, Texas, USA (Hurricane Harvey Flooding and Damage)

How to Deal with an Age of Disasters

by Joel Kotkin — When Hurricane Harvey flooded Houston, followed by a strong hurricane in Florida, much of the media response indicated that the severe weather was a sign of catastrophic climate change...
West Orange, Texas - WEST ORANGE, Texas – U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Austin Rusk a reconnaissance Marine team leader with Charlie Company, 4th Reconnaissance Battalion, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve, wades through waist deep flood water in order to get to a second story door to complete an emergency rescue call in West Orange, Texas, Sept. 1, 2017. Marine Corps Reserve forces are supporting FEMA and state and local officials, focused on life-saving efforts and resupply missions in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Pfc. Samantha Schwoch/Released)

Hurricanes Don't Kill — People Do

by Joel Kotkin — Cities that believe in themselves are hard to kill. In the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey many pundits have urged Houston to abandon many of the traits that have made it a dynamic...
Photo credit: Defense.gov

Houston Land Use Gets Bad Rap

by Wendell Cox — Yes, the Houston metropolitan area storm was so intense that no plan could have prevented the flooding devastation. Yet, through the years, Houston’s land use regulation has been roundly criticized...
Houston Infrastructure Damage After HurricaneHarvey

Spotlight on Infrastructure After Harvey

by Joel Kotkin and Wendell Cox — The recent tragic events in Houston and across the Gulf Coast once again demonstrated the woeful inadequacy of our infrastructure. Hopefully, some good will come of Hurricane Harvey.