Market Urbanist theory argues that more cities should be privately managed. Dubai & Singapore are the world’s 2 closest examples. Dubai’s an econ success but not too interesting in itself. Singapore's the real deal, with a cultural flare not often found in neoliberal zones.

The 3rd World has "industrial hellscapes". Factories locate somewhere. Worker shanties follow, void of electricity, clean water, etc. But government gradually extends services to formalize them. It's natural urbanization. 📷 Baseco, Manila, Philippines

Today’s book harvest #econtwitter

Nowhere builds high-rises like Medellin. Scenes like this dot the mountainside overlooking the city for miles. It's helped suppress prices; condos in these towers often go for under <$100k 📷 Itagui, Colombia

Asia in one image. Foreground: an ode to tradition, the decorative shrine to an ancient religion (Hinduism) Background: a glossy tower symbolizing the continent's move to modernity 📷 Colombo, Sri Lanka

The urban spatial order of the 3rd World 1) a factory or other big employer opens 2) illegal, informal housing grows around it 3) area develops its own private transit/business ecosystem 4) eventually becomes bonafide city, spreading for miles 📷 Chorillos, Lima, Peru

Upscale LatAm neighborhoods are full of buildings with hanging gardens. But you seldom see it in the U.S. Why do societies with 1/10th our per capita GDP manage to do this so much better? 📷 Asuncion, Paraguay

This is my favorite image among 1000s from my 1.5-year trip. Motorbikes - the world's most efficient city transport mode - dominate the streets of Kathmandu, Nepal. That's the end of my photo series. Hope you enjoyed.🙂

Here's the story: tinyurl.com/mryrprxw Why San Jose's Anti-Displacement Rules = Modern Redlining Market Urbanist "Yet another case where the technocratic left brings its micro-managerial mindset to public policy."

Liberals love to say that landlords are causing the housing crisis. But… hear me out here... what if the housing crisis is due to ineffective liberal governments that won’t issue building permits or approve development while simultaneously letting in millions of people into our

When I built a pond, I had to submit the dam design to Army Corps of Engineers for approval. They had a certain number of months to review and reject or demand changes. When time period elapsed it was by default approved. All government reviews should be timeboxed.

Living in a dense, walkable area means having cute corners like this within a 1-5min walk from your home. -restaurant -NA beverage store -hair salon -vintage clothing store Walkable neighborhoods are in low supply (due to zoning) & high demand, so pricey. Let’s build/adapt more!

Imagine if you're a plumber who has the option of paying $15 to bypass congestion to earn $200 on an emergency house call. Now you have to decline it because you'll be stuck an 1+ hour in traffic.

Looks pretty cool, doesn't it? Now picture it doing 400 km/h (249 mph)... 🧵

America already has 1000s of well-run Tokyo-ish governments: the private, mostly suburban HOAs, with their safe streets, clean public spaces and healthy balance sheets. But that ain't happening in SF.

Je me souviens d’une conversation avev Karel Mayrand qui me disait que j’avais tort de vouloir plus de Houston dans le monde (au titre du zonage très léger). Voici Market Urbanist sur le sujet #polqc

A read on cost drivers in🏠 from Market Urbanist Scott Beyer: How Road Design Makes #Housing More Expensive catalyst.independent.org/2024/08/01/sub…

From Northwood University True North via Independent Institute : Why are there so few big city Walmarts? Market Urbanist posits that challenging economics for big box retail are exacerbated by hostile politicians. truenorthideas.org/why-are-there-…

"Housing is a wealth creation tool but we also must make it cheaper by building more of it." Pick a side, gramps.

New buildings are criticized for their cookie-cutter architecture, but design review rules and other regulations help cause the problem. Market Urbanist catalyst.independent.org/2024/09/01/des…