Paul E Williams
@PEWilliams_
Executive director, Center for Public Enterprise (@PubEnterprise)
Getting progressive outcomes is about more than making wagers. If you want to ensure that affordable housing gets built across the city, put in place guardrails to guarantee it can’t be blocked rather than hoping and praying Sandy’s wager works out.
Deference has been broken where bad faith negotiations were seen and a good project was at stake. Blanket statements don't reflect the reality of the council. Deference is about relationships. I would wager a really good project in her district would pass.
The Abundance debate and discussion you didn’t know you needed w @IsabellaMWeber, @BigMeanInternet, @PEWilliams_. The book; the discourse; the underlying economic and political questions; the actual but mystified capitalist social relations. Bringing light, not heat. Link below👇
One of the most exciting things about these charter revisions under a Zohran administration is the potential to build an insane amount of social housing quite quickly by empowering the city to build publicly financed housing without going through years of approval processes.
Question 1 - Fast Tracking Affordable Housing: Creates a simpler and faster approval process for publicly funded affordable housing. It also speeds up housing approvals in neighborhoods that haven't built enough affordable homes, in line with the Speaker's Fair Housing Framework.
I never thought it would happen to me. There is scaffolding going up outside my window. How long will it be here, 8 weeks, 8 years? No one can say.
Decentralization of land use authority is *the most significant driver* of NYC's affordable housing crisis. A strong state that can make clear, rational decisions with input from the community needs to eliminate hyperlocal governance veto points like this. This is how good…
The Charter Commission’s Final Report significantly weakens the City Council’s role in land use decisions. This shift toward executive control undermines democratic oversight and meaningful public engagement. I stand with my colleagues who are fighting back. Our statement below:
Yes on all five ✅
NYC Charter Review Commission just voted on ballot proposals for the Nov. election: 1: Fast Tracking Affordable Housing – PASSED 2: Simplified review of modest housing – PASSED 3: Land Use Appeals Board – PASSED 4: Modernize the City Map – PASSED 5: Even-year elections – PASSED
NYC Charter Review Commission just voted on ballot proposals for the Nov. election: 1: Fast Tracking Affordable Housing – PASSED 2: Simplified review of modest housing – PASSED 3: Land Use Appeals Board – PASSED 4: Modernize the City Map – PASSED 5: Even-year elections – PASSED
A bill unveiled Friday aims to provide government backing for second mortgages to finance construction of increasingly popular accessory dwelling units on.wsj.com/44GOzFe
New: A 50-year-old federal rule has stifled affordable housing. Congress may finally, at long last, do something about it vox.com/policy/420254/…
Blue city vibe shift underway
Credit where its due. The Chicago Progressive Caucus has really turned a corner on their housing abundance policy. Three aldermen are sticking their neck out big time to support ordinances that would increase the housing capacity allowed on Broadway. They are doing this over…
Today's the day! Thanks to all who came out to celebrate the station openings with us at the RPM Commemorative First Ride. We’re thrilled to welcome you to the modern, fully ADA-accessible Lawrence, Argyle, Berwyn, and Bryn Mawr stations. We got there together! #CTARPM #Chicago
NEW: CNN poll results out this morning shows Americans largely oppose Trump’s ramp-up of deportations. @priscialva breaks down the findings with @mkraju and explains why it shows "the public is paying attention." #InsidePolitics
NEW: CNN poll results out this morning shows Americans largely oppose Trump’s ramp-up of deportations. @priscialva breaks down the findings with @mkraju and explains why it shows "the public is paying attention." #InsidePolitics
I’ve been saying
It would be extremely good if we had a residential investment boom. But I do not agree that this is an alternative to zoning reform. The best case for a boom is that we must *take full advantage* of all of the necessary and powerful zoning reforms taking place across the country.
IMO, we should 1. legalize building housing 2. come up with a # on what the supply of housing would be today if we had legal housing for the last 35 years 3. finance its construction
It would be extremely good if we had a residential investment boom. But I do not agree that this is an alternative to zoning reform. The best case for a boom is that we must *take full advantage* of all of the necessary and powerful zoning reforms taking place across the country.
The US desperately needs a home construction boom. But it's not happening. New homes completed plunged in June to the lowest level since January 2022. Building permits and housing starts are also at some of the lowest levels since the pandemic. Yes, zoning rule changes would…
My Amtrak home broke down just outside of DC, they had us walk across this platform to board another Amtrak train that stopped next to us. Sorry, I didn’t get a picture.