How does Houston plan without zoning?
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Date: 2021-04-24
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Comments and reviews: 9
Agent76
Everyone must understand Zoning's Role in Segregation and then everything comes together.
An editorial in the New York Times argues that exclusionary zoning reinforces segregation and must be curbed.
Richard D. Kahlenberg sees segregation written into the zoning laws of American cities and towns. Even though racial segregation laws have been struck down by the Supreme Court, exclusionary zoning endures, and that zoning, Kahlenberg argues, is fueling segregation.
The Supreme Court s comparative willingness to tolerate explicit economic discrimination is mirrored in American public policy, Kahlenberg argues. These laws and policies have ensured that, while racial segregation has decreased, class segregation has increased.
Exclusionary zoning frustrates the Fair Housing Act s aim by erecting barriers that exclude millions of low-income African-Americans and Latinos from wealthier white communities, Kahlenberg writes.
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Everyone must understand Zoning's Role in Segregation and then everything comes together.
An editorial in the New York Times argues that exclusionary zoning reinforces segregation and must be curbed.
Richard D. Kahlenberg sees segregation written into the zoning laws of American cities and towns. Even though racial segregation laws have been struck down by the Supreme Court, exclusionary zoning endures, and that zoning, Kahlenberg argues, is fueling segregation.
The Supreme Court s comparative willingness to tolerate explicit economic discrimination is mirrored in American public policy, Kahlenberg argues. These laws and policies have ensured that, while racial segregation has decreased, class segregation has increased.
Exclusionary zoning frustrates the Fair Housing Act s aim by erecting barriers that exclude millions of low-income African-Americans and Latinos from wealthier white communities, Kahlenberg writes.
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tp
Fantastic video!
To all the wannabe libertarians out there praising dallas for its free market. Its still allowing free highways and other massively expensive infra+ parking minimums means cars are insanely subsidized. Once you stop giving so many free handouts to cars, you will find transit and walking etc. Become soooo much more enticing.
Look to Japan for the solution. They have a true free market for parking in that its up to you to pay the market land value and install parking space on your property. There is no cheap street parking. Same with urban highways, which charge tolls that pay for 100% of the construction.
That is as close to a true Free Market as tt gets, and guess what? It naturally leads to public transportation and walkable neighborhoods to thrive
Would love a Japan related video from you one day. There is lots of interesting urban planning stuff there!
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Fantastic video!
To all the wannabe libertarians out there praising dallas for its free market. Its still allowing free highways and other massively expensive infra+ parking minimums means cars are insanely subsidized. Once you stop giving so many free handouts to cars, you will find transit and walking etc. Become soooo much more enticing.
Look to Japan for the solution. They have a true free market for parking in that its up to you to pay the market land value and install parking space on your property. There is no cheap street parking. Same with urban highways, which charge tolls that pay for 100% of the construction.
That is as close to a true Free Market as tt gets, and guess what? It naturally leads to public transportation and walkable neighborhoods to thrive
Would love a Japan related video from you one day. There is lots of interesting urban planning stuff there!
reply
Alfred
Living in Houston vs past places like San Antonio and Philadelphia the one advantage is that a good chuck of Houston is not under deed restrictions and since there is no zoning code it makes all other ordinance negotiable for developers (I. e. ask or lobby for exemptions) this helps in lowering cost for development coming to older neighborhoods as well as gives fewer tools to NIMBYs to fight off needed infill in their neighborhoods. It s not perfect but I just remember the red tape from both San Antonio and Philadelphia but in Houston even rich people have a hard time fighting developers unless you live in the outer loop
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Living in Houston vs past places like San Antonio and Philadelphia the one advantage is that a good chuck of Houston is not under deed restrictions and since there is no zoning code it makes all other ordinance negotiable for developers (I. e. ask or lobby for exemptions) this helps in lowering cost for development coming to older neighborhoods as well as gives fewer tools to NIMBYs to fight off needed infill in their neighborhoods. It s not perfect but I just remember the red tape from both San Antonio and Philadelphia but in Houston even rich people have a hard time fighting developers unless you live in the outer loop
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farid
We should all in the world go for more compact cities to fight sprawling which is a big waste of land and resources and damages the environment. For years there has been talks about making cities more compact and now due to more remote working which will likely remain even after the end of corona pandemic and more interest in public transportation which leads to less car use which also reduces the percentage of land under roads and parking, compact cities will be more considered as good options in planning. Please make some videos about compact cities.
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We should all in the world go for more compact cities to fight sprawling which is a big waste of land and resources and damages the environment. For years there has been talks about making cities more compact and now due to more remote working which will likely remain even after the end of corona pandemic and more interest in public transportation which leads to less car use which also reduces the percentage of land under roads and parking, compact cities will be more considered as good options in planning. Please make some videos about compact cities.
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Moksum
To me this seems a lot like the homeopathy thing where doctors thought they were helping, but in reality they just didn't add any extra harm through blood letting and such.
Houston's lack of zoning seems like it helps avoiding car centricity and such things, but only in so much as to not make things even worse through a bad zoning code. Houston still does not put any effort into actually creating walkable, cycable neighborhoods. And it's still enforcing harmful development patterns elsewhere. There's no cure for the patient in sight.
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To me this seems a lot like the homeopathy thing where doctors thought they were helping, but in reality they just didn't add any extra harm through blood letting and such.
Houston's lack of zoning seems like it helps avoiding car centricity and such things, but only in so much as to not make things even worse through a bad zoning code. Houston still does not put any effort into actually creating walkable, cycable neighborhoods. And it's still enforcing harmful development patterns elsewhere. There's no cure for the patient in sight.
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rjh00
I like the standards for the transit corridor in Houston. A developer can choose to not opt into it, but then they lose out on some benefits, but if they opt in they get those. I would imagine that this allows for a mix of development where certain developers think that the benefits are worth it but where others think it doesn't, which allows for the city to be a bit more varied. I think a system like this along with loosening zoning restrictions is a good compromise.
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I like the standards for the transit corridor in Houston. A developer can choose to not opt into it, but then they lose out on some benefits, but if they opt in they get those. I would imagine that this allows for a mix of development where certain developers think that the benefits are worth it but where others think it doesn't, which allows for the city to be a bit more varied. I think a system like this along with loosening zoning restrictions is a good compromise.
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Zeyev
I went to Houston for work a few decades ago and we stayed downtown. I was very impressed by the beauty of each of the skyscrapers individually and by the fun of the public sculptures. But it somehow seemed like perhaps the most boring place I had ever been to. Was the reason for that feeling because the people were in underground walkways instead of on the streets? I don't know. Has anyone else experienced that?
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I went to Houston for work a few decades ago and we stayed downtown. I was very impressed by the beauty of each of the skyscrapers individually and by the fun of the public sculptures. But it somehow seemed like perhaps the most boring place I had ever been to. Was the reason for that feeling because the people were in underground walkways instead of on the streets? I don't know. Has anyone else experienced that?
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AnUndivine
One advantage I could see with this strategy is just being able to do what you want with your home. I know a few people in my area who make money out of their garage. One was lucky enough to be in an area that allows for home industry, and so he can build a welding shop in his back yard. But the process of getting approval is a pain. For some reason, he's not allowed to have a bathroom in it.
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One advantage I could see with this strategy is just being able to do what you want with your home. I know a few people in my area who make money out of their garage. One was lucky enough to be in an area that allows for home industry, and so he can build a welding shop in his back yard. But the process of getting approval is a pain. For some reason, he's not allowed to have a bathroom in it.
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Jamie
Wait. just real quick, at 6: 18 it shows that Dallas does not have a subdivision ordinance? (It is 'unchecked'. I don't think this is right. I'm a planner in this region. I am assuming this means it has some aspect of it that is different? I love your videos, just not sure about that one. [update--I think maybe it is just a graphical accident, as you have it checked earlier in the video! ]
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Wait. just real quick, at 6: 18 it shows that Dallas does not have a subdivision ordinance? (It is 'unchecked'. I don't think this is right. I'm a planner in this region. I am assuming this means it has some aspect of it that is different? I love your videos, just not sure about that one. [update--I think maybe it is just a graphical accident, as you have it checked earlier in the video! ]
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