The Hidden Numbers that Design U. S. Cities
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Date: 2023-10-30
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Comments and reviews: 19
Gingermany
Austin TX is current in the middle of a fight to amend zoning laws to allow more density and make housing more affordable. Right now, if you want to build a 3 million home in Austin, it's pretty easy to do so. But when you want to build smaller, more efficient homes that are more affordable to a broader range of income earners, it's really difficult, even illegal. Of course the opposition is stating it will destroy single-family neighborhoods. It as if every street is a slipper slope in these NIMBY neighborhoods. Not to mention most of the 1950s neighborhoods are currently being torn down and rebuilt as McMansions which is completely changing the character of the neighborhood because that is the only redevelopment currently allowed.
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Austin TX is current in the middle of a fight to amend zoning laws to allow more density and make housing more affordable. Right now, if you want to build a 3 million home in Austin, it's pretty easy to do so. But when you want to build smaller, more efficient homes that are more affordable to a broader range of income earners, it's really difficult, even illegal. Of course the opposition is stating it will destroy single-family neighborhoods. It as if every street is a slipper slope in these NIMBY neighborhoods. Not to mention most of the 1950s neighborhoods are currently being torn down and rebuilt as McMansions which is completely changing the character of the neighborhood because that is the only redevelopment currently allowed.
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BrianIsBrined
With my neighborhood, I think the city (or the developer) was well intentioned, but they missed the mark. The lot sizes are small, and the driveways are small. Problem is, we're in the middle of a huge car-centric suburb, so nearly every household has multiple vehicles. This makes parking in the neighborhood a nightmare, and street parking is everywhere, but the street is pretty narrow. This isn't the end of the world normally, until you have to deal with moving vans and delivery vehicles. It's not unusual for a street to be completely blocked off. It sucks for pedestrians to because they're constantly having to dodge the cars. At least the speeds are low from the tight quarters, I guess.
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With my neighborhood, I think the city (or the developer) was well intentioned, but they missed the mark. The lot sizes are small, and the driveways are small. Problem is, we're in the middle of a huge car-centric suburb, so nearly every household has multiple vehicles. This makes parking in the neighborhood a nightmare, and street parking is everywhere, but the street is pretty narrow. This isn't the end of the world normally, until you have to deal with moving vans and delivery vehicles. It's not unusual for a street to be completely blocked off. It sucks for pedestrians to because they're constantly having to dodge the cars. At least the speeds are low from the tight quarters, I guess.
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Joseph
Single-family housing generally has front setbacks because single-family housing was originally designed for children, in an era when children actually wanted to play with random neighbors and parents were comfortable with them being out on the street side where everyone could see them. It was a selling point. Also it was an era when people opened their windows, and some distance from whatever noises/smells the neighbors were making might be welcome.
The front setback also in the past often served the purpose of being space in which to make up changes in grade, so that a street-efficient layout could be continued rather than leaving gaps where terrain was inconvenient.
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Single-family housing generally has front setbacks because single-family housing was originally designed for children, in an era when children actually wanted to play with random neighbors and parents were comfortable with them being out on the street side where everyone could see them. It was a selling point. Also it was an era when people opened their windows, and some distance from whatever noises/smells the neighbors were making might be welcome.
The front setback also in the past often served the purpose of being space in which to make up changes in grade, so that a street-efficient layout could be continued rather than leaving gaps where terrain was inconvenient.
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Jakeurb8ty
I lived in a small town in OR where they kept putting new apartments and multi family in the back of our small 6 block 90's development away from collectors and the center of the community so the traffic through it would get exponential. More density is good am glad Oregon is going to allow more of it, I'm just doubtful about investment in infrastructure to support it. They run this state like a colonial backwater when compared to our big neighbor to the south. Those houses in Hubbard had huge setbacks I lived on a corner with the larger side setback. Place felt uninviting outside. Now I live in an infill lot that has the 15 ft in front of the house - its cozy.
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I lived in a small town in OR where they kept putting new apartments and multi family in the back of our small 6 block 90's development away from collectors and the center of the community so the traffic through it would get exponential. More density is good am glad Oregon is going to allow more of it, I'm just doubtful about investment in infrastructure to support it. They run this state like a colonial backwater when compared to our big neighbor to the south. Those houses in Hubbard had huge setbacks I lived on a corner with the larger side setback. Place felt uninviting outside. Now I live in an infill lot that has the 15 ft in front of the house - its cozy.
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The
Now that you talk about it, I realize that many older homes in my city have a 15ft setback from the street, and are built on a 30x30ft plan, giving 900sqft with 2 floors. While many of the mid century bungalows have a 25ft setback and are about 22x42ft, giving 920sqft, but without a second floor. Also important to note with the bungalows is that the long side faces the street.
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Now that you talk about it, I realize that many older homes in my city have a 15ft setback from the street, and are built on a 30x30ft plan, giving 900sqft with 2 floors. While many of the mid century bungalows have a 25ft setback and are about 22x42ft, giving 920sqft, but without a second floor. Also important to note with the bungalows is that the long side faces the street.
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PIF
I live in Muskegon, Michigan and the city is going one neighborhood at a time and either allowing up to 4 units per lot IF they have an alley with parking in the back, or 2 units per lot if there is no ally or no parking in the back.
We are trying to make up a 5, 000 unit deficit in housing over the next 3 years.
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I live in Muskegon, Michigan and the city is going one neighborhood at a time and either allowing up to 4 units per lot IF they have an alley with parking in the back, or 2 units per lot if there is no ally or no parking in the back.
We are trying to make up a 5, 000 unit deficit in housing over the next 3 years.
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Casprizzle
imo, to get more density we should just build apartments or other developments like that. What is the point in owning a SFH when your neighbor's house is 2ft away from your windows, if I wanted to practically share a wall with my neighbor, I'd just get a condo. Having big yards is part of the appeal of SFH.
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imo, to get more density we should just build apartments or other developments like that. What is the point in owning a SFH when your neighbor's house is 2ft away from your windows, if I wanted to practically share a wall with my neighbor, I'd just get a condo. Having big yards is part of the appeal of SFH.
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Jeremy
Reducing setbacks is a good idea. I don't care for the idea of an 800 sqft home, thats smaller than most apartments. Our first home was a 1200 sqft house built in the 1950s and it was snug for 2 adults and 2 kids. We need solutions that don't involve squeezing people into continually smaller and smaller spaces.
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Reducing setbacks is a good idea. I don't care for the idea of an 800 sqft home, thats smaller than most apartments. Our first home was a 1200 sqft house built in the 1950s and it was snug for 2 adults and 2 kids. We need solutions that don't involve squeezing people into continually smaller and smaller spaces.
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maddiekits
I think a good policy would be suspending zoning rules for one or two existing lots per block as first come first serve, which would allow more density without effecting neighborhoodcharacter much.
Even a ten story building wouldn't do much overall if it only had a 1 lot footprint.
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I think a good policy would be suspending zoning rules for one or two existing lots per block as first come first serve, which would allow more density without effecting neighborhoodcharacter much.
Even a ten story building wouldn't do much overall if it only had a 1 lot footprint.
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yuriydee
Setbacks are one of the worst laws in my opinion. The front lawns may look nice but they are an absolute waste of space. Let developers and people decide how close they want their house to the street, government (whether local or state) should have no say in that.
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Setbacks are one of the worst laws in my opinion. The front lawns may look nice but they are an absolute waste of space. Let developers and people decide how close they want their house to the street, government (whether local or state) should have no say in that.
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Barry
Of course, just increasing population density is only part of the solution. The city may also need to have increased public transit, other zoning changes, and infrastructure that enable people to walk or bicycle to meet most of their daily needs.
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Of course, just increasing population density is only part of the solution. The city may also need to have increased public transit, other zoning changes, and infrastructure that enable people to walk or bicycle to meet most of their daily needs.
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QemeH
(1) Outlaw ANY shops in R1 areas.
(2) Zone the equivalent of the entire city of Monaco in just R1.
(3) Wonder why your citizens are so car-dependent.
US Americans sure are cute sometimes: D
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(1) Outlaw ANY shops in R1 areas.
(2) Zone the equivalent of the entire city of Monaco in just R1.
(3) Wonder why your citizens are so car-dependent.
US Americans sure are cute sometimes: D
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Nunya
Wait. You mean voters shouldn t have to vote on laws and regulations that are so complicated no one understands them? How long have you been an extreme libertarian and are you on the Koch s payroll?
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Wait. You mean voters shouldn t have to vote on laws and regulations that are so complicated no one understands them? How long have you been an extreme libertarian and are you on the Koch s payroll?
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Lauren
Great explainer! I was just looking into my local zoning codes and it was v confusing so this definitely helps. It s so infuriating so much of our house problems boil down to zoning laws!
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Great explainer! I was just looking into my local zoning codes and it was v confusing so this definitely helps. It s so infuriating so much of our house problems boil down to zoning laws!
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Julie
You could easily increase the density of a neighbourhood by allowing the building of duplexes or triplexes. But then you would have to deal with everyone shouting BuT mY pRoPeRtY vAlUeS!
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You could easily increase the density of a neighbourhood by allowing the building of duplexes or triplexes. But then you would have to deal with everyone shouting BuT mY pRoPeRtY vAlUeS!
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carlos
Dear City Beautiful, your videos are great. just let me ask for a petition, could you please subtitle the imperial unit to meters and such? people from europe get confused with that: )
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Dear City Beautiful, your videos are great. just let me ask for a petition, could you please subtitle the imperial unit to meters and such? people from europe get confused with that: )
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Barry
Regardless of the square footage of the housing stock, can t the city just raise or lower the taxes to cover the city needs? Never mind, the previous sentence mentioned the word taxes.
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Regardless of the square footage of the housing stock, can t the city just raise or lower the taxes to cover the city needs? Never mind, the previous sentence mentioned the word taxes.
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R. D.
The problem is once you change the code Corporations buy up everything and build huge overpriced apartments to justify their millions spent on luxury apartments that were never needed
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The problem is once you change the code Corporations buy up everything and build huge overpriced apartments to justify their millions spent on luxury apartments that were never needed
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Jason
Watched this back on Oct 7th on Nebula. Another fantastic video about something I hade no idea I need to know about! Loved it! One of my favourite creators on Nebula. Thanks, Dave!
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Watched this back on Oct 7th on Nebula. Another fantastic video about something I hade no idea I need to know about! Loved it! One of my favourite creators on Nebula. Thanks, Dave!
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