Sociologist at LSE studying cities, housing, and social theory. Co-author, In Defense of Housing. Former New Yorker. I reserve the right to remain cranky.
Nov 4, 2021 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
This is ridiculous. “Housing yes or no?” is an absurd & simplistic way to try to frame the debate. The actual conflicts: housing for whom, determined by whom, under what conditions, in what form, in what social and spatial contexts, with what tenure relations and power dynamics?
The debate about market-rate housing isn’t “housing yes or no,” it’s specifically about the role of the market: should market mechanisms and actors be the sole determinants of housing, or should other factors matter (e.g. questions of environmental, social or political justice)?
Nov 2, 2021 • 5 tweets • 1 min read
“Rather than think of homelessness as a condition, lawmakers should protect those who live on the street in the same way that the Constitution…protects groups based on race, gender or religion.” On one hand yes; OTOH this risks essentializing homelessness nytimes.com/2021/11/01/opi…
There is no question that discrimination against people experiencing homelessness must not be allowed. But it’s very important to see that homelessness is a (politically and economically produced) condition and not a category of person. To think otherwise invites stigmatization
Mar 2, 2021 • 5 tweets • 2 min read
A lot of hyper-ventilating in this piece, but it's just nonsense to claim that rent control in Berlin is a "disaster." Most rents have fallen! Flats are cheaper to buy "because real estate loses value if its future cash flows to landlords are capped." That's a feature, not a bug!
And the supply of new flats in Berlin is outpacing that of other German cities!
Nov 8, 2017 • 14 tweets • 3 min read
If you self-identify as pro-urban & anti-NIMBY, why aren't you demanding more public housing? | shelterforce.org/2017/11/02/tim… "The affordable housing field shouldn’t cede the 'increasing the supply of housing' and 'freeing up units through filtering' arguments to the luxury developers"
A lot of YIMBYs are replying to say that of course they support public housing! Surprised but delighted to discover that there are such huge numbers of municipal socialists in the YIMBY ranks
