A few things to know this week: September 3rd, 2021
This week’s things to know:
Ok there are a lot of ways to come at this. Me, I’m coming in hot. More Americans want to live in big houses where they have to drive to everything? Ok Pew, thanks for running this study and for that stellar headline. Let me write another one; “Even with another wave of COVID looming, nearly 40% of Americans want to live in places where services, and activities are walkable, why aren’t we building more of that?” I’m biased of course, but I never understand how it’s useful to point out what people “want” without comparing that to what people have available. We’ve put up with massive homebuilders telling us for years that people want this or that, because the homes are selling like hotcakes. Let’s be clear, if you are starving and dreaming of a pizza, but all they have is hamburgers, you are eating a burger.
There is a massive disparity between the housing types and neighborhoods we are building and the housing types and neighborhoods people are looking for. All this study does is confirms that if people grow up eating burgers, and only have burgers available to them when finally presented with a choice, they might still choose burgers. Here’s some spare reading if you are so inclined. Why we can't build small homes anymore – From Curbed, and Attainable Housing: Challenges, Perceptions, and Solutions – a report from the ULI.
Marshall
The US Needs to Fix Existing Roads, Not Build New Ones
If our cities and states already have far more roads than we have money to maintain, why are we building more? And when we do spend money to expand systems or reconstruct existing roads, why are we putting them back in the same way that's created this funding gap? If we want to maximize taxpayer dollars (which every politician says), then the money should go toward projects that reduce maintenance liabilities while also revitalizing existing neighborhoods to preserve and enhance their health, safety, and value.
Kevin
Curious Texas: What's the meaning of 'Waxahachie', and what happened to the American Indians there?
We are working with the city of Waxahachie and aside from being such an interesting place, the name is quite interesting too! My friend Nataly at the Dallas Morning News wrote a piece on the meaning behind the name and the American Indian history in the area in her Curious Texas column this past week!
Makes me curious to know more stories behind the name of the cities and towns we all know and love.
Ryan
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