Eric Kronberg — Principal at Kronberg Urbanists + Architects — is in good traffic this week to talk about the mechanics of building better neighborhoods. Are family units have gotten smaller, while our home sizes have gotten larger. This means less supply, and less opportunity to build more. We get into what makes zoning reform such a powerful tool in evolving this housing dynamic, why parking minimums are the silent killer of affordability, and how small-scale development is the most durable path forward.

Eric translates urbanism into practical action better than anyone — not just through design, but through policy advocacy and development.

His perspective is vital to American urbanism.

We discuss:

00:00 Eric Kronberg is in good traffic.

01:34 From Ohio roots to southern urbanism.

04:25 What zoning actually does (and doesn’t do).

06:25 Parking minimums, explained.

11:27 Visual storytelling in policy change.

21:04 Household size, square footage, and the housing crisis.

28:22 Why Atlanta’s growth patterns matter nationally.

31:05 Optimistically tackling NIMBY politics.

34:35 How local advocates shape real change.

43:22 On the Incremental Development Alliance.

46:15 Revising ordinances and quick development math.

49:26 What new developers need to learn.

52:18 The promise of an e-bike commute.

Further context:

The household size slide we reference.

Kronberg Urbanists + Architects.

Incremental Development Alliance.

Inc Codes.

Follow Eric on LinkedIn.

Tahra Hoops — Policy wonk, and Director of Economic Analysis at the Chamber of Progress — joins the show this week to talk about the generation that's been simultaneously told it's going to "save the world," has "no work ethic," has "been through a lot," and yet is "soft."

Zoomers are a nuanced bunch, and that makes us a unique and challenging crew to communicate policy to/with. Add in a segment of the generation (more on this breakdown in the episode) growing up in a media environment that's primed for misinformation/disinformation and equipped with the power to skip-to-next without absorbing the full story (this applies to short-form video, presidential politics, and just about anything in between), and the results are what you might expect. It impacts how we co-mingle, vote, where we choose to live, and the level of hope we possess.

Tahra's work is all about synthesizing and breaking down both cultural and economic data and trends into more understanding information — largely pertaining to housing and cost of living.

We discuss:

00:00 Tahra Hoops is in good traffic.

02:32 Policy communication and rapid response.

05:24 Balancing data collection and real-time reactions.

10:13 The housing crisis and policy solutions.

22:34 Generational perspectives on politics.

33:42 Introduction to The Rebuild and cost of living issues.

34:28 Small policy changes with big impacts.

35:32 Examples of effective policy initiatives.

37:09 Governor Shapiro's abundance politics.

38:15 The importance of positive feedback in politics.

40:42 Challenges in housing policy comms.

47:29 Why we live where we live.

52:10 In praise of walkability.

01:00:05 Wrapping up.

For context:

⁠The Rebuild (Tahra's Substack).⁠

The Progress Chamber.

Some of Tahra's Gen Z commentary.

Tahra on X.

This week, we're workshopping ways to get car companies to prioritize pedestrian safety. Why don't all cars have speed governers that cap at, say, 85 mph? And, a call for community feedback.

For context:

On TomTom's safety tech.

@SubwayTakes on TikTok.

On 'Brick' which I may have called Block, in the episode...my mistake).

Clayton Sealey — Charlotte, North Carolina civic leader and the brain behind @cltdevelopment — is in good traffic. We hit on progress in the rapidly growing southern city, roadblocks at the state level, and housing / transit policy momentum. We also discuss the how behind getting involved with city council in your locale, utilizing North Carolina's many collegetowns as American precedents, and the ever-present predicament of strengthening civics education.

We discuss:

00:00 Charlotte's appeal.

03:03 Involvement in Charlotte's development.

03:23 City population rankings in context.

04:38 Charlotte's zoning and development stasis.

05:18 Path into urban development.

09:04 Advocacy and community involvement.

15:16 Challenges in local politics.

16:46 State vs. city dynamics.

22:41 Housing bill and development tensions.

27:36 Simplifying economic conversations.

28:26 Trust in urban development.

29:12 Traffic and urban growth.

29:46 Building a framework for development.

34:01 The weather factor.

39:52 College towns as American precedents.

44:57 Exciting North Carolina infrastructure projects.

50:46 Favorite commute.

Connect with Clayton:

On Instagram.

On X.

Writer of the weekly Bike Bulletin newsletter (subscribe right now.) — Sam Westby — is back on the show. We knock out a current events survey, with topics curated through both of our weekly research habits in the urbanism, bikes, and adjacent worlds. It's mostly positive, and hopefully always constructive.

Sam's off to Spain to bike for a while. Make sure to follow his incredible rides and work (links below).

We discuss:

00:00 Sam's recent activities.

02:42 The Bike Bulletin newsletter.

03:38 Automated cameras on buses in Massachusetts.

07:14 Seattle's quick fix for bike lane safety.

11:47 Paris' ambitious plan for a walkable city.

15:13 New York City's progress in bike infrastructure.

24:43 The benefits of protected bike lanes.

25:18 Parking vs. bike lanes: the business impact.

27:19 Context matters: urban vs. suburban solutions.

28:27 The importance of bike share systems.

36:30 Public investment in infrastructure and innovation.

40:36 The role of public and private sectors in development.

45:47 Concluding thoughts.

The following links are the conversational guideposts you'll hear about in this episode:

One: automated ticketing of cars parking in bus lanes.

Two: cities can improve cycling infrastructure overtime based on feedback, like Seattle does here.

Three: Paris is making another 500 streets car-free.

Four: New York City traffic fatality data, safety measures, and bike infrastructure improvements.

Five: Maximizing bikeshare ridership.

Six: On underpublicized public R+D and investment that underpins American innovation — from railroads, to highways, to the internet (and a caution to those chastising and cutting it).

SUBSCRIBE TO THE BIKE BULLETIN (Sam's newsletter).

+ Follow Sam on Instagram and TikTok.

Diana Lind — founder & author of The New Urban Order newsletter — joins us to discuss her extensive career writing on urban planning, zoning, and American housing policy. She talks about the evolution of urbanism and architecture media, and how it has shaped public discourse surrounding growth, housing crises, and city development. The conversation reaches into her book Brave New Home, where she tackles alternatives to single-family zoning and the social implications of various housing models.

We get into the specifics of a few recently published newsletters.

We discuss:

00:00 The journey into writing about urban planning.

03:50 On the housing crisis.

05:48 The New Urban Order and writing on Substack.

07:37 The American context in urban planning.

10:41 Montana's housing reforms.

19:39 The role of language in urban policy.

21:26 Writing for different audiences.

25:45 Challenges in writing about housing.

28:49 Federal lands and housing solutions.

30:33 Challenges of single family zoning.

34:56 Alternative housing development models.

39:41 Government property conversions.

46:54 The appeal of Philadelphia.

52:46 The New Urban Order newsletter.

54:32 Favorite commute and final thoughts.

For context:

On converting public lands to housing (the referenced newsletter).

On Montana's sweeping housing reform (via Sightline Institute).

Connect with Diana:

www.dianalind.com.

The newsletter - The New Urban Order.

On LinkedIn.

This week, we survey intricacies and discrepancies in driver and pedestrian safety data. Intermixed are a few recent anecdotes and observations from a week in New York City spent exploring with landscape architects, developers, and friends alike.

It's always a reinvigorating trip for a pedestrian and transit-adorer; a few of my recs are found in this audio.

We discuss:

00:00 On recent travels to NYC.

02:06 On road safety and traffic fatality data.

05:50 Analyzing traffic data and trends.

11:38 Car bloat, unsafe streets, sprawl, and other contributing factors.

27:33 The pedestrian experience in New York City.

47:37 Upcoming.

For context:

⁠Pedestrian and traffic deaths, compared to other high-income nations (2013-2022) (via the CDC).⁠

⁠NHTSA data projections (via the NHTSA).⁠

⁠On cyclist fatalities, and interpreting the data (via Ken McLeod of the League of American Bicyclists).

Rachel Bardis — COO at California developer Somers West — is in good traffic this week to check on an ambitious project taking shape outside of Sacramento, California.

Rachel shares where Braden's development currently stands, including recent infrastructure work and plans for lot deliveries. We touch historical context of the project, and the importance of creating a community that integrates diverse housing types, walkability, and practical sustainability. Health, connectivity, and engagement is the aim for what hopes to be a model for future suburban developments.

We discuss:

00:00 Rachel Bardis is in good traffic.

00:50 Braden's current development status.

01:44 California development.

03:01 Historical context and a new suburban vision.

06:32 Project timeline and evolution.

08:54 Vision, etc.

10:34 Location and strategic importance.

20:58 Transportation and connectivity.

28:30 Intentional community design elements.

29:17 Multifunctional green spaces.

29:53 Suburban density counterframing.

30:52 Diverse housing types.

32:27 Integrated community planning.

38:35 Construction and management challenges.

45:46 Personal motivation.

50:47 Wrapping up.

Further context:

On Braden.

On Somers West.

Connect with Rachel:

On LinkedIn.