Some inconvenient polling about how voters think about housing reform. Fortunately, common sense policies like requiring local governments to approve projects that meet clear standards still poll very well.

"Circulate San Diego celebrates Park(ing) Day in downtown Chula Vista, highlighting the potential benefits of repurposing street parking for public use."

After last week's YIMBYtown conference in New Haven, I stopped into NYC for two nights. It was a fun whirlwind, after a 6-year hiatus. Hope to visit again soon, and catch up with everyone.

I will be speaking on a panel at the @CalTransit annual conference in November about "The Powerless Brokers: Why California Can't Build Transit. " See the whole schedule and register at caltransit.org/Events/Annua....

This really is incredible. I can't wait to try them. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/18/t...

A very indulgent article about writing and punctuation. Showing off really.

We really are living in the future. A realtime translator in your ear has been imagined in sci-fi for decades upon decades. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/18/t...

The US used to have strong rules to prevent media consolidation. We need those again. Corporate overlords would have far less incentive to muzzle comedians and news outlets if the merger approvals they're seeking were preemptively prohibited. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/19/o...

The Campbell is a half-hidden bar in Grand Central Station. It's a very New York experience.

The urinals at the Comedy Cellar have mirrors in front and behind your head, perfectly positioned to see exactly how much your hair is thinning.

Hamburger America in Greenwich Village. Super good.

Exciting to be here in NYC during the rate cut. Dancing in the streets. Guys in expensive suits roving the subway platforms pouring champagne for strangers. Everyone high-fiving each other.

Had a fun tour through New Haven along the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail. Like a lot of "rails to trail" projects that repurpose rail rights-of-way, this turned an old channel pathway into a linear park.

Enjoyed the tour of downtown New Haven this afternoon. A great mix of historic properties, rehabbed art decos, and tactical urbanism.

YIMBY field trip for New Haven pizza. The hype is real.

I'm off to the YIMBYtown conference in New Haven. Flew to JHK, took the AirTrain to Jamaica Station, the Long Island Rail Road to Penn Station, walked to Moynihan Station, taking Amtrak to New Haven, and walking 20 min to my hotel downtown.

Some of the best meals I've ever had were at Babbo when I lived in NYC. Happy to read that the chef from that era is returning.

A lot of what this article says about NYC is true of the US. We have big challenges, yes. But we also have big accomplishments, too.

Legendary environmentalist Bill McKibben is with us at YIMBYtown. We need more environmental leaders like Bill who understand that homes near transit are a key way to address climate change.

State Housing Policy Changes Are More Random Than You Think

Some reflections on last week's Abundance conference. open.substack.com/pub/colinpar...

Fixed Headline: "Man from Boston believes he can improve options for Mexican food in San Diego." fox5sandiego.com/news/busines...

Lots of these walking groups around San Diego. Circulate started a number of them, but lots more have other origin stories.

Back home for a few days between East Coast conferences. Thanks to MTS for helping me get around!

To commemorate my recent visit to our nation's capitol, the Greater Greater Washington newsletter includes an entry about my recent appearance on the Talking Headways podcast. @ggwash ggwash.org/view/100717/...

MAGA World Is So Close to Getting It

California will do anything to save democracy — except build housing

So I drove past this exact service oriented office complex at 11:30AM and 12:30PM today. The parking lot was 40% vacant at 11:30 and 20% vacant at 12:30. There isn't much of a parking issue there (and if it was, like 7 spaces on Black Mountain Rd wouldn't solve it)

Bring your kids to learn how to bike safely.

In advance of this week's Abundance Conference in DC, the YIMBY Action podcast "Infill" talked to one of the key organizers. It's a good primer of the event and the movement, whether or not you're attending. infill.simplecast.com/episodes/bui...

Fun to catch up with LA Congressperson Laura Friedman at the YIMBY Action welcome reception here in DC. She was a champion for housing in the Assembly, and now in Congress! inpractice.yimbyaction.org/p/principles...

This is a great read from @NeverSassyLaura about how the broader Abundance movement can learn from the YIMBY movement. open.substack.com/pub/politics...

Between Ezra Klein's everything bagel, and Chris Elmendorf's plain bagel streamlining, lies Poppy Bagel Liberalism. Yes, the abundance bagel is a spectrum. My latest on getting policy done. colinparent.substack.com/p/poppy-bage...

Check out this paper on the "Varieties of Abundance" from Steve Teles with the @NiskanenCenter. It's a useful taxonomy of different worldviews among the Abundance space. Lots of commonalities–and distinctions–between the different flavors of abundants. www.niskanencenter.org/abundance-va...

Next week I'll be attending the Abundance conference in DC. See you there? www.abundancedc.org

In general, the last two weeks of Odd Lots on the Fed/Trump battle have been great (even if sometimes way over my English major head) but this episode in particular is clear and concise and a clarion call podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/o...

Thank you Secretary Omishakin for inviting me to join the California Sustainable Communities Task Force. California has a lot of challenges , and opportunities , when it comes to linking our transportation and land uses. @ToksOmishakin @CA_Trans_Agency calsta.ca.gov/press-releas...

You can watch a recording of the panel discussion organized by @SPUR_Urbanist about our report "The Powerless Brokers: Why California Can't Build Transit" here:

The Cleveland Museum of Art is really spectacular. The Takashi Murakami exhibit was a happy surprise.

Excited to visit family here in Cincinnati! I am now being told that we are in Cleveland.

I'm very excited about the new Raphael Bob-Wakesberg series. BoJack Horseman was a masterpiece.

If you're just looking at ridership data, San Diego's public transit is doing remarkably well. But the agency — like its peers across the country — is facing a looming deficit. Absent new revenue, MTS will have to cut services by 25% in just a few years. My latest:

This is so awesome!! We need more housing in the south bay!! And right next to the blue line is a great place to be!!

I'm on KPBS talking about a new 380-unit apartment complex planned across the street from the Palm Avenue trolley station. www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBbf...

Gross losers.

Yes, of course I subscribed. Liberalism is good. So is @JerusalemDemsas. www.theargumentmag.com

I love that the article titled "The Stock Market Is Getting Scary. What You Should Do," gives the same advice for what you should do if the market isn't scary. Buy and hold indexed funds. Have more bonds if you're older.

You’re going to want the extended mix.

Talking Headways Podcast: The Powerless Brokers - usa.streetsblog.org/2025/08/15/t... via @usa.streetsblog.org, @theoverheadwire.com, and @colinparent.bsky.social

New #TalkingHeadways podcast! This week @colinparent.bsky.social joins the show to talk about a new report entitled The Powerless Brokers: Why California Can't Build Transit. Pre-construction permitting can really gum up the works. link.theoverheadwire.com/4bm7d @usa.streetsblog.org