Market Urbanism

Liberalizing cities | From the bottom up

“Market Urbanism” refers to the synthesis of classical liberal economics and ethics (market), with an appreciation of the urban way of life and its benefits to society (urbanism). We advocate for the emergence of bottom up solutions to urban issues, as opposed to ones imposed from the top down.

Market Urbanism MUsings April 1, 2016

By

hadid beijing

1. This week at Market Urbanism:

Michael Lewyn published his second MU article, Vouchers, Sprawl and Trade-Offs discussing the challenges to mitigating the “sprawl-generating machine” of the US public education system

A more market-oriented solution to the problem of sprawl-generating school systems is to break the link between residence and schooling, so that city residents would not be limited to urban neighborhood public schools.

Emily Washington‘s follow-up post about the need for low-quality housing. I can’t emphasize enough, the importance of Emily’s argument!

But government housing has a long, broad, and universal history of decrepit living conditions, poor safety, and negative economic mobility. Indeed, a welfare state large enough to provide housing support to millions of immigrants would have drastically increased voter-opposition to the United States’ relatively open doors.

2. Where’s Scott?

Scott Beyer spent his first week in Dallas, locating in the rapidly-growing northern suburb of Richardson. His two Forbes articles were about Oklahoma City—A Tale Of Two Alcohol Laws: New Orleans And Oklahoma City and How Tinder Is Changing The Urban Bar Scene:

One competing Oklahoma City bar had, according to Cole and Koinzan, put a sign out front saying “come have your awkward Tinder date here.” If other bars nationwide are noticing such cultural shifts, perhaps they should hang these signs too.

3. At the Market Urbanism Facebook Group:

Adam Milsap shared his article Help Distressed People, Not Distressed Cities

Tobias Cassandra Holbrook shared People Prefer Neo-Traditional Buildings

Bjorn Swenson is interested in development pattern in Houston

John Morris looked at all the land use micro-management, and isn’t buying the gobblygook that Houston isn’t zoned

David N Welton wants to see thorough rebuttals of the “the character of the neighborhood” NIMBY argument

Three people shared an MIT Technology Review article on how data mining is backing up Jane Jacobs on the four conditions that make vibrant urban neighborhoods

4. Elsewhere:

R.I.P. Zaha Hadid. A look back at her 10 best buildings.

libertarianism.org podcast discussion with Randal O’Toole worth listening

Daniel Hertz: What works, and what doesn’t, with housing vouchers

Chris Bradford‘s latest would make for an interesting discussion: Good street networks do not emerge; they are designed

Shared Housing, Micro Apartment Projects Often Push Legal Limits

Nine barriers to building housing in Austin’s central city by Dan Keshet

In Houston, an immigrant community functions without traditional government services.

5. Stephen Smith‘s Tweet of the Week:

Comments

  1. Is Michael Lewyn on Twitter? That piece on school funding was very good. He didn’t quite take his argument all the way to a full solution, but he’s on to something. So-called ‘public’ school systems are undermining traditional cities, as people of means remove themselves to avail of club benefits in adjoining communities.

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