montgomery county’s housing production fund has become a national model for producing lower-cost homes at a big scale. maryland passed a law taking it statewide in 2024—and now it’s time to actually fund it marylandmatters.org/2026/08/03/m...

Maryland's case for a statewide housing revolving fund - Maryland Matters

Maryland has big housing problems and ambitious housing goals, but it also has an example of a possible solution, write Zachary Marks and Tom Coale, who say the state should mimic Montgomery County's ...

marylandmatters.org

This is one of the logical end points of the anti-trans panic

Gillian Branstetter@gbbranstetter.bsky.social · 3d ago

An initiative on the ballot in Washington state in November would require all athletes seeking to play girl's sports from kindergarten to high school to undergo "genetic screening, a testosterone-levels test, or an examination of their reproductive anatomy" before they can play

No they couldn't. People unironically get madder about housing than data centers.

GodlessPrimate@godlessprimate.bsky.social · 4d ago

It's all about priorities. The tech bros gave politicians a lot of money.

Yuuuuuuuuuuup

Chicago 🏳️‍⚧️🌱@chicagotrans-plant.bsky.social · 3d ago

Sorry folks! The housing crisis isn't driven by landlords, it's driven by a pan-political alliance against folks who want to live anywhere near them or their commute or their park or their kids school or..

Not satire by enough takomatorch.com/index.php/20...

Takoma Park: New Housing Belongs Over on University Blvd, Just Not THAT Part of University Blvd

TAKOMA PARK, MD – After years of insisting that new housing belongs outside the city limits “somewhere over on University Boulevard,” Takoma Park residents were horrified to learn…

takomatorch.com

I think my most genuinely unpopular take is that a widely held and genuine consumer preference for cheaper, lower-quality goods, not private equity, is driving the decline in quality of consumer goods like clothing and housewares.

As my love of hot beverages reminds me of my love for housing reform, once again excellent mug @ggwash.org @justupthepike.bsky.social

More on this from me later but anyone who knows me knows I don’t say this lightly. “Marc is right about this” www.mymcmedia.org/elrich-react... It’s bad news and would hamper the county long term, and it has a good chance of passing, and that would be terrible.

Elrich reacts to Stop the Spend ballot initiative

County Executive Marc Elrich responded to the MCGOP Stop the Spend ballot initiative to limit future increases in the county budget.

mymcmedia.org

“Go to one housing meeting” they said “you won’t be making dumb inside baseball (hah) jokes about affectionate disagreements about rent stabilization policy 7 years later” they said.

Mike English@mocomikee.bsky.social · 4d ago

I’m less than shocked to hear you don’t support a wage/ price cap (laudatory)

🦀 Join us on Sun, August 9th in Columbia or virtually for the 2026 Renters United Maryland Housing Justice Summit! 🏘️ You’ll meet other advocates, help us shape our 2027 policy agenda, and learn skills to build our movement. 💥 Lunch, snacks, and breaks provided! ➡️ Save your seat: bit.ly/rum2026

Squishiness on trans rights is a dealbreaker for me because (a) it’s a straightforward issue of personal freedom and bodily autonomy much like abortion, and (b) the right is obviously coming after us cis gays next.

ashley 🌹@clearlyashley.bsky.social · last wk.

trans rights frankly is a top 5, potentially top 3 issue for me despite not being trans and not having any trans family being bigoted against trans folks not only hurts my trans friends and every trans person but is so predictive of further bigotry

Whenever I feel bad about California’s insane NIMBYism, I remind myself that England exists: “Over 660 Bromley North residents have signed a petition calling for the car park to remain open, and the planning application for the [homeless children’s] home has received nearly 100 objections.”

Jonn Elledge@jonnelledge.bsky.social · 2w ago

I feel like the way of dealing with such behaviour is to look these people right in the eye and say, very gently, "You think your right to park matters more than homes these children?" Then when they reply just repeat it with slightly different emphasis.

Silver Spring, it’s good!

d. reed, crisp & juicy enjoyer 🦀🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🇬🇾@justupthepike.bsky.social · 2w ago

I constantly have to remind myself that when I’m stuck in my head I need to touch grass so today I walked 3 miles around silver spring with my friend from out of town and remembered why I like living here

I constantly have to remind myself that when I’m stuck in my head I need to touch grass so today I walked 3 miles around silver spring with my friend from out of town and remembered why I like living here

Well played Montgomery parks www.instagram.com/reel/DbMQZa1...

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Create an account or log in to Instagram - Share what you're into with the people who get you.

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At the risk of stating the obvious, there is no compromise that will make people calling 3 homes an “invasion” happy, and a lot of NIMBYs react this way to the most modest of proposals. Policy makers need to stop moderating policies to try to placate them. It never works, just do the thing.

This re-share of an old piece of mine brought to you by a mix of me having the day off, Giant not having the barbecue sauce I use for pulled pork, and my own neurodivergence. ggwash.org/view/97890/2...

2024 GGWash Picks: Why it’s so hard, and so important, to embrace change

2024 GGWash Picks: Not approving zoning changes in Montgomery County won’t make anyone less afraid. But we can make sure that other people aren’t hurt in an effort to placate someone else’s fears.

ggwash.org

FYI about an event this Sunday in Rockville people!

Fairly low down on the long list of reasons I will never run for public office is that my bumper stickers would have to be gigantic with tiny type

Mike English@mocomikee.bsky.social · 2w ago

I’m not quite as pessimistic as that but I’m picking up what you’re putting down, a lot of people are willing to be “progressive” so long as nothing changes, and some of the further left are more about purity tests and critiquing power than progress, so both wings can be exhausting

I don’t generally doubt the sincerity of people on the broader left who oppose more homes near them when they say they want to welcome people and care for LGBTQ+ and reproductive rights and such, but friendly reminder that blue areas can’t protect people that can’t live there.

Yes, and: There is no such thing as luxury housing. It's a ubiquitous marketing term designed for gullible people.

David Roberts@volts.wtf · 2w ago

It's wild to me how many people do not understand this. "Luxury housing" is not some ontologically separate category from the rest of the housing market. Nor is "affordable housing." It's all one big fluid market & when you build more, everyone moves up & frees up the bottom end.

I really need Matt Yglesias to stop writing words

Remember, both the Iliad and the Odyssey were originally audiobooks.

Please read this entire thread, it compassionately shows how even understandable nervousness that leads to opposing housing near you, not driven by malice, can still do harm

foolstruth@hpsauter.bsky.social · 3w ago

I’ve long supported attainable and missing middle housing. The fight is now in my backyard, literally. Through constructive conversations we’re slowly moving folks away from fear of change to “What kind of change will benefit the community?”

I’ve long supported attainable and missing middle housing. The fight is now in my backyard, literally. Through constructive conversations we’re slowly moving folks away from fear of change to “What kind of change will benefit the community?”

What a small sign can – and can’t – tell us about big developments

A yard sign’s anti-housing message echoes Silver Spring’s painful history. Montgomery County’s next executive and county council should be prepared to get the conversation on track amid planned transi...

ggwash.org

How going outside today feels

still thinking about how Hochul pushed a law that would legalize more housing in Long Island and in response all of the chud republican politicians started talking like woke grad students

Please testify in support if able to btw

Mike English@mocomikee.bsky.social · 3w ago

Looking forward to a bunch of people explaining why we shouldn’t “Manhattanize” the densest census tract in the country (yes it’s something of a statistical fluke but there are already big buildings there that people living in now would oppose if proposed now) bethesdamagazine.com/2026/07/17/f...

Looking forward to a bunch of people explaining why we shouldn’t “Manhattanize” the densest census tract in the country (yes it’s something of a statistical fluke but there are already big buildings there that people living in now would oppose if proposed now) bethesdamagazine.com/2026/07/17/f...

Planning Board sets public hearing dates for updated master plan for Friendship Heights

The plan offers a myriad of recommendations on housing, economic revitalization, transportation and public amenities.

bethesdamagazine.com

The price of housing is set by supply and demand. We can observe the balance between supply and demand by looking at the vacancy rate. Low rental vacancy rates (below ~6%) indicate housing scarcity, which benefits landlords and lets them raise rents. A higher vacancy rates gives tenants leverage.

NBC10 Boston@nbcboston.com · 3w ago

Boston apartments aren’t what you'd call affordable. But they’re cheaper than they used to be. on.nbcboston.com/aueiOR5