mattfrommer.bsky.social - Profile | ThreadSky | a Reddit-style client for Bluesky

Our team at SWEEP is tracking local progress toward complying with Colorado's 2024 state land use laws and today we published a Progress Report. Big date to watch is 6/30 when the ADU & parking reform laws take effect, but so far dozens of cities are taking action: www.swenergy.org/directory/co...

submitted 14 days ago • 1 comment

When vacancy rates rise, rents fall. It's the most robust finding in housing. If you want housing costs to fall, you have to build.

submitted 27 days ago • 27 comments

Very disappointed in our Colorado lawmakers tonight. Road deaths/injuries jumped 50% in the last 5 years. For a $0.25/month fee on car insurance, we could’ve funded $12M/year of pedestrian & bicycle safety projects - saving lives & lowering insurance rates, but no apparently that was too much. Smdh

submitted 28 days ago • 0 comments

Great op-ed from @jlocantore.bsky.social about the economic benefits of transit and the threat posed by the Trump admin: www.denverpost.com/2025/04/25/d...

submitted 33 days ago • 1 comment

CO's HB24-1304 takes effect 6/30, after which cities can no longer enforce minimum parking mandates for multifamily housing near transit - a policy that's proven to lower housing costs, cut emissions & support local business. More in our new Parking Reform Primer: www.swenergy.org/parking-refo...

submitted 35 days ago • 0 comments

Not a single time in this article glorifying the need for sprawl to address the US's affordable housing crisis is there a mention of the vast transportation costs of sprawling living patterns. Nor is there mention of the fact that sprawl is directly linked to disinvestment in urban cores.

submitted 48 days ago • 114 comments

Sprawl “solves” the housing crisis by turning it into a transportation crisis.

submitted 48 days ago • 21 comments

Want to help shape the future of land use in Denver? Join this town hall tomorrow night to make your voice heard. Cities are for people, not cars!

submitted 56 days ago • 0 comments

"Developers can now construct apartment buildings up to 75 feet tall in neighborhoods that were previously restricted to single-family homes. The change is “monumental on a national scale,” according to Jesse Kanson-Benanav, executive director of the nonprofit Abundant Housing MA."

submitted 64 days ago • 0 comments

“If your state cares about climate change, you need to take the reins and step up and direct your transportation funds to projects that are going to reduce emissions.” – @mattfrommer.bsky.social apnews.com/article/gree...

submitted 67 days ago • 0 comments

Vehicle collisions with wildlife, pedestrians, and bicyclists cost lives and money. Thankfully, a new #COLeg bill will help reduce these. Thank you, Reps. Andy Boesenecker & @meghanlukens.bsky.social & Sens. Faith Winter & Dylan Roberts for making safer roads for all. #COPolitics bit.ly/4bZIxBD

submitted 69 days ago • 0 comments

Right on cue… Dems are almost twice as likely to own an EV as Rs. Will Tesla become the EV of the right?

submitted 78 days ago • 0 comments

New research @urbaninstitute.bsky.social shows that mass deportations would likely worsen the housing shortage by decimating the labor force. Immigrants make up >23% of the construction workforce & more in FL, TX. About half are estimated to be undocumented immigrants. www.urban.org/urban-wire/m...

submitted 92 days ago • 13 comments

In many ways it's fitting that the showdown between monarchy and democracy ends up being over NYC congestion pricing. Cities are where the power of kings were first challenged, and few things are more fundamental to government than control of public space. The cameras are staying on!

submitted 97 days ago • 19 comments

While cities like Fort Collins, Denver, Boulder, Broomfield & Longmont are updating their zoning to comply with 2024 state land use laws and address Colorado’s housing affordability crisis, others are resisting. www.cpr.org/2025/02/18/s... 1/

submitted 98 days ago • 2 comments

High-quality intercity transit can encourage people to buy EVs instead of gas cars by replacing long distance driving trips & therefore, reducing EV range anxiety

submitted 100 days ago • 0 comments

The US DOT says it's planning to prioritize areas with high marriage & high birth rates for funding. Our new analysis @urbaninstitute.bsky.social shows this would disproportionately fund: —Communities with a higher white resident share —Low-density areas —High-income areas —Car-dependent areas

submitted 107 days ago • 101 comments

Good news for Denver: A recent surge in housing production is lowering housing costs. The Denver metro added 20,000 apartments last year, doubling the pace of the last decade. 1/ www.denverpost.com/2025/01/24/m...

submitted 123 days ago • 1 comment

Last night, Boulder city council advanced a middle housing proposal to allow duplexes near bus routes & lower min. lot sizes, a step toward “gentle density” and more affordable, efficient housing types. I recommend this short clip of CW Speer explaining her Yes vote: www.youtube.com/live/_YC6Pej...

submitted 137 days ago • 0 comments

This is a brilliant video on housing affordability: youtu.be/rQW4W1_SJmc?...

submitted 141 days ago • 2 comments

We are hiring for a new position at SWEEP to work on Housing & Smart Growth policy! Please apply if you're interested and/or share with your networks. www.swenergy.org/jobs/

submitted 163 days ago • 0 comments

Parking reform is powerful 💪 A new analysis in Colorado forecasted that eliminating parking mandates alone could boost new homes by 41% over current requirements. That's even when all the new buildings still included some parking. www.sightline.org/2024/12/10/p...

submitted 168 days ago • 4 comments

Thank you City Cast Denver for having me on their podcast this morning to talk about Governor Polis' new Transportation Vision for 2035. The plan aims to give Coloradans more transportation options beyond just driving by investing in transit, biking, and walking. open.spotify.com/episode/3GXK...

submitted 170 days ago • 0 comments

Impressive growth from CDOT's intercity Bustang service. In the last 3 months, Bustang went from 24 roundtrips/day to 66! Now you can catch a bus every 45 minutes during peak from Denver to the I-70 ski towns, CO Springs, or Fort Collins for $10-12 www.busandmotorcoachnews.com/bustang-expa...

submitted 174 days ago • 0 comments

Evidence has demonstrated this effect in numerous cities now. I understand why it sounds weird to say, 'building a bunch of fancy new townhouses and skyscrapers will make housing more affordable!' but it simply appears to be true.

submitted 176 days ago • 147 comments

TIL Denver has the most successful e-scooter program in the US with 6 million rides/year! An interesting stat from Denver’s Transportation Director: Without bike lanes 40% of e-scooter users ride on the sidewalk. Add a protected bike lane & that number drops to 5% open.spotify.com/episode/3j2l...

submitted 176 days ago • 0 comments

The world’s 280 million electric bikes and mopeds are cutting demand for oil 4x more than electric cars due to their staggering uptake in China and elsewhere.

submitted 178 days ago • 48 comments

Yesterday, Governor Polis unveiled Colorado's new 2035 Transportation Vision, a plan to expand transportation options like transit, biking & walking to save people money, reduce emissions, and create safer & healthier communities. More in our blog post here: www.swenergy.org/colorado-203...

submitted 189 days ago • 0 comments

Denver just legalized ADUs citywide! Colorado is short 105k homes & ADUs are a great way to provide efficient & affordable housing in existing neighborhoods. Shoutout to state legislators for passing HB1152, requiring cities to legalize ADUs by June 2025 www.denverpost.com/2024/11/18/c...

submitted 190 days ago • 1 comment

If you’re free tonight, my band The Cheeks is playing at the City Park Pavilion in Denver at an event for Safer Streets 🚲🚶‍♂️🤘

submitted 191 days ago • 0 comments

Austin is building its way back to affordability with lots of new housing supply. In 2020-22, rents went up 25% bc of low vacancy rates (housing scarcity creating a landlord’s market). Now, after allowing tens of thousands of new units, rents dropped by 15% - a big win for housing affordability!

submitted 194 days ago • 0 comments