I just spent a week exploring the depopulated areas of Detroit on foot and by bicycle including an excellent stay with some young homesteaders. At the end of the trip I had an exchange with a noted civil engineer and city planner who had stayed in the newly revitalized downtown attending a convention. We had … Continue reading The Doughnut of Despair? Not Quite
Many years ago when I was infinitely younger and a lot poorer I rented a little 9′ x 18′ back yard cottage behind an old Victorian in San Francisco. Today you might call it a Tiny House or Micro Flat. But back then it was just a 1930’s potting shed that had been fitted with … Continue reading Affordable Housing That Might Have Been
This is the 28th Avenue Connector in Nashville, Tennessee. It’s a highway improvement project that opened in 2012 with great fanfare. The Connector bridges a rail line that had cut off the Vanderbilt University campus and Centennial Park from an aging industrial park. Google The promotional material emphasizes the Connector’s value as a unifying force … Continue reading The 28th Avenue Connector
I’m in Detroit this week for the Congress for New Urbanism, the Strong Towns gathering, and a Small Developers Workshop. I’m using Airbnb instead of the corporate hotel option while I’m in town. This is what $13,000 buys you in Detroit. Well… $13,000 and four years of blood, sweat, and tears. Detroit allows people with the … Continue reading Homesteading Detroit
Granola Shotgun 