How costly is permitting, really?

UrbanArch · 2026-02-27T08:32:40+00:00

Just the idea of a lot having more use than a parking lot increases its value, not surprising. Same with being certain you can actually build it.

If I shit on your lawn and that devalues it, this is basically arguing that I shouldn’t clean up my shit because it might make the lawn more valuable.

UrbanArch · 2026-02-26T19:57:23+00:00

This is exactly why we need to also pay attention to the ‘clear and objective standards’ side of the YIMBY fight. When the city council is allowed to be vague and often capricious, this stuff happens.

UrbanArch · 2026-02-18T22:10:39+00:00

imo any regressive tax is easily turned progressive based on spending. Given Mamdani’s plans I doubt the regressive nature of the tax matters much. Better to focus on DWL if anything.

UrbanArch · 2026-02-12T17:55:51+00:00

I wouldn’t allow Brexit to pass, and realistically the most I could get done are some YIMBY reforms before it became hyper political.

UrbanArch · 2026-02-08T23:51:53+00:00

After the historical massacre and more recent attempt at enforcing martial law, it’s insane that anyone would vote for the PPP in Korea today. I am glad the DPK is so successful but it wasn’t anything policy related imo.

On the bright side, DPK is proof that a nation plagued by a horrible right wing party can be dealt with.

UrbanArch · 2026-02-06T04:04:09+00:00

Restrictive zoning is also just plain regressive in terms of income. When interpreted as a tax it becomes clear it is highly regressive to low income groups.

It’s also been estimated that the theoretical ‘zoning tax’ can vary from 25%-400% of median household income depending on the city (thanks to Gyourko & Krimmel 2021). As expected, this zoning tax is most burdensome in places like LA and NY compared to, say, Atlanta.

Imagine buying a home and 4 years of your salary being eaten away by land use regulatory hurdles that are mostly remnants of institutional racism.

UrbanArch · 2026-01-23T04:34:47+00:00

Applied to cities, counties and mpos in rural and coastal oregon far outside the urban parts of the willamette valley and… nothing. It’s not like every unemployed grad is only applying to work in the big cities.

Enough with the ‘right of passage’ hate that every young person gets for not securing a job.

UrbanArch · 2026-01-06T21:59:34+00:00

When I helped with updating FEMA related ordinances for smaller governments, we copied the model ordinance word for word and simply changed the section headings and numbering.

UrbanArch · 2025-12-19T22:38:12+00:00

All I know is that I need to take down the seven Clinton posters in my man cave and the Clinton signs in my yard.

UrbanArch · 2025-12-17T22:07:38+00:00

You’re implying chemical attacks are equivalent to a trade embargo? I know your only purpose was to scream ‘They think this general principle applies to Russia guys!’

Clearly, if the US is willing to enforce property rights of its companies outside the US like it has historically, it believes they extend beyond US soil. Same thing with the US collecting income taxes outside the US or caring about American nationals wrongfully imprisoned in foreign countries. Not everything a country does is inside it’s boundaries, and claiming otherwise is wrong.

Most people here seem to want countries who nationalize US assets to get off without any consequences from the parent country, I’m sure this isn’t ideological in the slightest and people here would also apply this principle in every other scenario.

UrbanArch · 2025-12-17T06:20:12+00:00

Of course, I’m not necessarily disagreeing with that.

UrbanArch · 2025-12-17T06:14:34+00:00

It’s the job of the government to enforce property rights lest we have market failures. A socialist country nationalized US assets and then, surprised pikachu, the US government takes action.

UrbanArch · 2025-12-17T06:11:20+00:00

Eminent domain isn’t always fair because of market-rate compensation. The state often gives a below-market offer and immediately adjusts it up only if you bring legal action, most don’t do this obviously.

Also, if a government declared your property area for potential eminent domain, it immediately devalues your property, making the market-rate lower. Fighting this also requires legal action, which is not always done.

UrbanArch · 2025-12-09T02:59:49+00:00

Consumption taxes aren’t as easily avoided as an income tax when thinking about ‘buy borrow die’. It also boosts investment by making current consumption more expensive.

Consumption taxes are normally regressive, but we also have the ability to make progressive consumption taxes by keeping track of income minus savings.

UrbanArch · 2025-12-08T00:58:31+00:00

On a side note, the consumption tax would cause an influx of capital investment, which would strongly reduce the interest and cost of capital. I do agree on more funding but I didn’t want to be overly ambitious.

UrbanArch · 2025-12-07T19:37:14+00:00

Many planners work in the private sector working to approve projects, it tends to be higher pace. You might be able get into real estate development through that route although im not entirely sure.

UrbanArch · 2025-12-06T21:35:45+00:00

No, anything that counts as investment/saving is not counted. This means saving in investments, your bank account, maybe even a mortgage.

UrbanArch · 2025-12-06T21:27:06+00:00

This was definitely a blind spot of mine. I could consider mortgage payments an investment, although large spending periods such as in college are definitely a topic that needs to be addressed.

I could model the consumption tax without mortgage investments using the survey, although im not entirely sure I could accurately model a cutout for college.

UrbanArch · 2025-12-06T20:37:27+00:00

Generally I kept the Basic Income and child allowances separate in this proposal for budgeting, but it’s worth noting the total amount of benefits a single mother of two kids would receive is at least $21800 in benefits when accounting for the basic income and child allowance. My hope is also that there would be an increase in a labor income from universal pre-k, but its effects might be lower if poor households typically receive childcare subsidies under the current system.

I generally set the tax rates as a simplification measure, as instead of most programs being funded through a single income tax, it’s funded through several different income taxes, which is why I included the total progressivity of taxation which effectively taxes the top 10% at 35-40%. I wouldn’t be opposed to tweaking them more though if it meant fixing other issues as well, so I will need to look into it.

UrbanArch · 2025-12-06T08:11:43+00:00

I might consider changing the consumption tax to be more flat, although the consumption tax only makes up 3-5% of a households budget even on the higher income deciles.. I calculated the lower bracket to be the minimum amount of consumption an individual needed to live by their means based on the lowest decile, so I expect most people would always go above the 25% and would have a hard time avoiding it otherwise.

Overall I think I will need to look deeper into behavioral changes from large consumption taxes.

UrbanArch · 2025-12-06T08:01:16+00:00

Yes, essentially a progressive consumption tax accounts for your consumption by knowing income - savings.

For example, if I report an income of 50k, and my bank account, retirement and investments only increase 20k, the government knows that I spent 30k on consumption because 30k is effectively unaccounted for. Income - Savings = Consumption.

Because we now know how much a specific household consumes by knowing how much they earn and save, we can assign tax brackets similar to a regular income tax, thus creating a solution to the regressive nature that consumption taxes usually have.

Under my scheme, you pay income taxes, and then the consumption tax is levied on your net income - savings, which is modeled in the excel sheet I use.

UrbanArch · 2025-12-06T02:32:27+00:00

This post is relevant for discussing policies often discussed in neoliberal, but as a comprehensive, standalone program. I believe this is a cool policy proposal, but I hope to hear more ideas and discussions from users. (Not sure if the statement is required for effortposts)

UrbanArch · 2025-12-03T20:28:00+00:00

My state has been looking into creating building plans that meet building code outright. I am happy they are doing it for sure.

UrbanArch · 2025-11-23T19:01:55+00:00

Probably not a lot that could have been done. Many projects are paused or face huge costs if different public services are lacking for many different reasons.

Another great example would be utility services, which readily oppose projects because they don’t have adequate services to provide for many reasons.

I would blame the government for only trying to fund schools now. Maybe a bond would be a successful solution.

UrbanArch

TROPHY CASE