Comment Log Display

So far (have only been watching for about 1/2 hour, admittedly),
I'm seeing more of the same. Have you thought of anything new? Some
considerations:

1) you focus entirely on central cities, in effect. Are you
planning on declaring the single family home illegal? What about
suburbs that are a sunk cost, and still very attractive for people.
Note that most "affordable" housing in the current market isn't
downtown - it's in the inner or middle-ring suburbs.
2) transit: what about the Uber phenomenon and self-driving cars?
Frankly, Uber if used creatively could put the more marginal local
transit lines out of business even now; with robo-cabs (to use an
old sci-fi term which seems to be coming true) there would simply
be no need for local transit any more. Yes, that could also put
suburbs back on the map. Are you going to try to force Uber out of
business?
3) building downtown: it's expensive to build downtown. Land cost
is high, infrastructure and utilities are expensive to improve (and
needs improvement in many places!), health and safety are actually
not particularly good. So you don't find families there - it's a
high-priced singles and such environment. You're not going to
change that. Improving older areas near downtown sounds good, and
is, but usually results in "gentrification" that drives out
lower-income people - how do you propose to deal with that?

Will probably think of a few more things. But note: much of what
you're talking about already happens where it makes economic sense.
When was the last time you saw major new road capacity built? It's
too expensive. But with continuing low fuel prices and increasing
fuel economy there's more traffic (a well-performing economy is
part of that) which will eventually force SOME new capacity.

If it's impossible to achieve GHG reductions without forcing people
into tiny apartments and outlawing powered transportation, how is
it that we're achieving the original AB32 goals without massive
changes to the system?

Oh yes: increase the gas tax, stupid politicians. And your vision
of the future is pretty dark unless you're a young urban
professional with a good income.