Urban Planning

Been reading the MIT book Critical Thinking by Jonathan Haber. In light of a possible new assignment, I'v become interested in so-called "Venn Diagrams." On top of it all, I've often felt compelled to develop a unified theory of urban planning, my chosen profession.

Now you have to understand, my profession attracts a great deal of silliness.

Have a problem with affordability? Simple, just eliminate parking requirements.

Need affordable housing? Build tiny homes. It will wear you out explaining to the gurus that a 200-square-foot tiny home in San Jose, California would sell for maybe a half million dollars, more in "The City." (That's what they like to call San Francisco.)

Want to bring economic windfalls to your city? Require every home to have a front porch, and, by the way, prohibit the most popular type home in the suburban market, the so-called "snout house." It serves the dual purpose of announcing to neighbors and the driving public that its owner can afford two or more vehicles while providing a widely appreciated place for "Happy Hour" traffic watching.

Planners hate them.
Joe Six-Pack loves them.

Get the picture? Well rest easy. I've developed a simple theory to explain where we are in America in terms of urban planning. It is very clear and illustrative. Here you are.