The Metropolitan Abundance Project

This week, a few of the folks from California YIMBY – Brian Hanlon, Nolan Gray, and Ned Resnikoff – launched the Metropolitan Abundance Project (MAP). In their own words, they “believe plentiful housing, great transit, and effective governance are the keys to addressing our generation’s most pressing problems.” This echoes strongly of my own beliefs that cities are key to driving happiness and prosperity, that we can do worthwhile work while city building, and that well-planned cities help create models of good governance.

Leading up to the announcement of the MAP, Ned Resnikoff wrote a five-part series about abundance politics and how it is the only real path forward for preserving democracy. Any system of government that routinely increases the quality of life for residents will maintain the support of those residents. Judging by Ned’s writing, at least for him, one of the reasons for the MAP is as a bulwark against the forces of illiberalism pulling on our society today.

Building housing in dense, urban, walkable cities served by frequent and reliable transit would provide the opportunity to greatly increase the quality of life for all city residents. It would strengthen social networks, increase health, and reduce the cost of living across the board. It is this type of societal improvement that the MAP seeks to make through rebuilding our cities.

Looking back over their success with the YIMBY movement over the past decade, I’m excited to see what the MAP can accomplish in the coming decade. City building is a multi-generational process. The best time to start building a better city was thirty years ago, the second best time is now. Let’s get started.