The Urban Condition

What's the matter with SoDoSoPa?

Post-industrial neighborhoods can be cringey. But they're also a reflection of urbanites' needs — and government's failure to meet them.

Feb 4 • Benjamin Schneider

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January 2026

January 2026: An interview with Ben Schneider

QOTM: “I think you can find optimism in any moment if you look hard enough.”

Published on Rail Revolution • Jan 30

What should America’s transit ‘moonshot’ look like?

The nation doesn’t just need more transit. It needs to build faster, more advanced transit in the places with the highest ridership potential.

Jan 26 • Benjamin Schneider

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SimParkingLot is no fun

The creators of SimCity wanted to create a realistic city-building game. The absurdities of America's parking policies made that impossible.

Jan 12 • Benjamin Schneider

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LA's Urban Future

An updated look at LA's transit expansion with Benjamin Schneider.

Published on franknews • Jan 6

December 2025

S.F.’s Marina District towers are bad, actually

A 25-story building should not be allowed to go up on a lot zoned for 4 stories. Cities need better zoning, not no zoning.

Dec 19, 2025 • Benjamin Schneider

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American cities are poised for a street design revolution

Zohran Mamdani, the avatar of New York City street life himself, could show the way.

Dec 15, 2025 • Benjamin Schneider

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How "YMCA" explains the homelessness crisis

The Village People's 1978 megahit was the swan song of SROs. As this housing of last resort was demolished, homelessness was the inevitable result.

Dec 9, 2025 • Benjamin Schneider

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Housing affordability and the declining fortunes of Democrats

An inability to build housing is the central reason blue states are projected to lose 12 electoral college votes by 2032. When will liberal activists…

Dec 2, 2025 • Benjamin Schneider

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November 2025

Zohran Mamdani's other election victory

On top of his historic mayoral election, Mamdani won an even bigger mandate to enact parts of his housing agenda.

Nov 13, 2025 • Benjamin Schneider

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How Southern California would benefit from electric trains

Electrification and level boarding platforms can significantly improve rail travel on the west coast, too.

Nov 3, 2025 • Benjamin Schneider

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October 2025

Why automated metros are the future

High-tech transit can be cost-effective transit. Just look at Canada.

Oct 21, 2025 • Benjamin Schneider

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