David Vatz

In what year do you think the gentrification of East Liberty started?

Dinn is an exceptional athlete but I get the sense based on how they've used her that she's not likely to be a starter next year or even in the conversation. She's been on the court for 5 sets all year. Could be wrong of course.

Bayless has been legitimately good in serve-receive. Not just an adequate replacement for Mourits, but truly good! I suspect we'll continue to see her in back row situations even once Mourits is back to full participation.

Serve-receive has been a big weakness, particularly in our back row defenders. I'm sure the returners will all get better at it in the offseason. Surprisingly, one of the best developments for serve-receive has been back row Bayless, who has performed very well (especially recently) with her passing

Tbh I don't think anything we've seen this year at L/DS to indicate that we shouldn't be looking. We need to add someone in that position anyways most likely, might as well be an experienced/top tier L/DS who can help people like Masten grow.

Also, if Izzy Stark or any of the elite setters want to come here, even with several years left of eligibility I find it hard to believe that any team would say no to that, even with an elite incoming freshman.

I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm just saying I am not willing to risk a final season of Babcock on the hope that she's ready to start from Day 1. Even Rachel didn't start from Day 1 if I'm recalling correctly, and she may be the setter for Team USA in LA 2028.

you're making some assumptions there with "elite middle + emch". Definitely agree with James that L and MB are prob priorities, but I wouldn't feel great about Haiti starting with nobody but a freshman behind her. One injury could put you in a really bad spot. We will definitely make a play for a S.

But I mostly agree with you on the order of need. L/MB/S is prob the order, but Pitt is a blue blood and should be able to take its pick!

Setter should absolutely be a priority. You don't want to take your chances on the final year of Olivia Babcock with a freshman setter who is unproven and may need some time to grow/learn.

And tbh, we should be buying.

Governor @governor.ca.gov needs to sign SB79 to help save our democracy! Blue states refusal to build housing is killing our country and ceding our future. Gov Newsom can help stop this by signing SB79.

The census is also reporting data in the building permit survey that appears to be wildly inaccurate

this week in WHO SAID IT: LEFT-NIMBY OR RIGHT-SEGREGATIONIST

This is what effective advocacy looks like. Very proud of the work @prohousingpgh.org did on this, and thankful for our dedicated city councilors for passing this unanimously!

Dupes looks strong from the service line. And looked great overall. Seems like she'll be a strong pickup. Blair also looked good on serve receive for the most part, and her presence in the front row makes the block pretty formidable - Olivia, Bre, and Blair in front row is a lot.

Oh, the author is an absolute garbage person who smears colleagues in public and has cost a local landmark literal millions of dollars in funding bc he torpedoed its chance at historic tax credits in a fit of pique.

He writes for CP bc nobody w/ more credibility will have him.

Neon Liberalism #22: We CAN Fix Housing Samantha and guest David Vatz, founder of Pro-Housing Pittsburgh, discuss the meaning of the housing crisis, the death of the "asset economy," and what we liberals can do to fix housing despite Trump....

Neon Liberalism #22: Samantha and guest David Vatz, founder of Pro-Housing Pittsburgh, discuss the meaning of the housing crisis, the death of the "asset economy," and what we liberals can do to fix housing despite Trump. www.liberalcurrents.com/neonliberali...

I think the main thing we just like to do is calmly and politely share the facts. People have a lot of misconceptions about housing, and it's a very emotional topic. Use data and personal experience when possible.

really good to talk to @davidvatz.bsky.social here. right now the economy is in terrifying shape, and it can feel like we're powerless to do anything about it. but the deepest structural economic problem in america is *housing*--and we libs have a LOT we can do about that.

What was the org?

Everyone deserves a safe, stable home. My plan tackles the housing crisis with real solutions. Swipe to see how we’ll make housing more affordable and abundant! #PolicyInAction

Minimum lot sizes are about as close to an economic segregation tool as exists in the current zoning framework, and therefore is essentially a racial segregation tool. Minimum lot sizes are racist, get rid of em.

We will undoubtedly produce some policy discussion around this.

One other point - as of right now, this seems to be a solution in search of a problem. Nobody is being forced out of their homes due to a reassessment bc we don't do them.

The admin only released the text of their plan today, so I haven't had a chance to produce cogent thoughts on exactly what I would change, but my initial thoughts is that it targets people who are fully able to pay their property taxes. My parents, retired and not remotely poor, might qualify!

Renters are much poorer than homeowners. By a pretty wide margin. If you're going to implement yet another program intended to help homeowners, it ought to be very tightly targeted at people who have the greatest need. Otherwise your just soaking poor renters to benefit wealthier homeowners.

I'll also note that we already richly subsidize homeownership. We provide a homestead exemption (renters don't get this), mortgage interest deductions (renters don't get this), home repair grants (renters don't get this), down payment assistance (renters don't get this)...I could go on.

But if you must have a program like this, target it very narrowly at very poor individuals - consider asset tests, or tie it to other gov programs - for example, you qualify if you are on another form or gov assistance (food stamps, Medicaid, etc). And structure as a deferral, not an exemption.

That's a complicated answer prob best suited not for social media. But, for starters, reassess every three years so nobody sees big jumps. If you want to have a tax relief program, know that you're using dollars from poorer individuals (renters) to subsidize richer individuals (homeowners).