Just a quick update for now

I have settled in at Toronto Metropolitan University after a long period of turbulence, and will resume regular uploads now that I have returned to a state of equilibrium. This past year has been packed with learning new things, and now there is such a long backlog of ideas begging to be written down and sorted out that I'm not sure where to start.

Preparing to teach Municipal Finance for Planners has been a blast. I've spoken with several experts here in this space about structuring the course and got great advice. This subject sews many different planning issues together as it deals with how local governments mediate market transactions through fiscal instruments to alter the supply and pricing of critical urban goods and services, and how such analyses are incorporated in plans and policies. Next post will elaborate on the specific questions in municipal finance that concern urban planning. My aim is to connect these theories, models, and graphs to current problems facing so many, like exorbitant housing costs and frustratingly long commutes.

In this fall semester, I will also be teaching an exciting client-based studio, where a small team of students will help out with precinct planning in Toronto's Port Lands by CreateTO, the public agency responsible for managing the city's real estate portfolio. This kind of project management has been very grounding for me, personally.