urbanMSP

It really is amazing how some people see the idling police car as threatening, and some see it as reassuring.

Is it amazing? It's a major lesson of the last few years. Police presence is both.

But I'm 100% with Alex. It shouldn't be a on the sidewalk and it shouldn't be idling. Seems like exactly where good old fashion foot patrol would make sense, but what do I know?

So basically, we can't have officers walking around on foot. They need to be in a squad or bicycle so they can get where needed within their Precinct or another when something occurs.

It really is amazing how some people see the idling police car as threatening, and some see it as reassuring.

Is it amazing? It's a major lesson of the last few years. Police presence is both.

But I'm 100% with Alex. It shouldn't be a on the sidewalk and it shouldn't be idling. Seems like exactly where good old fashion foot patrol would make sense, but what do I know?

One objection I have with the forum is that too often we lean too much into the ideal world and not in reality. Would it be great to have foot patrols and not have a squad sitting there? Yes, that will be great!

According to what I've read and the 4th Precinct Inspector who spoke at community meeting with Jeremiah Ellison explained how the staffing works. Basically each Precinct has only a few squads and if there is a shooting they need help from other Precincts and if there are two the city begins to run out of Patrols. It's been reported that the 4th Precinct at times has only had 4 Officers during the day shift.

So basically, we can't have officers walking around on foot. They need to be in a squad or bicycle so they can get where needed within their Precinct or another when something occurs.

Also has anyone ever seen a squad turned off when not at the Precinct? It's simply not done because of the electronics and many of you already know this.

If you want imaginary buildings or an imaginary world go play Sim City.

This is my third week back in the office full time. Every day (except for Mondays and Fridays) feels more crowded than the day before. Felt like there was a decent amount of foot traffic in the skyways today, especially.

Prediction: in 20 years we will look back on the dramatic work from home shift that occurred in 2020-2022 as being largely a white privilege movement that had huge negative impacts on marginalized urban communities of color.

Prediction: in 20 years we will look back on the dramatic work from home shift that occurred in 2020-2022 as being largely a white privilege movement that had huge negative impacts on marginalized urban communities of color.

I think we can already say that.

Prediction: in 20 years we will look back on the dramatic work from home shift that occurred in 2020-2022 as being largely a white privilege movement that had huge negative impacts on marginalized urban communities of color.

Prediction: in 20 years we will look back on the dramatic work from home shift that occurred in 2020-2022 as being largely a white privilege movement that had huge negative impacts on marginalized urban communities of color.

White privilege movement? Please explain why employers keeping there workforce safe and trying to help not spread the virus is a white privilege movement. Hasn't this impacted all communities, not just communities of color?

So what so-called "negative externalities" are there about people not getting into their cars and driving to work? I'd think people would be happy we're reducing the need for downtown parking and highways and air pollution. Maybe we could convert the Multifoods tower to apartments and ease the housing shortage.

So what so-called "negative externalities" are there about people not getting into their cars and driving to work? I'd think people would be happy we're reducing the need for downtown parking and highways and air pollution. Maybe we could convert the Multifoods tower to apartments and ease the housing shortage.

1) Jobs, jobs, jobs. There are entire ancillary industries that serve office workers. My office building employs restaurant workers, security workers, custodial workers, building maintenance workers, etc. that definitely seem to be disproportionately POC and/or ‘blue collar’. Not to mention restaurants, bars, dry cleaners, etc. ad nauseum

2) Disadvantageous to people with homes that are too small, too crowded, too loud, etc. to serve as effective professional workplaces. (I.e. people who aren’t rich and white)

3) the contra of above: encouragement of sprawl

4) the softest, but perhaps the biggest: gradual disinterest and disinvestment in the core cities (effectively a miniature ‘white flight’)

I believe the evidence to date shows that after the initial total shut down that not much carbon is ‘saved’ working from home largely due to decentralization (i.e. zillions of people heating and cooling every single living space vs. large office buildings, etc.).

The notion of using Multifoods as housing might be possible, but it sure ain’t compassionate or appealing. As has been pointed out here in order to gain any efficiency of scale the vast majority of the ‘apartments’ would be interior and have no windows (or be bizarre layouts or something).

I admit I’m talking my book, but I honestly think this will look like urban freeway construction or something once we have a few years of hindsight.

Prediction: in 20 years we will look back on the dramatic work from home shift that occurred in 2020-2022 as being largely a white privilege movement that had huge negative impacts on marginalized urban communities of color.

White privilege movement? Please explain why employers keeping there workforce safe and trying to help not spread the virus is a white privilege movement. Hasn't this impacted all communities, not just communities of color?

Responding to a pandemic by sending folks home isn't white privilege. The ever-widening 'STAY-at-home' movement is definitely white privilege. Why? because frankly it's 'stay at home because (mostly) white folks with long commutes and big houses and home offices like it'.

Meanwhile, basically every negative externality of that change will fall on urban black and brown communities in a massively disproportionate way.

I'm honestly surprised that this has been so widely ignored in a world so-supposedly focused on social justice (full disclosure: there is some commentary on this angle, but not much as part of the wider narrative).

I'm thinking corporations should be pressured to get people back in the office based on a pure equity argument.

Admittedly, this is just an observation/theory that has been bugging me recently, so I haven't fully hashed it out. Partly why I dropped it here to see if it's a good/bad take.