iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Apparently not responding to a candidate survey means you hate housing, despite most of Bloam's work, to my knowledge, being everything they don't understand.

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James Julius (for District 45)

@yimbyaction.bsky.social You should probably change this on your website and any future grants since it clearly isn't true with your members.

Screenshot from YIMBY Action's website that says "Everyone should have a voice in shaping that future. We bring neighbors together across race, income, and background, and stand for a democracy where people can participate and the rule of law is upheld."

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PA Housing Finance Agency @phfa.org · 11/06/2026

Pro-Housing Pittsburgh coming out and endorsing an anti-abortion, pro-police, anti-LGBTQIA+, AI company CEO Republican. Yes, we should build more housing, but we do not have to build bridges with people who do not value community. This is not about D or R - this is about basic human respect.

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Reposted by Dan Shaffer

Today PHFA has awarded $93.4 million in PHARE funding to support 432 housing and community development initiatives across all 67 counties to expand affordable housing opportunities for Pennsylvanians. www.phfa.org/news/pressre...

phfa.org

Press Releases | PHFA Housing News

PHFA news for press releases

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Dan Shaffer @dan-shaffer.bsky.social · 08/04/2026

It's been a while since I last posted about this on here, but who would be interested in an affordable housing tour in Pittsburgh?

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Dan Shaffer @dan-shaffer.bsky.social · 06/04/2026

Just got my limited-time US protest shield!

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Dan Shaffer @dan-shaffer.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

Our foundations are not helping. Our banks are not helping. The handful of local grants are drying up (ARPA) or are pulling back from city projects while some state grants are pulling back from pre-development. What is the solution here?

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Dan Shaffer @dan-shaffer.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

I've got somewhere around $143M that I need to help raise for projects over the next 5 years and it's safe to say at least $8M of that is pre-development (ignoring the many factors that increase costs).

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Dan Shaffer @dan-shaffer.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

It seems every Pittsburgh-based or adjacent funder for affordable housing thinks projects don't need pre-development funds to get to construction.

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I'm glad to hear it worked out! It's not easy work, nor is it always fun, but if you're going to update a plan or build something new, community engagement and input is critical.

Exactly this. You don't have to agree with the opinions, but at the end of the day, you have to hear them out because they're all valid (not necessarily correct and sometimes one of the various isms, but everyone is entitled to their opinion/voice)

The fact that Brandon feels the need to write an article to defend the recent Vatz appointment should tell you everything you need to know about the appointment. It should not happen. People like them are a threat to the communities they claim to care about.

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People like Brandon and David Vatz would much rather label everyone they disagree with as "NIMBY" or "wearing identical shirts" instead of committing time and effort to listen to what people, for or against whatever development, are saying.

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Community engagement is not a one-time thing. You do not do it to get approvals and then never come back. When you do, you *rightfully* get shouted down at DAM and other equivalent meetings. Community engagement is an ongoing process.

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The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 17/02/2026

New opinion piece written by a guy who doesn't understand that the people he thinks are the problem are the entire point of the community engagement process.

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Reposted by Dan Shaffer

GEORGIA — “beloved teacher” Dr. Linda Davis killed in a car crash as ICE chased a man through the streets: www.wtoc.com/2026/02/16/s... Even the ICE release (which blames Dems🤔) says his only crime was being undocumented: www.ice.gov/news/release...

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Dan Shaffer @dan-shaffer.bsky.social · 14/02/2026

David Vatz should not be part of the Planning Commission. He is not qualified, nor does he respect the community. He only wants power.

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Reposted by Dan Shaffer

Marisa Kabas @marisakabas.bsky.social · 10/02/2026

“Four of my children just evaporated,” Badran said, holding back tears. “I looked for them a million times. Not a piece was left. Where did they go?” There are no words to adequately describe the evil here.

aljazeera.com

Israel used weapons in Gaza that made thousands of Palestinians evaporate

US-made thermal weapons burning at 3,500C caused 2,842 people to "evaporate" in Gaza, Al Jazeera investigation finds.

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Dan Shaffer @dan-shaffer.bsky.social · 04/02/2026

"We're ready to showcase why we're the best city in America" ...meanwhile people with physical disabilities and senior citizens are stuck in their homes a week and a half after a snow storm and the bus shelters, curbs, and crosswalks (and some streets) are basically untouched.

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Dan Shaffer @dan-shaffer.bsky.social · 29/01/2026

I think it's embarrassing for foundations to be promoting AI anything.

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Reposted by Dan Shaffer

Mehdi Hasan @mehdirhasan.bsky.social · 24/01/2026

Abolish ICE is now the moderate minimum position, Prosecute ICE is where Dems should be at next.

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Dan Shaffer @dan-shaffer.bsky.social · 24/01/2026

ICE is a terrorist organization. If you support ICE, you are a terrorist.

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Dan Shaffer @dan-shaffer.bsky.social · 07/01/2026

A good number of the more prominent yinzers have moved over here, but in doing so, created a vacuum for some of the...let's say...louder?...yinzers to scream into. Most of the DMs are local but there are a handful of housing folks across the country/globe!

Dan Shaffer @dan-shaffer.bsky.social · 07/01/2026

I'm still on there, mostly for the DMs with people who aren't over here or other places yet (or have no desire to relocate). I also have about 40,000 accounts blocked so that helps lol

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Dan Shaffer @dan-shaffer.bsky.social · 21/11/2025

Thanks! Going to be a really good or really disappointing July 😂

Dan Shaffer @dan-shaffer.bsky.social · 20/11/2025

14 PHARE applications submitted to support affordable housing across 11 different neighborhoods/communities in SWPA. See yinz in 2026.

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Dan Shaffer @dan-shaffer.bsky.social · 22/10/2025

You would think a group called "Pro-Housing Pittsburgh" would praise the success of ACE Innamorato's 500 in 500 Initiative...but I guess they're too busy trying to remove community input on development.

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This "compromise" is a rebranded version of Councilperson Charland's amendment that was *also* pushed last minute to a vote.

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From a funding perspective, the 2-year timeline to gauge whether IZ is successfully delivering units is absurd and clearly shows the people writing the amendment either don't care or don't understand how development works and should not be writing policy.

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We do not "lose units" when they are not built. They are simply not built. We do, however, lose residents, and subsequently, lose affordable units, when residents are priced out of their homes and communities.

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Dan Shaffer @dan-shaffer.bsky.social · 13/10/2025

If you support affordable housing and believe that inclusion should be mandatory, not voluntary, show up tomorrow morning to oppose Councilperson Strassburger's IZ amendment. It's nothing more than another attempt to let developers have their way at the cost of existing residents

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Assuming in Pittsburgh and just your standard construction cost (trying to not add too much info to see what people think)

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Dan Shaffer @dan-shaffer.bsky.social · 13/10/2025

Without looking anything up, approx. how much do you think it costs to build a single unit of housing?

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Reposted by Dan Shaffer

Tanisha @tanishaevonne.bsky.social · 09/10/2025

Yesterday, Pittsburgh City Council Member Erika Strassburger tried to gut the inclusionary zoning bill by sneaking in amendments that no one in the public nor her fellow council members had been given sufficient time to review or read.

wesa.fm

Inclusionary zoning fight erupts in Pittsburgh City Council, dispute with Gainey looms

As Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey’s term enters its final three months, a battle over one of his administration’s signature affordable-housing initiatives — mandatory inclusionary zoning — boiled over in ...

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Add it to the list of things they don't understand.

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These guys have absolutely no values. They do not care about the community.

About a month ago, I was told our YIMBYs have a stance of "good policy or no IZ", yet here they are, once again, supporting bad policy. You cannot have it both ways. This proves that their stance has nothing to do with affordability, but rather, has everything to do with power.

Dan Shaffer @dan-shaffer.bsky.social · 07/10/2025

For the second time this year, Pittsburgh YIMBYs have introduced new data at the last minute to circumvent public feedback to try and kill Inclusionary Zoning, all while talking about wanting to discuss the future of housing in "good faith". Shame on them.

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They truly would not survive if they worked for a typical nonprofit.