{"id":261,"date":"2017-11-05T10:37:50","date_gmt":"2017-11-05T16:37:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fredmcghee.com\/?p=261"},"modified":"2017-11-19T16:39:47","modified_gmt":"2017-11-19T22:39:47","slug":"an-austin-urban-anthropologist-looks-at-code-next","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fredmcghee.com\/?p=261","title":{"rendered":"An Austin “Urban” Anthropologist Looks at Code NEXT"},"content":{"rendered":"

An impressive propaganda campaign has been orchestrated by pro-CodeNEXT boosters<\/a> to confuse the public mind about the potential consequences these proposed changes to how Austin regulates land development will produce.\u00a0 <\/span>The time has come for some historically grounded critical thinking that can help cut through the misinformation, half-truths, distortions and lies that have been promulgated regarding this issue.\u00a0 <\/span>What follows is an analysis and interpretation of three key claims of pro-CodeNEXT boosters from an African-American progressive perspective.<\/span><\/p>\n

Overview<\/span><\/h3>\n

CodeNEXT and Imagine Austin are best interpreted as neoliberal political projects by Austin’s ruling real estate oligarchs to cement their hegemony over Austin’s political economy.\u00a0 <\/span>The process began in the late nineties with the establishment of East Austin as a so-called “Desired Development Zone” and the stipulation that development of much of West Austin’s “fragile environment” would be off limits.\u00a0 <\/span>These provisos remain a cornerstone of the Imagine Austin Plan<\/a>, which CodeNEXT supposedly implements.<\/span><\/p>\n

Smart growth stuck the knife in East Austin’s back about three inches in the late nineties, New Urbanism and Creative Class dogma thrust it in about another three inches in the mid aughts; the last at large council rammed through Imagine Austin in 2012.\u00a0 <\/span>The purpose of CodeNEXT is to finish the job in 2018.<\/span><\/p>\n

My main point is direct and it can be simply stated:\u00a0 <\/span>what remains of East Austin will cease to exist if CodeNEXT becomes law and the Imagine Austin Plan is not amended to reflect the needs and values of East Austin, which also possesses a fragile natural and cultural environment.<\/span><\/p>\n

Neoliberalism<\/span><\/h3>\n

What is neoliberalism?\u00a0 <\/span>Basically it’s the belief that markets always know best.\u00a0 <\/span>It’s “conservative” economics plus social liberalism, especially identity politics.\u00a0 <\/span>George Monbiot explained what it means about a year ago here<\/span><\/a>, and Robert Reich in the short video below explains how free marketism in states like Texas compares with more regulated states such as California.\u00a0 <\/span>For the purposes of this discussion, these are useful introductions to the concept.<\/span><\/p>\n