3 ms·
> They also tend to believe, rightly or wrongly, that "density" would just mean lots of high end expensive apartments that nobody in the "middle class" can affo
by iiiggglll 11y ago
> They also tend to believe, rightly or wrongly, that "density" would just mean lots of high end expensive apartments that nobody in the "middle class" can afford.
That would be wrongly.
Supply and demand are real. The fact that SF is now more expensive that NYC proves it. Restrict supply long enough, and prices will go up.
People who refuse to believe in simple, verifiable facts deserve what they get, "sinister" or not.
- geebee 11y agoPart of the problem, though, is that they don't get what they "deserve." I'm a little hesitant to get into what "deserve" means, but I would agree that people who oppose new housing often don't experience the consequences. Because of prop 13, property owners are largely insulated from the downside of a sudden spike in housing prices, and because their new neighbors pay far more in taxes, they get to enjoy a higher tax base without contributing to it. Renters are more vulnerable. Rent control laws are strict in San Francisco, but people who lose their rent controlled apartment after decades are pretty much hosed. It's a risky gamble that works out for some, but not all. Many renters feel they never had the means to get into the housing market, not then, not now, so this gamble wasn't really a choice. This seems to have caused renters and tenants groups to double down on rent control rather than agitate for an increase in supply. Again, this is probably because they perceive new development as catering to the very wealthy.