4 ms·

LA is a MUCH bigger city than San Francisco, especially in terms of geography. I'm not sure an meaningful comparison can be made as a result. There are certain

LA is a MUCH bigger city than San Francisco, especially in terms of geography. I'm not sure an meaningful comparison can be made as a result. There are certainly areas of LA at least as big as the total area of SF where middle class families can not afford to live. There are also areas at least as big as the total area of SF where lower-middle class families are the vast majority of residents. The cities are just too different to make a meaningful comparison in my opinion.

tptacek 10y ago
Right, I get that too. But then: is the article correct? Are middle class families being priced out of LA?
- colordrops 10y ago
  I live in L.A. and as far as I'm concerned, yes they (we) are being priced out. You can live an hour away from your job or in a dangerous neighborhood, but that doesn't really mean the city is affordable.
  - harryh 10y ago
    Won't those "dangerous" neighborhoods likely gentrify as priced out middle class people move to them?
    - tptacek 10y ago
      ... that's definitely what happens in Chicago... What's Bayview like in San Francisco these days?
- Gargoyle 10y ago
  It's just a pointless question to ask if middle class families can live in the city limits (an arbitrary border) in my opinion. The better question is do middle class families have to live as far away from their jobs in LA as they do in SF, and the answer to that question is increasingly "yes."
- harmmonica 10y ago
  I think the answer is yes, but depends on your definition of affordability. Median household income for city of LA is ~$60k. Without detailing the numbers, maybe if you're really liberal with mortgage qualification you get a $450k home at that income (house or condo). In a broad Redfin search of the Valley/LA Basin and a bit beyond to the east/south (this includes many cities outside of LA), you have: Total homes for sale: 4,720 <$450k: 873 (18%) In Safe Neighborhoods: 294 (6%) (I used my own definition of safe, but it's very liberal and includes many places where walking around after dark alone would not be advised, but it's an urban area after all so that's understandable) Btw, and this is where people say you're not entitled to something, but if you are just talking about single family homes (LA is very single family home-focused) in a safe hood for <450k the number of availabilities drops to 51 homes (that's 1% of inventory). Lots of other nuances here, but just a broad brushstroke look at the market.

tptacek 10y ago

Right, I get that too. But then: is the article correct? Are middle class families being priced out of LA?

colordrops 10y ago
I live in L.A. and as far as I'm concerned, yes they (we) are being priced out. You can live an hour away from your job or in a dangerous neighborhood, but that doesn't really mean the city is affordable.
- harryh 10y ago
  Won't those "dangerous" neighborhoods likely gentrify as priced out middle class people move to them?
  - tptacek 10y ago
    ... that's definitely what happens in Chicago... What's Bayview like in San Francisco these days?
Gargoyle 10y ago
It's just a pointless question to ask if middle class families can live in the city limits (an arbitrary border) in my opinion. The better question is do middle class families have to live as far away from their jobs in LA as they do in SF, and the answer to that question is increasingly "yes."
harmmonica 10y ago
I think the answer is yes, but depends on your definition of affordability. Median household income for city of LA is ~$60k. Without detailing the numbers, maybe if you're really liberal with mortgage qualification you get a $450k home at that income (house or condo). In a broad Redfin search of the Valley/LA Basin and a bit beyond to the east/south (this includes many cities outside of LA), you have: Total homes for sale: 4,720 <$450k: 873 (18%) In Safe Neighborhoods: 294 (6%) (I used my own definition of safe, but it's very liberal and includes many places where walking around after dark alone would not be advised, but it's an urban area after all so that's understandable) Btw, and this is where people say you're not entitled to something, but if you are just talking about single family homes (LA is very single family home-focused) in a safe hood for <450k the number of availabilities drops to 51 homes (that's 1% of inventory). Lots of other nuances here, but just a broad brushstroke look at the market.