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Rent is high because supply has been restricted by low-density zoning regulations, especially in San Francisco and Seattle. Policy-market mismatch is partially

Rent is high because supply has been restricted by low-density zoning regulations, especially in San Francisco and Seattle. Policy-market mismatch is partially due to low participation in local politics, and partially due to high-income neighborhoods influencing local politics to keep their area low-density (raising their property value and the surrounding area's rent).

seanmcdirmid 10y ago
Huh? Seattle is dense. http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/data/seattle-density-doesnt-have-to-be-a-dirty-word/ http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/data/seattle-densit... Ok, so it is no Manila or Shanghai, but it is denser than low regulation "build baby build" Houston Texas. A lot of the low density places in Seattle are places that wouldn't support density very well anyways (i.e. hills); places that you don't see density at even in mega dense Hong Kong.
- losteric 10y ago
  Seattle is higher density than Houston, but it's not keeping up with demand in areas of high-demand. That's part of why so many people are getting priced out of their neighborhoods (especially around Capitol Hill)... an expanded and improved transportation network would help, but I understand the city is shackled by the county on that...
  - seanmcdirmid 10y ago
    Seattle has a unique topography and is hemmed in even more than San Francisco is. Ya, you can save money by living in federal way, Everette or, in the past at least issaquah, but that means commuting.
    - losteric 10y ago
      We're not running up against those topological constraints yet. Consider Capitol Hill, rent is sky rocketing near Pike/Pine/Cal Anderson... yet there are blocks and blocks of single-family 2 story homes.
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
ytpete 10y ago
San Francisco is the second-densest city in the US, mind. That's not to say new residential construction isn't hard in SF - though there have been huge increases in high density construction in just the last few years.
- losteric 10y ago
  San Francisco and Seattle are both constructing very high density buildings near their city centers, but they struggle to build up outside those areas. Spreading the growth and investing in public transportation help keep costs down and spread success.

seanmcdirmid 10y ago

Huh? Seattle is dense. http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/data/seattle-density-doesnt-have-to-be-a-dirty-word/ http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/data/seattle-densit... Ok, so it is no Manila or Shanghai, but it is denser than low regulation "build baby build" Houston Texas. A lot of the low density places in Seattle are places that wouldn't support density very well anyways (i.e. hills); places that you don't see density at even in mega dense Hong Kong.

losteric 10y ago
Seattle is higher density than Houston, but it's not keeping up with demand in areas of high-demand. That's part of why so many people are getting priced out of their neighborhoods (especially around Capitol Hill)... an expanded and improved transportation network would help, but I understand the city is shackled by the county on that...
- seanmcdirmid 10y ago
  Seattle has a unique topography and is hemmed in even more than San Francisco is. Ya, you can save money by living in federal way, Everette or, in the past at least issaquah, but that means commuting.
  - losteric 10y ago
    We're not running up against those topological constraints yet. Consider Capitol Hill, rent is sky rocketing near Pike/Pine/Cal Anderson... yet there are blocks and blocks of single-family 2 story homes.
deleted 10y ago
[deleted]

ytpete 10y ago

San Francisco is the second-densest city in the US, mind. That's not to say new residential construction isn't hard in SF - though there have been huge increases in high density construction in just the last few years.

losteric 10y ago
San Francisco and Seattle are both constructing very high density buildings near their city centers, but they struggle to build up outside those areas. Spreading the growth and investing in public transportation help keep costs down and spread success.