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...I think it's very arbitrary that we don't have a problem saying to outsiders "we won't allow you to live here (even though you'd be w

...I think it's very arbitrary that we don't have a problem saying to outsiders "we won't allow you to live here (even though you'd be willing to pay a lot for it)" however saying to someone "you can't live here anymore (unless you pay more)" is a cardinal sin. Pre-existing rights generally count for a lot more than rights that might exist. It has been said that "possession is nine tenths of the law". (Although no one has unencumbered possession of land anymore, in the sense of allodial title.) Allowing neighbourhoods to be broken up by rich foreigners sets a bad precedent both for current inhabitants and the new ones, who are very likely to find themselves in the same situation well before retirement age (as is happening in San Francisco). City governments are accountable to the people who live there, not the greater good of the One Market, and by serving their interests are merely doing their jobs.

closeparen 9y ago
People who have moved somewhere are not foreigners.
- solidsnack9000 9y ago
  The investment firm in this scenario is, as they often are, a foreign firm engaging in speculation. If there are problems for the people of Berlin, no skin off their backs... People who move somewhere hopefully don't always stay foreigners, but they can still behave in an opportunistic way, enjoying low prices while not really putting down roots or committing to bear any of the long term costs of the community they join. American tech people in Berlin who live there for multiple years and don't learn German are an example of this phenomenon.
  - closeparen 9y ago
    It's precisely the anti-transient policies (squeeze them as hard as possible on rent, make them bear all the costs of subsidized housing) which make people transient. Of course I'm not going to put down roots in a place that's trying its hardest to get rid of me. If you want people to put down roots, stop going out of your way to prevent it.

closeparen 9y ago

People who have moved somewhere are not foreigners.

solidsnack9000 9y ago
The investment firm in this scenario is, as they often are, a foreign firm engaging in speculation. If there are problems for the people of Berlin, no skin off their backs... People who move somewhere hopefully don't always stay foreigners, but they can still behave in an opportunistic way, enjoying low prices while not really putting down roots or committing to bear any of the long term costs of the community they join. American tech people in Berlin who live there for multiple years and don't learn German are an example of this phenomenon.
- closeparen 9y ago
  It's precisely the anti-transient policies (squeeze them as hard as possible on rent, make them bear all the costs of subsidized housing) which make people transient. Of course I'm not going to put down roots in a place that's trying its hardest to get rid of me. If you want people to put down roots, stop going out of your way to prevent it.