4 ms·

I don't think you're facing what they're facing. Sounds like you make quite a bit more than the people profiled in this article.

by hashkb 9y ago

losteric 9y ago
His anecdote is more powerful because of his income. You'd expect someone with low income to have trouble finding housing... that's a problem, but the situation makes sense. When someone struggles to find housing while making multiples of middle income, something is deeply fucked. That says a lot about how bad it is for everyone else.
- lsc 9y ago
  >You'd expect someone with low income to have trouble finding housing... that's a problem, but the situation makes sense. When someone struggles to find housing while making multiples of middle income, something is deeply fucked. That says a lot about how bad it is for everyone else. I... disagree that upper middle income immigrants having a hard time says anything definitive about the situation of the local poor, at least in the bay area. There are lots of laws and rules made to benefit the poor long term residents at the expense of those upper-middle income newer immigrants. My least-employed little brother works in a hardware store in San Francisco. He's got a beautiful rent-controlled apartment with an ocean view. Sure I have a lot more freedom than he does, in that I could get into a apartment around here, but... paying market rate for his apartment would be difficult even on my income. I mean, I could do it, but it would necessitate lifestyle changes. California mostly charges you property tax based on what you paid originally for your house, which means that of the lower income people I know around here? more of them own or live with friends/family who own than rent. I mean, I'm not saying that the poor don't have it hard... I am just pointing out that we have laws that help people who have been here for a long time, laws that seem to make things easier for the lower income, and laws that actively make life difficult for the new arrivals.
  - htormey 9y ago
    Just in case someone reads the above comment the wrong way: Rent control in San Francisco is not tied to a tenants income but rather the age of the building. It’s entirely possible for someone who works in a wealthy person job (tech) to have a rent controlled apartment.
    - s0rce 9y ago
      Same with prop 13, you can make 2million/yr and pay $5000 in property tax on your (current market rate) $3M house.
- stickfigure 9y ago
  His anecdote is more powerful because of his income Or more likely, his anecdote is made-up because of his income. Alternatively, his income is made-up because of his anecdote. It's not hard to find accommodation in SF (let alone the East Bay) with a $150k/yr income. Something is being exaggerated.

I don't think you're facing what they're facing. Sounds like you make quite a bit more than the people profiled in this article.

by hashkb 9y ago

I don't think you're facing what they're facing. Sounds like you make quite a bit more than the people profiled in this article.

losteric 9y ago

His anecdote is more powerful because of his income. You'd expect someone with low income to have trouble finding housing... that's a problem, but the situation makes sense. When someone struggles to find housing while making multiples of middle income, something is deeply fucked. That says a lot about how bad it is for everyone else.

lsc 9y ago
>You'd expect someone with low income to have trouble finding housing... that's a problem, but the situation makes sense. When someone struggles to find housing while making multiples of middle income, something is deeply fucked. That says a lot about how bad it is for everyone else. I... disagree that upper middle income immigrants having a hard time says anything definitive about the situation of the local poor, at least in the bay area. There are lots of laws and rules made to benefit the poor long term residents at the expense of those upper-middle income newer immigrants. My least-employed little brother works in a hardware store in San Francisco. He's got a beautiful rent-controlled apartment with an ocean view. Sure I have a lot more freedom than he does, in that I could get into a apartment around here, but... paying market rate for his apartment would be difficult even on my income. I mean, I could do it, but it would necessitate lifestyle changes. California mostly charges you property tax based on what you paid originally for your house, which means that of the lower income people I know around here? more of them own or live with friends/family who own than rent. I mean, I'm not saying that the poor don't have it hard... I am just pointing out that we have laws that help people who have been here for a long time, laws that seem to make things easier for the lower income, and laws that actively make life difficult for the new arrivals.
- htormey 9y ago
  Just in case someone reads the above comment the wrong way: Rent control in San Francisco is not tied to a tenants income but rather the age of the building. It’s entirely possible for someone who works in a wealthy person job (tech) to have a rent controlled apartment.
  - s0rce 9y ago
    Same with prop 13, you can make 2million/yr and pay $5000 in property tax on your (current market rate) $3M house.
stickfigure 9y ago
His anecdote is more powerful because of his income Or more likely, his anecdote is made-up because of his income. Alternatively, his income is made-up because of his anecdote. It's not hard to find accommodation in SF (let alone the East Bay) with a $150k/yr income. Something is being exaggerated.