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Where I live, in Mountain View, the housing crunch is epic. Developers are pitching many large developments, and the cost per unit is ludicrous. Part of it is t

Where I live, in Mountain View, the housing crunch is epic. Developers are pitching many large developments, and the cost per unit is ludicrous. Part of it is that they're building high end stuff, part is land costs, part is high labor cost since we're in a real estate boom, but each new unit of housing in Mountain View also incurs something approaching six figures in permit costs, and the city often milks the developers for things like local park improvements, which passes the costs onto the new construction as well. Sorry cities, you can't have it both ways - can't demand more of developers and lower prices.

Tempest1981 9y ago
> six figures in permit costs This is exactly what cities should be doing to grow in a smart way: collect those fees to improve city infrastructure, to accommodate the new housing (and business). Improve transportation! Widen roads, add bike lanes. Add schools and parks and libraries. Add water/sewer/electrical/internet that connect to the developments -- that isn't free. How else are these paid for?
beager 9y ago
Isn't that just disguised NIMBYism though? Extreme permit costs, favors/bribes that make the threshold to action on building new housing higher?
seanmcdirmid 9y ago
> Sorry cities, you can't have it both ways - can't demand more of developers and lower prices. They (the people in charge of cities like Mountain View) mostly don't want it both ways, they'd rather have the status quo go on, which is why they throw up these requirements in the first place.
- throwawaybbqed 9y ago
  MV real estate is so messed up that people from Google can barely afford it. Why the hell don't companies move to a more affordable place?
  - seanmcdirmid 9y ago
    If they had trouble getting employees they might. Problem is, google offices are in high cost locations because that is where they can get the talent they want (Kirkland WA and not Wichita KS).
  - Tempest1981 9y ago
    Or allow more working from home...

Tempest1981 9y ago

> six figures in permit costs This is exactly what cities should be doing to grow in a smart way: collect those fees to improve city infrastructure, to accommodate the new housing (and business). Improve transportation! Widen roads, add bike lanes. Add schools and parks and libraries. Add water/sewer/electrical/internet that connect to the developments -- that isn't free. How else are these paid for?

beager 9y ago

Isn't that just disguised NIMBYism though? Extreme permit costs, favors/bribes that make the threshold to action on building new housing higher?

seanmcdirmid 9y ago

> Sorry cities, you can't have it both ways - can't demand more of developers and lower prices. They (the people in charge of cities like Mountain View) mostly don't want it both ways, they'd rather have the status quo go on, which is why they throw up these requirements in the first place.

throwawaybbqed 9y ago
MV real estate is so messed up that people from Google can barely afford it. Why the hell don't companies move to a more affordable place?
- seanmcdirmid 9y ago
  If they had trouble getting employees they might. Problem is, google offices are in high cost locations because that is where they can get the talent they want (Kirkland WA and not Wichita KS).
- Tempest1981 9y ago
  Or allow more working from home...