4 ms·

"I think everyone's realizing that the solution to various housing crisis is to build more homes for all income levels." Of course this is correct. However, i

by rsync 9y ago

"I think everyone's realizing that the solution to various housing crisis is to build more homes for all income levels." Of course this is correct. However, it is also correct that many, many of these are badly mischaracterized as "crises". It is not a crisis that you cannot afford to live in Aspen. It is not a crisis that you cannot afford an apartment in the very specific neighborhood in the very specific borough of New York City that you prefer. It is not a crisis that you cannot afford to buy a house, with a yard, in Marin County.

tmh79 9y ago
it is a crisis that cities like Cupertino are building office space for 12k workers, but not building housing for them. It is a crisis that the bay area has created office space for 8 new jobs for every 1 new unit of housing built.
- gwbas1c 9y ago
  Yes, and these highly paid employees displace lower-income people. It's not low-income housing that's needed; it's new housing for highly-paid employees so they don't outbid low-income people.
ng12 9y ago
Is it a crisis if I can't afford anything within an hour and a half commute of my job?
- mattnewton 9y ago
  If that’s a sacrifice you are unwilling to make and you can’t find work elsewhere, maybe
maxsilver 9y ago
> It is not a crisis that you cannot afford to live in Aspen It is a crisis if you work in Aspen and can not afford to live in Aspen. > It is not a crisis that you cannot afford an apartment in the very specific neighborhood in the very specific borough of New York City that you prefer. It is a crisis to work in NYC and are not be able to afford to live in NYC, which is real situation that actually exists for many people today. I understand there are a tiny few percent of people who's issues are 'badly mischaracterized as crises'. But the vast majority of the crisis is correctly characterized. We have a major urban housing problem. We should not dismiss it with a "let them eat cake" attitude.
- rsync 9y ago
  "It is a crisis if you work ..." No, it's not. It's very inconvenient, certainly. Further, it is completely incompatible with many very fashionable life scripts. However it is trivially solved in any number of different ways (relocation, downsizing, commuting, etc.) and is therefore not a crisis. A starter home in a downscale neighborhood and a second job were, at one time, life scripts that were enthusiastically embraced as the necessary rungs on the ladder into the middle class. It is hard to believe that a generation later these actions are "unthinkable" and evidence of a "crisis". Nobody owes you living in Aspen.
  - marnett 9y ago
    Luxury ski resort cities aside, there are cities where a teacher at a public school downtown, who is a civil servant serving the community, cannot live in the very community they serve. That is problematic. It is not particularly healthy to have major service workers forced out of the communities they serve. Your ignorance within the space shows with some of your suggested 'solutions.' You do realize some people are too poor to move, right? You do realize some cities were designed around cars and lack decent public transit, right? And downsizing? The people who are affected by housing crises spend their months in shelters and being evicted from apartments. Your lack of care for fellow members of your community aside, you could at least recommend equally outlandish solutions that align more with your view of the people affected like, 'just give the serfs a shack and stop the whining.'
    - rsync 9y ago
      "Your ignorance within the space shows with some of your suggested 'solutions.'" When I was growing up in a poor, semi-rural community in Colorado, my father drove a four hour round-trip every day to his job in Denver. I know of other people in my peer generation (late generation x) whose parents made similar decisions and sacrifices (second jobs, starter homes, relocation) that are now considered unthinkable and evidence of a crisis. I reject that line of thought.
      - 9y ago
aeorgnoieang 9y ago
Ignoring 'crisis', not being able to 'afford' to live in many – most – 'attractive' places is a widespread systemic problem due to concentrated political power that significantly limits the supply of housing in 'attractive' places.
kevinburke 9y ago
It is actually a crisis in Aspen. The City Council had to buy land to build housing for teachers, after realizing that high housing costs were hurting teacher recruitment. "The board's approval comes when it is looking for more ways to house teachers and staff in an area known for its exorbitant living costs. " https://www.aspentimes.com/news/aspen-school-district-eyes-more-ways-to-teachers-staff/ https://www.aspentimes.com/news/aspen-school-district-eyes-m...

by rsync 9y ago

tmh79 9y ago

it is a crisis that cities like Cupertino are building office space for 12k workers, but not building housing for them. It is a crisis that the bay area has created office space for 8 new jobs for every 1 new unit of housing built.

gwbas1c 9y ago
Yes, and these highly paid employees displace lower-income people. It's not low-income housing that's needed; it's new housing for highly-paid employees so they don't outbid low-income people.

ng12 9y ago

Is it a crisis if I can't afford anything within an hour and a half commute of my job?

mattnewton 9y ago
If that’s a sacrifice you are unwilling to make and you can’t find work elsewhere, maybe

maxsilver 9y ago

> It is not a crisis that you cannot afford to live in Aspen It is a crisis if you work in Aspen and can not afford to live in Aspen. > It is not a crisis that you cannot afford an apartment in the very specific neighborhood in the very specific borough of New York City that you prefer. It is a crisis to work in NYC and are not be able to afford to live in NYC, which is real situation that actually exists for many people today. I understand there are a tiny few percent of people who's issues are 'badly mischaracterized as crises'. But the vast majority of the crisis is correctly characterized. We have a major urban housing problem. We should not dismiss it with a "let them eat cake" attitude.

rsync 9y ago
"It is a crisis if you work ..." No, it's not. It's very inconvenient, certainly. Further, it is completely incompatible with many very fashionable life scripts. However it is trivially solved in any number of different ways (relocation, downsizing, commuting, etc.) and is therefore not a crisis. A starter home in a downscale neighborhood and a second job were, at one time, life scripts that were enthusiastically embraced as the necessary rungs on the ladder into the middle class. It is hard to believe that a generation later these actions are "unthinkable" and evidence of a "crisis". Nobody owes you living in Aspen.
- marnett 9y ago
  Luxury ski resort cities aside, there are cities where a teacher at a public school downtown, who is a civil servant serving the community, cannot live in the very community they serve. That is problematic. It is not particularly healthy to have major service workers forced out of the communities they serve. Your ignorance within the space shows with some of your suggested 'solutions.' You do realize some people are too poor to move, right? You do realize some cities were designed around cars and lack decent public transit, right? And downsizing? The people who are affected by housing crises spend their months in shelters and being evicted from apartments. Your lack of care for fellow members of your community aside, you could at least recommend equally outlandish solutions that align more with your view of the people affected like, 'just give the serfs a shack and stop the whining.'
  - rsync 9y ago
    "Your ignorance within the space shows with some of your suggested 'solutions.'" When I was growing up in a poor, semi-rural community in Colorado, my father drove a four hour round-trip every day to his job in Denver. I know of other people in my peer generation (late generation x) whose parents made similar decisions and sacrifices (second jobs, starter homes, relocation) that are now considered unthinkable and evidence of a crisis. I reject that line of thought.
    - 9y ago

aeorgnoieang 9y ago

Ignoring 'crisis', not being able to 'afford' to live in many – most – 'attractive' places is a widespread systemic problem due to concentrated political power that significantly limits the supply of housing in 'attractive' places.

kevinburke 9y ago

It is actually a crisis in Aspen. The City Council had to buy land to build housing for teachers, after realizing that high housing costs were hurting teacher recruitment. "The board's approval comes when it is looking for more ways to house teachers and staff in an area known for its exorbitant living costs. " https://www.aspentimes.com/news/aspen-school-district-eyes-more-ways-to-teachers-staff/ https://www.aspentimes.com/news/aspen-school-district-eyes-m...