4 ms·

Tokyo would beg to differ

kenhwang 8y ago
You mean a city with higher cost per sqft compared to the bay despite having significantly higher density and no housing shortage?
- dionidium 8y ago
  That’s not the story anybody else is telling https://www.vox.com/2016/8/8/12390048/san-francisco-housing-costs-tokyo https://www.vox.com/2016/8/8/12390048/san-francisco-housing-... https://www.thenational.ae/business/property/want-affordable-housing-then-take-inspiration-from-tokyo-and-build-more-of-it-1.713304 https://www.thenational.ae/business/property/want-affordable... https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottbeyer/2016/08/12/tokyos-affordable-housing-strategy-build-build-build/#13e1cf4348d5 https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottbeyer/2016/08/12/tokyos-af...
- Fins 8y ago
  Tokyo is also far more livable place with excellent transit, low crime, clean, with much better food. And hell, I've stayed in hotels in Tokyo (perfectly fine ones, although obviously not 5-star ones) that would cost me less for a month than a crappy rental apartment in SJ.
  - kenhwang 8y ago
    Oh I definitely agree. Tokyo has done an excellent job keeping housing supply ahead of demand. That means the price of the housing in Tokyo is primarily the cost of T&M for the property, where as the cost of housing in California is almost entirely demand far exceeding supply.
Zarath 8y ago
Having visited Tokyo, I was very surprised by how un-dense it was. I was expecting far more skyscrapers and tall buildings.
- kenhwang 8y ago
  My understanding is that the most cost effective building height is ~8 stories tall. That's usually the height where wood can still be used and seismic resistance is generally a non-issue. Any higher and steel must be used and the price of the building generally increase exponentially. When that happens, the buildings must be built tall enough so that luxury pricing at the upper floors can offset the increase in building material cost. Tokyo has many many many mid-height buildings to make density more affordable. The US typically tries to increase density by mixing tall buildings near single story houses which is generally terrible for affordability.

You mean a city with higher cost per sqft compared to the bay despite having significantly higher density and no housing shortage?

dionidium 8y ago
That’s not the story anybody else is telling https://www.vox.com/2016/8/8/12390048/san-francisco-housing-costs-tokyo https://www.vox.com/2016/8/8/12390048/san-francisco-housing-... https://www.thenational.ae/business/property/want-affordable-housing-then-take-inspiration-from-tokyo-and-build-more-of-it-1.713304 https://www.thenational.ae/business/property/want-affordable... https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottbeyer/2016/08/12/tokyos-affordable-housing-strategy-build-build-build/#13e1cf4348d5 https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottbeyer/2016/08/12/tokyos-af...
Fins 8y ago
Tokyo is also far more livable place with excellent transit, low crime, clean, with much better food. And hell, I've stayed in hotels in Tokyo (perfectly fine ones, although obviously not 5-star ones) that would cost me less for a month than a crappy rental apartment in SJ.
- kenhwang 8y ago
  Oh I definitely agree. Tokyo has done an excellent job keeping housing supply ahead of demand. That means the price of the housing in Tokyo is primarily the cost of T&M for the property, where as the cost of housing in California is almost entirely demand far exceeding supply.

Zarath 8y ago

Having visited Tokyo, I was very surprised by how un-dense it was. I was expecting far more skyscrapers and tall buildings.

kenhwang 8y ago
My understanding is that the most cost effective building height is ~8 stories tall. That's usually the height where wood can still be used and seismic resistance is generally a non-issue. Any higher and steel must be used and the price of the building generally increase exponentially. When that happens, the buildings must be built tall enough so that luxury pricing at the upper floors can offset the increase in building material cost. Tokyo has many many many mid-height buildings to make density more affordable. The US typically tries to increase density by mixing tall buildings near single story houses which is generally terrible for affordability.