It sounds harsh, but I'm not sure what the answer is. Think of it, if housing were completely free everywhere in the US, for everyone, most people would flock

It sounds harsh, but I'm not sure what the answer is. Think of it, if housing were completely free everywhere in the US, for everyone, most people would flock to the west coast. It has the best weather in the US, and San Diego in particular even the best in the world perhaps. You have an ocean nearby, rarely gets too hot or too cold, etc. The only way to prevent the absolute cluster-f that would be is with scarcity and thereby pricing. I don't live there, so I'm not being elitist...I'm being realistic. A major factor in why I don't live there is the cost. A rational person deals with such things, instead of shouting from the a tent in the street. Edit to add - I don't think the situation of 'keep moving' is realistic. Of all the thousands of cities in the US, only a handful have really had a price explosion, and the reasons are obvious - coastal, nice weather, and limited space. I can't see that ever happening in say, Olathe, or Tuscaloosa, etc. Austin for example has had an explosion, but generally has the room to grow outwards in a reasonable way in my opinion.