3 ms·

Victoria, Vancouver, Portland, Seattle, LA - all have similar problems with homelessness and it has a lot to do with climate. I think if someone has a 'constan

by jariel 6y ago

Victoria, Vancouver, Portland, Seattle, LA - all have similar problems with homelessness and it has a lot to do with climate. I think if someone has a 'constant and grinding' exposure to homelessness, like they work near 5th and Market, it can actually have an aggravating affect emotionally. Expensive housing however, is probably not a root cause of homelessness, because there is absolutely cheap housing all over California and the West coast. We can argue about 'cost' but I don't think anyone would say that homeless people have some kind of 'right' to live in SF. If we could feasibly provide more effective housing and services but it happened to be in Modesto or Sacramento than that would be perfectly reasonable.

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randmeerkat 6y ago
So the common factor I come down to is that everyone needs a haircut. How far do you expect a hairstylist to commute to cut your hair? Another programmer isn’t going to cut your hair, if they do I suspect it won’t be a very good cut. The cost of housing isn’t about other areas being affordable for lower salary careers to move to, the cost of housing is about having a robust economic center that everyone can afford to participate in.
- imtringued 6y ago
  This is true. The reason why SF is considered a tech center is because everyone else couldn't afford to move there.
  - jariel 6y ago
    Actually, this isn't true. First - SF was not 'tech' until the mid 2000's. Some people - yes. But no HQs. The Silicon Vally was where it was at. Also - up until the 1990's at least, the Valley was just a burb, mostly affordable, not outrageous except in some little spots. In the 2000's it started to get weird and 2010+ is when it got 'bad bad' and SF became a true hub. In the 1990's regular folk could buy homes, Engineers could buy normal homes on normal terms. Large swaths of SF ware garbage.

by jariel 6y ago

deleted 6y ago

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randmeerkat 6y ago

So the common factor I come down to is that everyone needs a haircut. How far do you expect a hairstylist to commute to cut your hair? Another programmer isn’t going to cut your hair, if they do I suspect it won’t be a very good cut. The cost of housing isn’t about other areas being affordable for lower salary careers to move to, the cost of housing is about having a robust economic center that everyone can afford to participate in.

imtringued 6y ago
This is true. The reason why SF is considered a tech center is because everyone else couldn't afford to move there.
- jariel 6y ago
  Actually, this isn't true. First - SF was not 'tech' until the mid 2000's. Some people - yes. But no HQs. The Silicon Vally was where it was at. Also - up until the 1990's at least, the Valley was just a burb, mostly affordable, not outrageous except in some little spots. In the 2000's it started to get weird and 2010+ is when it got 'bad bad' and SF became a true hub. In the 1990's regular folk could buy homes, Engineers could buy normal homes on normal terms. Large swaths of SF ware garbage.