4 ms·

Nice article, it highlights other side of the gentrification issue. People in tech are there for a reason (one or more): 1. Passion about tech. 2. Rational lo

Nice article, it highlights other side of the gentrification issue. People in tech are there for a reason (one or more): 1. Passion about tech. 2. Rational logic - tech is where jobs and money are. 3. Luck. 4. Whatever I am missing. I would argue that point #2 comes to mind of quite a few people that go into tech, it certainly did for me. From that angle, people who did not go into tech (or other career path that would allow them to compete) are making irrational decision. In ancient time, tribe that did not switch to bow and arrows inevitably lost to one that did. In modern times, people who did not plan their careers are getting pushed out by people that did. On a related note, I wish tech people would start to make more rational decisions too. Quantify cost of your time, and use that to figure out if getting $3400 apartment and having 20 minutes shorter commute is worth it.

ryanobjc 13y ago
I think your apartment vs 20 minutes 'shorter commute' is actually vastly simplifying it. I live roughly in hayes valley (I moved here only 5 years ago, before the latest bunch, so I qualify as an 'old timer'), and my commute to my last office job by bike was 8 minute. You'd be hard pressed to find a 28 minute commute that reduces your rent a ton. As you know the trade off tends to be money vs space vs commute. Rents in concord are still in the $3000 range - only you get an entire house for it. Also you do realize this article was satire, and points out that the so-called "rich tech" folk arent really that rich... $80k a year is plenty, but most BART and Muni employees are making that much.
theorique 13y ago
(p[1] - p[0]) / (40 * (c[0] - c[1])) < H price of the closer apartment minus price of the cheaper apartment divided by the the longer commute minus the shorter commute (aggregated over a month). If that's greater than your hourly rate, then you're paying "more" to live closer ... if it's less, then you're saving money. (more or less, anyway)

ryanobjc 13y ago

I think your apartment vs 20 minutes 'shorter commute' is actually vastly simplifying it. I live roughly in hayes valley (I moved here only 5 years ago, before the latest bunch, so I qualify as an 'old timer'), and my commute to my last office job by bike was 8 minute. You'd be hard pressed to find a 28 minute commute that reduces your rent a ton. As you know the trade off tends to be money vs space vs commute. Rents in concord are still in the $3000 range - only you get an entire house for it. Also you do realize this article was satire, and points out that the so-called "rich tech" folk arent really that rich... $80k a year is plenty, but most BART and Muni employees are making that much.

theorique 13y ago

(p[1] - p[0]) / (40 * (c[0] - c[1])) < H price of the closer apartment minus price of the cheaper apartment divided by the the longer commute minus the shorter commute (aggregated over a month). If that's greater than your hourly rate, then you're paying "more" to live closer ... if it's less, then you're saving money. (more or less, anyway)