In general, I agree that building up can harm the character of a neighborhood, but this is often presented in the context of SF and Oakland as a false choice.

In general, I agree that building up can harm the character of a neighborhood, but this is often presented in the context of SF and Oakland as a false choice. The difference between skyrocketing prices and stable ones is on the order of 3,000 new units per year, not 30,000. This is a goal we can hit with skyrises restricted to one part of town, or with three family homes in place of a lot of single family homes, or in a number of other tasteful ways. It's not as if 500,000 techies are moving to Oakland at once. It's a slow trickle, but, with a fixed supply, prices spike.