3 ms·
> Negligible problem. SF has a very low vacancy rate. Worry about it if it happens. But we're not talking about the vacancy rate of housing, we're talking abou
by nkoren 13y ago
> Negligible problem. SF has a very low vacancy rate. Worry about it if it happens.
But we're not talking about the vacancy rate of housing, we're talking about the availability of housing for those who aren't housing.
Besides, I live in London, where this issue is accutely non-theoretical.
> As for (3), we are nowhere near the point where that is necessary.
We have large-scale structural underemployment and unemployment; real median incomes have been falling for a generation and a half; and half the workforce will be automated out of existence with a decade. We are right there.
> The real problem is that taxes and transfers drastically reduce the incentive for people to do low skill work:
That's almost precisely wrong. It's not the provision of social transfers which disincentivises people from working: it's the withdrawal of social transfers which creates high marginal tax rates. Make the transfers universal and unconditional, and those disincentives are gone. (I favour a flat UBI funded by a flat income tax: equality for all).
- yummyfajitas 13y agoWe have large-scale structural underemployment and unemployment;... And yet you still can't find a maid for $7.25/hour and companies continue outsourcing work because Americans are too expensive. That shouldn't be happening if humans were unnecessary, unless of course some other factor was inducing Americans not to work. Income has fallen due to a shift in compensation from taxed wages to untaxed benefits and due to composition changes in the workforce. http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/ECICOM http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/series/ECICOM http://www.chrisstucchio.com/blog/2011/immigrants_simpsons_paradox_great_stagnation.html http://www.chrisstucchio.com/blog/2011/immigrants_simpsons_p... Make the transfers universal and unconditional, and those disincentives are gone... Nope - diminishing marginal utility reduces it. This has been borne out by experiment - BI reduces working hours by 10% or so. (As is common on this topic, fawning reporters don't cite primary sources. Argh.) https://decorrespondent.nl/541/why-we-should-give-free-money-to-everyone/31639050894-e44e2c00 https://decorrespondent.nl/541/why-we-should-give-free-money...