Leaving Los Angeles (San Diego, Freedom: real estate market, apartments, rent)

[westcoastbabe]

Leaving Los Angeles - Los Angeles Magazine

Great read. Very insightful... Its a shame that all of the "GOOD" cities are pricing out people.

[MordinSolus]

As long as a city holds broad appeal it's going to be expensive. Every major US city is very expensive. Some more than others, obviously, but every mid-sized city that's seen as an alternative to pricier cities like NYC, San Fran and LA are quickly becoming as expensive as their larger, busier counterparts. Portland and Austin are prime examples. The real estate markets in Portland and Austin are booming at an unreasonable rate because the idea that it's so much cheaper there is still prevalent.
And there's really not much that can be done about this. The rural communities, far removed from big cities, hold less and less appeal to Americans(for very practical reasons) so the cities are becoming more crowded. A lot of Angelenos seem to think the solution to the real estate nightmare is to simply build up, adding more apartments and condos. But more apartments and condos means more people, which means more strain on an already over-taxed an outdated infrastructure. Repairing existing infrastructure only gets the job partway done. To accommodate more people we would need more freeways and public transit, meaning less buildable land for developments and fewer desirable areas for buyers/renters.

It's a complex problem that extends far beyond "It's expensive. Make it cheaper."

[maggie2101]

That is sad.

[brrabbit]

Originally Posted by maggie2101

That is sad.

Not really, it's called Capitalism and Democracy, and also Freedom to move. Believe me, you wouldn't want to live in society where you aren't free to move anywhere and price is controlled by government.

[quixotic59]

Originally Posted by brrabbit

Not really, it's called Capitalism and Democracy, and also Freedom to move. Believe me, you wouldn't want to live in society where you aren't free to move anywhere and price is controlled by government.

Oh my goodness, yes. It is so much better to live in an oligarchy where you can't afford to move anywhere and price is controlled by dishonest banks selling out to foreign investors. Yes.

[StreetLegal]

Yes, interesting article. Waxes a bit nostalgic for the "golden years" of the late 90's when the economy was humming along and real estate was cheaper, relatively speaking.

I am struck by the author's profession (journalism) and his circle of friends, many of whom are/were artists or college professors. Those are tough professions in which to find sustainable employment, even in more affordable cities. Of course, journalism (esp. print) has been dealt a body blow over the past 10 years or so.

[StreetLegal]

I found this in the comments section to the linked article.

"I'm a New Yorker who loves Los Angeles (don't let the cliche fool you; there are more of us than you think). it's always a treat to visit, whether it's for work, or to hang with old friends.

Though NYC is my home, I've always understood the allure of LA, and sympathize with the author's reticence to leave it behind. And though his angst is centered around Los Angeles, the hardships he faces are faced by middle class folks in many of the country's more desirable cities (I hesitate to use the word desirable, as that's such a subjective term). NYC, SF, Seattle, Boston, San Diego, Austin - all these cities, and likely many more, are undergoing a transformation that renders them too expensive for most people. In some cases, these cities experienced a reverse "white flight" through gentrification, and now even the gentrifiers are being displaced. The article is beautifully written, but the phenomenon is national, not local.

Is it a problem to be solved through policy? I don't know. My guess is that we're entering a phase wherein our more desirable cities become gilded enclaves optimized for the rich, surrounded by enclaves for their servant classes. Anyone who knows NYC well knows that it's at least halfway to reaching that dubious goal - from the author's description, it sounds like LA is headed in that direction too. It's a symptom of 21st century capitalism - probably less pronounced in "the heartland," and perhaps an endorsement of that part of the country. How to address it? Frankly, I've lost faith in bureaucrats or technocrats, so I imagine it'll simply have to play itself out."

[CA4Now]

PhoenixMike posted the link to this article on the other "leaving L.A." thread....

Originally Posted by phoenixmike11

Leaving Los Angeles - Los Angeles Magazine

There was a good article about this in LA magazine (people leaving LA due to the high cost of living)
like a lot of people I like LA- but it is a very expensive place to live and making there without a high paying job is not easy

...and I have the same response after reading it. That really is a depressing article. Starting out in one's late 20s here and going on to do that well so young in life, it would be particularly devastating to endure what this couple did. Especially if this is not where you grew up and you have no other ties to this city.

[quixotic59]

Originally Posted by StreetLegal

I found this in the comments section to the linked article.

"I'm a New Yorker who loves Los Angeles (don't let the cliche fool you; there are more of us than you think). it's always a treat to visit, whether it's for work, or to hang with old friends.

Though NYC is my home, I've always understood the allure of LA, and sympathize with the author's reticence to leave it behind. And though his angst is centered around Los Angeles, the hardships he faces are faced by middle class folks in many of the country's more desirable cities (I hesitate to use the word desirable, as that's such a subjective term). NYC, SF, Seattle, Boston, San Diego, Austin - all these cities, and likely many more, are undergoing a transformation that renders them too expensive for most people. In some cases, these cities experienced a reverse "white flight" through gentrification, and now even the gentrifiers are being displaced. The article is beautifully written, but the phenomenon is national, not local.

Is it a problem to be solved through policy? I don't know. My guess is that we're entering a phase wherein our more desirable cities become gilded enclaves optimized for the rich, surrounded by enclaves for their servant classes. Anyone who knows NYC well knows that it's at least halfway to reaching that dubious goal - from the author's description, it sounds like LA is headed in that direction too. It's a symptom of 21st century capitalism - probably less pronounced in "the heartland," and perhaps an endorsement of that part of the country. How to address it? Frankly, I've lost faith in bureaucrats or technocrats, so I imagine it'll simply have to play itself out."

StreetLegal you beat me by a few minutes. As NYC natives planning a move to LA in the near future we have witnessed exactly the same phenomenon occur here. It is a function of the concentration of wealth in a few greedy hands who are manipulating real estate markets.

The big difference is, as someone suggested in another comment, that urban areas are becoming less family friendly. That seems inevitable and whether it is a positive or a negative remains a matter of personal perspective.

Since we are childless and not seeking to become home owners (why would owning a "spread" be something you would seek in an urban area?) the change seems a positive one to us. While rent may involve an increase, utility costs alone will decrease enough to help blunt the difference. In addition, the ability to enjoy the outdoors 12 months a year, buy a subscription to a local playhouse for a couple of hundred a year, or enjoy a blooming culinary experience on a budget (think food trucks), makes a big difference from enduring sleet and ice, $200 Broadway tickets, etc.

Housing expenses are undeniably increasing nationally, but people have to accept that you cannot live everywhere and anywhere if your goals involve home ownership and raising children.

P.S. Not allowed to rep you so I'm doing it here.

[crouching_tiger]

Originally Posted by westcoastbabe

Leaving Los Angeles - Los Angeles Magazine

Great read. Very insightful... Its a shame that all of the "GOOD" cities are pricing out people.

Yup...soon he will be forced to live with all the rednecks in Birmingham, Alabama.

Ooh boy will those rednecks eat the city slickers alive.