Holy COW does Santa Rosa have a homeless crisis! (Petaluma: upper-class, rent)

[WizardOfRadical]

Originally Posted by Electrician4you

The construction contractors simply cannot build the housing fast enough to make a dent in the demand. I have a friend who is a construction manager. He works in the Bay Area. Currently he is running 12 projects. All big all multi family apartment type. the other problem is getting skilled workers. I know a lot of people like to say construction is a caveman job and in some cases it is. But there is a lot of technology that goes into a building that requires skills. And there simply aren't enough people out there. Never mind trying to find people, keeping them is also a challenge because other companies are so hungry for people they will poach your workers.

The Bay Area is simply that in demand, and the COL is just through the roof.

The problem is, during the last real estate boom most of the homes were built by illegal immigrants who were "construction workers". You can go to pretty much any dusty, inland, suburb/exurb and find 10 to 15 year old tract homes that are already falling apart. A testament to what happens when a bunch of cheap homes are slapped up by unskilled labor.You need craftsmen to do construction.

Here's the thing, all those guys fled California, due to political climate, high cost of living, lack of jobs during the RE bust, or they retired or retrained. Most of their kids have no interest in working construction either. So there no pass down from father to son, and not enough skilled labor.

[NoMoreSnowForMe]

I'm way up here in Crescent City, and I've noticed the homeless problem here has really gotten worse over just this summer.

The homeless I've ever seen don't look like employable people. They look either mentally ill or addicted to something like meth, or both. Or they just look like people who choose the vagabond lifestyle.

There was a young couple walking a puppy with backpacks on who I walked by with my dog a couple weeks ago, and they asked me where the Safeway was. Yep, saw them later sitting at Safeway with their puppy and their cardboard sign asking for money.

I just don't see the economy having much to do with the homeless problem I've seen in the Bay Area, Redding and now in Crescent City.

[Snort]

County seat? Where they pick up welfare checks?

[Parker501]

Originally Posted by Tulemutt

And did you read the link / research I provided? Demonstrates clearly that the upper middle class has grown more than the mid-and-lower tiers have shrunk.

Obama's presidency corrected the disaster of the previous presidency's policies, as best could be done. The banking class holds the power. In the volatile state of affairs during the recession the only safe path to avoid total meltdown into full depression was the quantitative easing and allowing the banking class to reset itself and thrive. They held the knife to society's throat. Kill them and we'd have collapsed. I agree they are scum. But survival for all dictated they win.

You haven't been left to gamble on overpriced housing and invest in overvalued stocks. That is a myth. You willingly play the game. You can walk away anytime and pursue a life of meaningful discovery. You choose to play in the shallows with your desires for superficial baubles of materialism. That is "burying your head in the sand." You see nothing but desire for the same things you criticize the elites for having.

I don't think wanting a home or saving for retirement are desires for superficial baubles of materialism.
And no, I don't desire the same things the elites have. These are basic things all previous generations had - savings and a house.

If you actually believe that these are things for the elites ONLY that is pretty sad. Sad that this is what people have come to accept as a meaningful quality of life in America today - lifelong renters who try and live off social security. But then again you believe Obama was a good president so it doesn't surprise me you think America is doing so well.

[bmw335xi]

Originally Posted by Parker501

I don't think wanting a home or saving for retirement are desires for superficial baubles of materialism.
And no, I don't desire the same things the elites have. These are basic things all previous generations had - savings and a house.

If you actually believe that these are things for the elites ONLY that is pretty sad. Sad that this is what people have come to accept as a meaningful quality of life in America today - lifelong renters who try and live off social security. But then again you believe Obama was a good president so it doesn't surprise me you think America is doing so well.

Exactly, they have been told to continue settling for less and got into their brain that anything more is not sustainable for the future of the human race, meanwhile their beloved politicians have vacation homes everywhere, have armed security with them, buy their children penthouses in NYC etc. Michelle Obama orders a $1,000 special order bottle of wine for crying out loud.

[WizardOfRadical]

You hear stories of life long NYC renters living in tiny rent controlled apartments into their 90's. And they wouldn't have it any other way. Not the life for me but to each his own.

There are cowboys in Lodi who think they are living the life. Not for me but to each his own

[Tulemutt]

Originally Posted by Parker501

I don't think wanting a home or saving for retirement are desires for superficial baubles of materialism.
And no, I don't desire the same things the elites have. These are basic things all previous generations had - savings and a house.

If you actually believe that these are things for the elites ONLY that is pretty sad. Sad that this is what people have come to accept as a meaningful quality of life in America today - lifelong renters who try and live off social security. But then again you believe Obama was a good president so it doesn't surprise me you think America is doing so well.

There have been roughly 500 generations of humans in civilization since emerging from cave clans. Personal savings and buying houses utilizing mortgages have been an emerging trend for about 4 of those generations (individual home mortgaging was almost non-existent prior to the 1930's when the insurance business created the market). Investing in the stock market was uncommon for the average person until very recent generations, as well.

So, less than 1% of generations in the history of civilization have pursued what you claim "are basic things all previous generations had - savings and a house".

I don't criticize you for wanting these things. I point out they are optional. And, among all the things people thrive on or desire and choose to pursue - such as knowledge, wisdom, good health, charity, arts, crafts, personal relationships / family, social/community/national service - owning a house, especially typical contemporary housing, and accumulating wealth through investing without work, are the most shallow of life's options.

And, if you want them you can have them pretty easily still in many parts of our nation - just not cheaply in coastal California. If you want them here, you have to compete intensely for them. That's not Obama's fault.

Though I never said I thought America was "doing so well" or that Obama was "a good president", I'll respond to say that, in many respects America IS doing well, and Obama HAS been a particularly good president with no-chest-beating or scandals or low-class behaviors for eight years while walking a very unpleasant tightrope over a raging river of prejudice, extremism, and corporate avarice, greed, and plutocratic control of our culture. Tough business. He had to make a lot of unpalatable compromises.

[the topper]

It's just simple of very high costs of living in this city. If you lose a job or not working, you're homeless, period.

[bmw335xi]

Californian towns in general have very high cost of living in order to subsidize programs for illegals and career welfare addicts

[Tulemutt]

Originally Posted by bmw335xi

Californian towns in general have very high cost of living in order to subsidize programs for illegals and career welfare addicts

Supporting data? How much of the California COL goes to illegals and welfare compared to the other costs, such as housing, food, fuel, clothing, medical, etc.?