Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Suburbs are like towns except they're really close to the city, so you can just drive to city when you're in need of what the city offers.
I wonder why it's only the suburbs everyone complains about and not the towns? Towns are pretty much smaller suburbs without the city nearby.
I think the main thing that sets the suburbs apart is they tend to zone out whatever land use they don't like, be it a regional mall, multifamily housing or heavy industry. What is acceptable varies between suburbs: One may object to a Hooters while another sees nothing wrong with a "Gentlemans Club." Landfills and Power Plants are necessary to society but unacceptable in most all suburbs.
Here is my take on this theory: Right now, the poor live in cities because that's where the cheapest housing is. But, if gas prices rise, and the middle class suddenly decide they need to move back to the city because commuting is too expensive, this greater demand drives up the property values in the city. And, the lower demand drives down the property values in the suburbs. So, the poor, who can't afford to live in the city anymore, are forced to move to the newly-affordable suburbs.
By that theory the middle class won't be able to afford the burbs because of the gas prices but somehow the poor will have no problem paying for gas. How is that? Or is the assumption that the poor won't care about gas prices because they don't work and don't shop and they just sit at home counting food stamps? Either way, it doesn't fly. If the burbs become unaffordable for the middle class, they would be unaffordable for the poor too. In that case everyone will move into the cities and immediate environs and the burbs would simply become abandoned and lie empty and desolate. I suppose that is possible. But if gas prices get that high--and no cheaper alternatives are found--the cost of transporting basic goods into the cities will be astronomical too. I suppose if everyone lived in the city the burbs could be turned into crop fields and the poor could take the commuter rail out to the fields to picks the crops. Or, here's a crazy idea, the automobile industry (faced with extinction) will finally develop affordable and reliable alternatives to gas and the burbs will simply shift from gas-guzzling cars to alternative-fuel cars. Crazy thought.
You know, some pro-suburb folks have made some good points on this thread. Honestly, I don't get the appeal, but that's just me. Whatever floats your boat. But after reading through the thread, I think I get now what bothers me more than anything about suburbs, and it's that I resent the expectation that because you're a parent you're supposed to give up your life for your children and become nothing more than MOM and DAD. Many suburbs lack any kind of adult fun. Everything, and I mean, EVERYTHING is geared towards families with children. Why is it considered healthy and desirable in American culture to give up your likes and personality when you become a parent and sequester yourself off in a community not reflective of the world, one that is removed from different kinds of people? To me it seems unnatural. Doesn't anyone else find this aspect of suburbs slightly odd, or are we so used to it that we just take it for granted?
I don't think pro suburb folks make any good points. They gave their individuality up, how can you expect to converse with them reasonably. They became the bubble, don't even try at this rate to reason.
I am a pro urban living kinda guy, but I am not gonna refer to me or others as "We urbanists" like some do.
I just hate the burbs, it is dull and boring and am looking to leave. I dont like what people became.
By that theory the middle class won't be able to afford the burbs because of the gas prices but somehow the poor will have no problem paying for gas. How is that? Or is the assumption that the poor won't care about gas prices because they don't work and don't shop and they just sit at home counting food stamps? Either way, it doesn't fly. If the burbs become unaffordable for the middle class, they would be unaffordable for the poor too. In that case everyone will move into the cities and immediate environs and the burbs would simply become abandoned and lie empty and desolate. I suppose that is possible. But if gas prices get that high--and no cheaper alternatives are found--the cost of transporting basic goods into the cities will be astronomical too. I suppose if everyone lived in the city the burbs could be turned into crop fields and the poor could take the commuter rail out to the fields to picks the crops. Or, here's a crazy idea, the automobile industry (faced with extinction) will finally develop affordable and reliable alternatives to gas and the burbs will simply shift from gas-guzzling cars to alternative-fuel cars. Crazy thought.
I didn't say the poor wouldn't have a problem paying for gas. They will just become poorer.
When I was growing up, in the 80's, all that my family could afford were huge, gas guzzling cars from the 70's. We were too poor to afford newer, fuel-efficient cars. So, we were burdened with the added expense of gasoline. This is similar to what I think will happen to housing when the middle class decides they want to move back to the city.
I live in the middle of Baltimore for school but I still drive 10 minutes to Wal-Mart in the suburbs for basically ALL of my shopping. Your right I can't carry bags down the sidewalk like that especailly not in the winter. Also I don't like having traffic and concrete all around me. I'm lucky in that I have a great view of downtown's skyscrapers but many of my friends look out simply on crowded streets, many just look at a brick wall across an alleyway. Also crime here is terrible. My complex is a gated community in the city and when travelling alone at night I always utilize a police escort van that the campus provides.
When I'm done with grad school I'm moving to the suburbs or better yet to a small town far from the city.
Baltimore is a uniquely dangerous and poor city. You can't really extrapolate your experiences at Hopkins with all city living.
I didn't say the poor wouldn't have a problem paying for gas. They will just become poorer.
When I was growing up, in the 80's, all that my family could afford were huge, gas guzzling cars from the 70's. We were too poor to afford newer, fuel-efficient cars. So, we were burdened with the added expense of gasoline. This is similar to what I think will happen to housing when the middle class decides they want to move back to the city.
The poor have lived in the city because all aspects of life was cheaper there--not just housing. It is totally nonsensical to think that the poor are enmass going to move to a place where the cost of living is higher! If gas prices got so high that the middle class couldn't afford them, there is no way that the poor are going to move in and take on the financial burden. That is silly. Instead the poor will take over other (less desirable) parts of the city. Which would leave the empty burbs for crops!
The poor have lived in the city because all aspects of life was cheaper there--not just housing. It is totally nonsensical to think that the poor are enmass going to move to a place where the cost of living is higher! If gas prices got so high that the middle class couldn't afford them, there is no way that the poor are going to move in and take on the financial burden. That is silly. Instead the poor will take over other (less desirable) parts of the city. Which would leave the empty burbs for crops!
From my experience, the poor live where they can afford the rent, first. If the rent goes up, and they can't afford it anymore, they move somewhere else. When you're poor, you don't always have the luxury of choice. That's why I brought up the example of the gas-guzzling car.
Sure, this will happen slowly. The entire middle class and poor aren't just going to stand up all at once and trade places. But, according to the theory, which makes sense to me, the poor will eventually be forced out of the cities as the middle class moves in.
Why would they have to be forced out? Are there other alternatives?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
