Do You Realize How Good We Really Have It Here? (Houston: rent, school)

[TexasGirl@Heart]

Originally Posted by HappyTexan

Just wear that orange shirt EVERY Saturday and you're covered.

Consider it done! I already own some Longhorn gear and I'm not even living there yet

[scongress1234]

Originally Posted by Texanwannabe

Consider it done! I already own some Longhorn gear and I'm not even living there yet

You can borrow mine if you want......pretty much everyone wears burnt orange around here...I think it looks neat whole jogging and working out myself

[czwdb]

Originally Posted by Texanwannabe

I reserve the right to wear Black & Gold anytime the Pittsburgh Steelers are playing (even if they're playing a Texas team

As a 10 year resident of Pittsburgh and soon to be resident of Austin, I second that!

[Trainwreck20]

One of the things I loved about UT was all the students that came for grad school there wearing the colors of the undergraduate schools .

[AustinTexan]

Originally Posted by scongress1234

AT, as a long time local, and trust me, there are few on here(CD), what would you do to change growth in Austin? Not necessarily stop it, but contain it, and make it a more positive and pleasant experience for all, old and new residents?

Austin essentially doubled in population from '90 on, from 350,000 and change, to a bit over 718,000 now.....thats mighty quick for just 18 years.....the city during that time pumped the city up like no tomorrow. They even trademarked the "Live music capitol of the world", so no other US city could use it....top 10 list appearances up the yinyang......

Now, after most of that growth,a breather, and such, what can Austin do to change this absorbtion of so many people, from cal and other places, even Houston and Dallas(I meet more people from Houston than Californians, BTW)? Indeed, Austin is getting reams of people from all over Texas, and they say that about 60% of the growth is in-state migration, in other words, most of it.......think about THAT one for awhile!............


What can we do to change Austin's way of dealing with growth, and enticing the same?

What would I do to slow it? Hmmm, the first thing I'd like to control is all the national publicity we keep getting as "one of the best places to live, raise a family, own a business" etc. Some of that is out of the city's hands, but just stop spending money campaigns to get people to move here. People got the message and they've done a great job of moving here, we don't need to keep the "gold rush" mentality forever or we'll end up like L.A. It's not just an Austin thing even though I think a higher percentage (per capita) are moving here than anywhere else, the whole state is getting slammed with people moving here. I know the Dallas area (McKinney, Frisco, Plano, The Colony, etc) is hardly able to keep up with all the migration there. In just a few years that area went from miles of open spaces to looking a lot like one big city. As the economy is hurting, people are naturally look for ways to stretch their dollars and the biggest way is to find a place with cheap housing. Right now for your money, Texas is the biggest bargain, and it's not even close. Texas is a great place to live, and Austin is the BEST place to live in an already great state. You put that combination together, get the national media to buy into it, and you get what we have now.........massive migration to Texas and Austin. The pieces are falling where they fall and I don't think there's anything you can really do to stop it until prices start skyrocketing, roads/traffic becomes unbearable, jobs become more scarce, and it is no longer the great city it once was. I think we're quite a few years away from Austin being a bad place to live, but we're inching that way. Austin has attracted so many great people to it (instate and out of state) that we have so many friendly people here making it a really pleasant place to live. My gripes in the past have mainly been with those (mainly Californians because I deal with them so much) that are coming here and trying to make it "California East" with their **** poor attitudes and unpleasant personalities. I know Austin is growing at an alarming rate, but that doesn't mean we have to lose our identity and lose what's made Austin such a great place to live. If you're open, friendly, laid back, and really want to make Austin a better place to live, you'll always be welcome here (and you love UT ). Austin has been the gem of Texas for so long and now that the secret is out, most of us just don't want it to be ruined by rude/mean people who are just here to make a quick buck. I still throughly enjoy living here and I want everyone who moves here to feel the same way. If you don't, do us all a favor and move away or back to where you came from.

[AustinTexan]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

One of the things I loved about UT was all the students that came for grad school there wearing the colors of the undergraduate schools .

True, but those here in grad school are not going to hate on UT. Those who move here who don't even have a college degree and are obnoxious about their home state university or whatever, are the ones I'm talking about. Those here in grad school are very respectful, for the most part. I just can't deal with oklahoma fans with upside down Longhorn decals and oklahoma flags in their yards, who are a menace to society. I sure as heck wouldn't move to Norman, oklahoma and but degrading decals all over my car and fly a Longhorn flag in my yard there. But then again, I'm a lot more intelligent than most of those okies. As for professional sports, I like the Steelers and don't have a problem with a majority of the franchises, except the Lakers. Actually, I don't like ANY California team, collegiate or professional, on any level. Anyone surprised? LOL!!

[scongress1234]

Originally Posted by AustinTexan

What would I do to slow it? Hmmm, the first thing I'd like to control is all the national publicity we keep getting as "one of the best places to live, raise a family, own a business" etc. Some of that is out of the city's hands, but just stop spending money campaigns to get people to move here. People got the message and they've done a great job of moving here, we don't need to keep the "gold rush" mentality forever or we'll end up like L.A. It's not just an Austin thing even though I think a higher percentage (per capita) are moving here than anywhere else, the whole state is getting slammed with people moving here. I know the Dallas area (McKinney, Frisco, Plano, The Colony, etc) is hardly able to keep up with all the migration there. In just a few years that area went from miles of open spaces to looking a lot like one big city. As the economy is hurting, people are naturally look for ways to stretch their dollars and the biggest way is to find a place with cheap housing. Right now for your money, Texas is the biggest bargain, and it's not even close. Texas is a great place to live, and Austin is the BEST place to live in an already great state. You put that combination together, get the national media to buy into it, and you get what we have now.........massive migration to Texas and Austin. The pieces are falling where they fall and I don't think there's anything you can really do to stop it until prices start skyrocketing, roads/traffic becomes unbearable, jobs become more scarce, and it is no longer the great city it once was. I think we're quite a few years away from Austin being a bad place to live, but we're inching that way. Austin has attracted so many great people to it (instate and out of state) that we have so many friendly people here making it a really pleasant place to live. My gripes in the past have mainly been with those (mainly Californians because I deal with them so much) that are coming here and trying to make it "California East" with their **** poor attitudes and unpleasant personalities. I know Austin is growing at an alarming rate, but that doesn't mean we have to lose our identity and lose what's made Austin such a great place to live. If you're open, friendly, laid back, and really want to make Austin a better place to live, you'll always be welcome here (and you love UT ). Austin has been the gem of Texas for so long and now that the secret is out, most of us just don't want it to be ruined by rude/mean people who are just here to make a quick buck. I still throughly enjoy living here and I want everyone who moves here to feel the same way. If you don't, do us all a favor and move away or back to where you came from.

Next question....when does Austin "Jump the Shark" in that respect?
Is it jumping now? And when did southern cal jump the shark? Or Phoenix, Houston, Vegas, and dallas, for that matter?
Said another way, if you pour enough people, fast enough, into Austin, can you ruin it for everyone?......


Another related question for AT....is there a carrying capacity for Austin? If you add up all the present and future infrastructure up to say 2011, how many more people can you add on the city grid up to that time, without everyone boring up each others behind on the roads, and venting with frustration much like southern california? Another corrolary....if you bring in enough southern californians, does Austin de facto BECOME southern california?

[TexasGirl@Heart]

Originally Posted by czwdb

As a 10 year resident of Pittsburgh and soon to be resident of Austin, I second that!

Hey, another Pittsburgh Steeler fan! (I lived there most of my entire life.) DM me and I'll tell you where the "Official" Pittsburgh Steeler bar is located at in Austin You will want this information come Sept for game days!

[AustinTexan]

Originally Posted by scongress1234

Next question....when does Austin "Jump the Shark" in that respect?
Is it jumping now? And when did southern cal jump the shark? Or Phoenix, Houston, Vegas, and dallas, for that matter?
Said another way, if you pour enough people, fast enough, into Austin, can you ruin it for everyone?......


Another related question for AT....is there a carrying capacity for Austin? If you add up all the present and future infrastructure up to say 2011, how many more people can you add on the city grid up to that time, without everyone boring up each others behind on the roads, and venting with frustration much like southern california? Another corrolary....if you bring in enough southern californians, does Austin de facto BECOME southern california?

You're making my head hurt. I've been working all day and you want to quiz me on top of that? I'm done answering questions, I've dealt with too many out of towners today and it's made my blood pressure rise a little too much. I'm going home.

[AustinTraveler]

Originally Posted by AustinTexan

You're making my head hurt. I've been working all day and you want to quiz me on top of that? I'm done answering questions, I've dealt with too many out of towners today and it's made my blood pressure rise a little too much. I'm going home.

scongress, maybe you've jumped the shark?