Mayor Walsh tapped for Labor Secretary (Boston, Wellesley: median income, living in, young professionals)

[msRB311]

Originally Posted by Lampert

The majority of people working in Longoowd are probably some sort of trainee that make at most 60k, mostly less than that. Many are immigrants on J visas that can be (and are) paid less than what the guidelines say.

This is also funny. You do realize that many medical professionals work in the Longwood area? It's home to Children's hospital, Brigham and Women's, Dana Farber, Harvard Medical school, simmons college, i could go on. I can assure you that people are making more than 60k myself included.

Wow.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longwo..._Academic_Area

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by id77

You're telling me you honestly believe the only people interested in living in Boston are not middle-class families?

I think you've said yourself that middle-class families are pretty much gone from the city anyway, no? And it's already been explained in depth why "that" Boston is not coming back. The key now is making it more affordable for those who are still there, and those who the "city" is currently marketed towards.

Originally Posted by id77

But, humor me a moment -- why would one want to see the prices fall in Boston if not to open up opportunities to buy in Boston? The only other reason I can possibly think of is anger/resentment and a desire to see people who live in Boston get hurt financially, and I can't imagine people are seriously that petty.

Huh? Do single professionals, DINKs and working poor/immigrants no longer matter? Is it ALL about native born middle-class families with kids (who have largely already abandoned the city and have little incentive to return)? You're making very little sense here, and responding to you has become quite challenging and confusing.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by id77

It's also purchased by wealthy people from this country, but point understood. And yeah, they'd probably live, though $2 million still isn't remotely going to help those who are struggling to afford a $750k home, and those $3 million units (or even $1.5 million units) aren't going to approach $750k again.

It helps because now that the $3 million unit is $2 million, the $2 million unit can now only sell for $1.5 million and the $1 million unit for $750K and so on. The $3K/month apartment is now $2250/month, the $2K apartment is now $1500, etc. Every little bit helps.

[id77]

Originally Posted by msRB311

You're telling me I dont have co-workers from those areas? I have already said I used to live in Roslindale and I commuted into the Longwood area. And yes of course if I had the choice (and 5 million bux) i'd choose Chesnut Hill over Roslindale. What is your point? Clearly many people don't have a Chesnut Hill budget but you seem to want to gloat about how much money you have or something?

I think you misunderstand. I was asked what led me to believe the people I know in Fenway wouldn't move to West Rox, and I gave the reasons I'm aware of. I'm not trying to gloat, I'm trying to be direct and honest here, and my point is that we shouldn't be overestimating the desirability/demand for people to move from a neighborhood like Fenway to a neighborhood like West Rox, especially given that the cost of living in Fenway is already comparable to neighborhoods west of Fenway like Brookline/Newton.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by msRB311

There are still middle class families living in boston. I have family members who are police officers and firefighters who live in dorchester, Charlestown and Hyde park. They love Boston. Their combined incomes are also about 400k so I guess they're not exactly middle class as much as people seem to think those types of jobs are.

$400K/yr is definitely well into upper-middle-class territory, and even so there's fewer and fewer of those left it seems that aren't city workers or something.

[Lampert]

Originally Posted by msRB311

This is also funny. You do realize that many medical professionals work in the Longwood area? It's home to Children's hospital, Brigham and Women's, Dana Farber, Harvard Medical school, simmons college, i could go on. I can assure you that people are making more than 60k myself included.

Wow.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longwo..._Academic_Area

I worked in Longwood for years. The people that make money live in Wellesley, Weston etc etc not in Roxbury.

An enormous number of employees are researchers, the majority of the towers are full of scientists. A lot of these scientist are trainees. There are also many medical trainees, inters and residents pretty much run those hospitals (with nurses). Of course there are plenty of doctors and nurses too but they aren't the vast majority. The scientists/medical trainees are the ones that mostly can't afford to live in the nice suburbs.

[msRB311]

I never said I thought that someone living in Fenway would want to live in W. Roxbury. I don't know how that comparison came about. I have no idea how much it costs to live in Fenway but i'd certainly choose to live in Brookline or newton over Fenway. It just seems like you are implying W. Rox is a poorer lowly neighborhood when it's not even middle class anymore hence the 825k small fixer upper i posted earlier. You seem a bit out of touch with reality when it comes to real estate.

[mdovell]

Originally Posted by msRB311

There are still middle class families living in boston. I have family members who are police officers and firefighters who live in dorchester, Charlestown and Hyde park. They love Boston. Their combined incomes are also about 400k so I guess they're not exactly middle class as much as people seem to think those types of jobs are.

Or they could be under the city residency requirement and have no choice.

when the average person thinks of boston they probably aren't thinking about hyde park, brighton, allston, west roxbury, roslindale etc. they are more apt to think of the north end, downtown, beacon hill of course, the back bay of course, south end, south boston and dorchester either one)

Another way to look at it is look at where the bus lines are and where the rail stops are (subway or commuter) So yes there's some affordable areas in boston and in many cities but frankly does it have what they want.

Now there's no real exodus out of urban areas technically but students are at home and frankly office workers are as well. it's workers and students that left urban areas, not so much actual residents. Downtown Manhattan might look empty in Times Square but go to Brooklyn for a moment.... The trouble is so much of boston is dependent on students so naturally the media looks at areas that have the most loss.

We're going to have to deal with less of a population and less of an economy as populations spread wider. We'll see more problems in suburban and rural areas as there's an increase in domestics and potentially fires. Not all areas are prepared for this.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by id77

my point is that we shouldn't be overestimating the desirability/demand for people to move from a neighborhood like Fenway to a neighborhood like West Rox, especially given that the cost of living in Fenway is already comparable to neighborhoods west of Fenway like Brookline/Newton.

Not at all comparable. Somebody is probably moving from Fenway to WR because they want more space and looking to purchase a home with a yard, etc. (same reason they would move to Newton save for the schools). Many who were previously renting in Fenway, might not necessarily be able to BUY a SF home in Newton/Brookline but could in Westie.

[msRB311]

Originally Posted by Lampert

I worked in Longwood for years. The people that make money live in Wellesley, Weston etc etc not in Roxbury.

An enormous number of employees are researchers, the majority of the towers are full of scientists. A lot of these scientist are trainees. There are also many medical trainees, inters and residents pretty much run those hospitals (with nurses). Of course there are plenty of doctors and nurses too but they aren't the vast majority. The scientists/medical trainees are the ones that mostly can't afford to live in the nice suburbs.

I never said anything about Roxbury. You really don't think the majority of people there are drs and nurses? Sure there are research Scientists but I can't imagine they get paid under 60k. There are also plenty of Deans, Executive Directors, Program Directors and surgeons working in the area.