Quote:
Originally Posted by Skipstone
What needs to happen is concerned communities should address this issue at the local and state levels. I seriously doubt enough people would ever boycott new developments because the prices are sometimes so much better.
|
Skipstone, I agree with much of what you've said here, and I've highlighted the above because I think it's the key. The cost of doing new development on 'virgin' land is so much less than doing in-fill or redevelopment in existing neighborhoods.
Watching this board the past few months, I've noticed that a large number of the folks expressing an interest in moving to the Triangle are from expensive northeastern states and often hold traditionally middle-class careers (as teachers, medical assistants, firefighters/law enforcement, secretarial, etc.), and are moving here because they can't afford a house where they're from. I don't blame them! My wife and I had great careers in Boston but knew we could never afford to buy a house there and live a financially secure life that wasn't all about work.
As a result, there's a ton of demand for houses that are affordable on the kind of salaries you'd make in those jobs down here, and it's a lot easier to justify in a traditional, car-oriented subdivision.
For my wife and me, we were lucky to be able to get a house in an historic, in-fill neighborhood. We have a greenway trail two blocks from us along a creek and can take it to the Streets at Southpoint or practically all the way to the Eno River, and can walk to several great parks. We could settle for a small house to do it, but if we had two kids, that wouldn't have worked. As much as we "dislike" tract development -- politically, environmentally, socially -- I can't blame families buying those as a place they can call their own home.
How do we make growth pay for itself? Impulsively... I like the idea of impact fees, because they make developers and buyers face the cost of the schools, roads, sewer/water, etc. that they add. Existing residents benefit from growth (their houses closer to the city center go up in value) and should pay some, but in Raleigh-Durham at least, new residents and developers don't really pay their share. Like I said above... I don't want to see these developments or their buyers soaked, either, because it is a part of the "American dream" for so many of us.
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.
