Area population increase slowing down according to census figures (Arlington: HOA, how much)

[Old Guard]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

Not really. The "edge" NoVA always had in courting its meteoric influx of new residents for quite some time has always been "the economy in YOUR city sucks so come here and find a job easily..." Ashburn is replete with people who moved to NoVA from Ottumwa; Saginaw; Montpelier; Kalamazoo; Walla Walla; etc.

I have never seen that. Do you have an example?

[JD984]

Originally Posted by Old Guard

I have never seen that. Do you have an example?

Crickets, I see.

Jurisdictions in NoVa have always emphasized what they perceived as their strengths in marketing materials, whether it's the public schools, an educated workforce, proximity to the Nation's Capital, a business-friendly climate, available office space or, particularly in Arlington's case, "urban villages" with Metro access to appeal to a younger workforce.

No doubt, some people have come to this area because they felt the job opportunities were better here and, perhaps, non-existent or slim elsewhere. Some view that negatively, as if it's a sign that the goal in DC/NoVa was to become the Imperial City that only benefits at the expense of everyone else. Others always thought some of the heightened activity here was temporary, and that we'd see some people leave as the country recovered from the recession. Rather than see this as a sign of the region's weakness, it can be seen as a demonstration of the country's strength.

But, no matter how you view it, you'd be hard-pressed to see local jurisdictions touting a line "come here because your own town is a wasteland," or some variation thereof. That's just what used to be called "agit-prop."

[Old Guard]

I may be naive but I do not think that areas advertise to individuals, I think that employers advertise to individuals and that areas advertise/compete for employers.

I admit I came here without much choice but I do not think that is the case with the majority of people that come to this area.
I also agree that a healthy economy will make other cities more attractive but I think it is too late to bury the DC area. I think it has begun a transition to a desirable area with nice urban appeal and good food which I feel it lacked in the 80's.

[frostopsy]

From the article I think these quotes summed it up the best;

“If you’re not making more than $100,000, you can’t live the way you want to here,”. “It’s so hectic in this area, and child care is so expensive. We don’t want to raise our kids here.”

And this;

"There’s got to be a balance,” she said, “and I just didn’t see the balance. It was pretty much all, ‘Let’s develop.’ ”

Too few roads, too many bottlenecks, too much of a crushing commute, and if you want to avoid all that, you have to really be making good money to afford the location. Add to that if your a transplant and never really wanted to put down roots, the grass is looking greener pretty much in every other major and mid-sized city right now.

Steelcityrising had some good points, you can go to pretty much any metropolitan suburb and have "the best schools in the nation", just as one example. So what's the benefit?

[stateofnature]

Originally Posted by frostopsy

From the article I think these quotes summed it up the best;

“If you’re not making more than $100,000, you can’t live the way you want to here,”. “It’s so hectic in this area, and child care is so expensive. We don’t want to raise our kids here.”

And this;

"There’s got to be a balance,” she said, “and I just didn’t see the balance. It was pretty much all, ‘Let’s develop.’ ”

Too few roads, too many bottlenecks, too much of a crushing commute, and if you want to avoid all that, you have to really be making good money to afford the location. Add to that if your a transplant and never really wanted to put down roots, the grass is looking greener pretty much in every other major and mid-sized city right now.

Steelcityrising had some good points, you can go to pretty much any metropolitan suburb and have "the best schools in the nation", just as one example. So what's the benefit?

The benefit is that I can work a job here that I really enjoy and cannot find elsewhere in the country. I can't be happy overall if I'm not happy in what I do 40 hours a week (half of my waking hours).

I don't want to be too specific about what I do, but I think given the unique nature of the job market in the DC area, there are many other people like me. If you are interested in politics and policy and want to work in a job related to that, this is a great place to be.

[Hudlander]

Originally Posted by fcyolo

Yes, because those post ww2 tract homes: rambler, splits, cape cod and tiny brick colonials are awesome.

Originally Posted by frostopsy

Those cookie cutter, identical looking, boring and overpriced town homes are a complete eyesore. Having lived in one of those homes built in the 40's, I would take the aesthetics and character over the modern bourgeois atrocities I see all over the area.

That makes two of us. I'd rather have some trees and consistent architecture than oversized McMansions and town homes built for yuppies to brag about on facebook.

Originally Posted by FCNova

I'm pretty sure townhomes aren't built for aesthetics. They serve a purpose, a lower cost alternative to SFHs. After all, some people don't mind living in a townhouse in an area they can't afford a house in order to have a better commute.

Really? Those 4 story luxury town homes?
Town homes are stupid if they aren't actuaaly In Town with walkability.

Originally Posted by gomason

Most of the new single family homes look just as bad if not worse.

Originally Posted by TheWatchmen

I've seen some LOVELY new arts and crafts/craftsman style rebuilds from teardowns in neighborhoods near me, but other than that, the monstrous colonial McMansions are just hideous.

They're awful and wasteful. Can't wait til Toll Brothers, Ryan Homes, KHov gtfo of here.

[NOVA_guy]

I don't understand people who live or lived here and are super bitter about it and think everyone who lives here has the same perspective as them.

[fcyolo]

Originally Posted by Hudlander

That makes two of us. I'd rather have some trees and consistent architecture than oversized McMansions and town homes built for yuppies to brag about on facebook.


Really? Those 4 story luxury town homes?
Town homes are stupid if they aren't actuaaly In Town with walkability.




They're awful and wasteful. Can't wait til Toll Brothers, Ryan Homes, KHov gtfo of here.

What do you prefer? Levvitt to rise from the grave and build more post ww2 crackerbox houses cause you know we need more of those inside the beltway.

Sorry but this is 'murica.

Only 580k brand new home with great schools and a 45 minute commute downtown

[Hudlander]

Originally Posted by fcyolo

What do you prefer? Levvitt to rise from the grave and build more post ww2 crackerbox houses cause you know we need more of those inside the beltway.

Sorry but this is 'murica.

Only 580k brand new home with great schools and a 45 minute commute downtown

You know what, if people want to ***** and ***** about affordable housing, only to destroy farmland so they can have a McMansion, let's get rid of that sprawl inducing home mortgage deduction.
Let's revise it so it goes to homebuyers who actually need it to afford a size able, house in an infill area.

I hate that my tax dollars subsidize snobs ruining rural NoVA just so they can have their 3500 palace. Want that? Fine. But the mortgage deduction goes to the person buying the rambler in Burke.

[Old Guard]

Originally Posted by NOVA_guy

I don't understand people who live or lived here and are super bitter about it and think everyone who lives here has the same perspective as them.

I assume every locality forum on City Data has these kind of people and I also am confident that some of the most negative ones post on more than one locality forum.