Because of prop 13 property taxes are also fixed and decreases to nothing as the property depreciates over 29 years. Prop 13 in effect removed much of homeowners incentive to support policies that promote development.
* San Francisco: 65% renters
* Oakland: 60.2% renters
* Berkeley: 57.3% renters
* San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara metro area: 43.7% renters
Restricting housing supply has priced out a previously thriving african american and hispanic community, as well as most working class families.
In Norway, where I come from, this would not be considered a progressive opinion at all. Quite to the contrary it would be considered an extremely conservative opinion, and possibly also classist.
* get children
* get grandchildren they want to be close with while their child can’t afford to live next door because of inflated rents caused by housing shortages
* become old and need to live in a building adapted to their needs
*their friends might move away because of high housing costs
Reducing prices solves these problems.