Comment by britch | Hacker News Reader

Comment by britch | Hacker News Reader

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You're right. California is for the rich. If you grew up in LA and your parents grew up LA, but you can't afford it now, head to Michigan.

Meanwhile new grad with a fancy degree from Northwestern, you can afford the rent, so they get to live in LA.

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I understand what you're saying. While many people would like to live in California, there's only so much room. At the same time I have a hard time swallowing the idea that "These people are addicted to LA" if they grew up there and spent their whole lives there.

The US coasts have not been building enough new housing to keep up with demand [0] for the past several decades. We treat housing like an investment and restrict supply to increase property value to the point that it is difficult for people to find places they can afford to live.

Some people may have to leave the town where they grew up to find somewhere to live and work. Some people may have shown up in LA with unrealistic dreams and should probably leave.

I only ask that you don't discount the role housing policy has played in creating this situation. The issue is more nuanced than "people addicted to California."

[0] - https://www.brookings.edu/research/cost-crowding-or-commutin...

I just don't think the new housing is coming...ever. There's too much money tied up in the real estate to devalue it. People save up for a long time to get some of that property. They aren't going to want a price cut to happen after grinding it out. I'd be pissed if I had just come into ownership. As much as I'd love it for my own gain, I don't even consider it an option on the table.

These people would never afford whatever becomes available in an open market anyways. Cut the prices a bit and it'll be me moving to LA and I can outbid anyone living in a car out of necessity.

So, we're left with trying to make constant concessions just because people were born here (well, maybe) or we can cut them loose until they move.

If I can grow up in the Midwest and move away from home (nearly all of my hometown friends too) to progress my career, people can pack it up to progress their lives. There was no government intervention to keep families and friends together in the Midwest. Probably because we weren't addicted to Ohio.

People born in LA that can't make it either squandered a huge head start being born and local to LA or their family screwed them by staying in a bad situation and should have moved decades ago. What is so sacred about being born there? Their local friends/family are letting them live out of a car or a tent. What love will be lost?

They can't afford to live where they were born. Deal with it. It's over. Grind out a year or two in the heartland and move back with a better job if you really miss it that much. I don't think that's too tough of a pill to swallow.

Considering watching "Grapes of Wrath" again?

Are there no prisons, are there no workhouses? Right, Mr. Scrooge?

I really have to wonder about the unreal world the privileged live in. Do they realize how many of the services they take for granted will be unavailable in their future? I can only look forward to their pitiful attempts to repair the streets, make the clothes, run the gas stations, pay the police, grow the food.

I tried to make it clear in my post I don't think there's a special obligation to provide housing and protect people who grew up in LA.

I brought up native Angelinos as a counter argument to the idea the people there are somehow foolish for wanting to live in LA so bad they sleep in their car. If your family, friends and job are in a place, I can understand wanting to stay even without a roof over your head. It's not all starry eyed, actor wannabe's in that situation.

Here's my question: what is your vision of LA going forward? If there is no new housing it will just get more expensive. Where will the service workers live? Who's going to cook the food, clean the offices, and take out the trash?

I don't think "grinding it out for a year in the heartland" is going to suddenly give blue collar workers a place to live in the city.

I was at the last Cleveland Browns game a couple of years ago in December. The San Diego Chargers were in town. My niece asked why there were so many Charger fans in C'town I, told her they all left in the Cleveland diaspora of the 80's when the good paying manufacturing left. They are back to see family in town at Christmas and see the Chargers play there last game before going to LA. I wondered how my life would be had I left with them. They must of done well in So Cal cause it isn't cheap to live in San Diego. If you weren't able to see where the money job's were going (healthcare) you were left out because it's the only thing going here now. My fathers generation was the last to see Cleveland's golden era.

>If I can grow up in the Midwest and move away from home...

You never finished that sentence with a "then" clause.

Here, let me help you out:

"...then I am a very privileged person compared to people who don't have the opportunity to do so for a multitude of reasons that I didn't have to deal with."

It looks like you never had the incentive to consider why other people don't move when you could do it.

Something tells me if I paid you $10 for each good reason you find that makes a cross-country move difficult for someone who's struggling (and is older, and doesn't have the background you have), you would come up with plenty.

Perhaps consider it as a form of charity, and trying doing it on your own as an exercise? Take as an the internet challenge of the day.

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