I loved this NYTimes article (by Polis) about the innovative ways San Mateo County (Silicon Valley region) community is trying to provide housing for its teachers. How about applying similar solutions for firefighters, policement, and other people who provide priceless services in other communities?
I especially like that there are also affordable home ownership programs for the teachers, so they are encouraged to buy and can settle into the school district and not leave once they outgrow the apartment.
And, to boot, one teacher mentioned off-handedly that she likes that she can walk to the grocery store. So, it's not enough to provide housing - how about providing housing in places that don't require so much driving. Another good Sunday Times article, "In the Exurbs, Life Framed by Hours Spent in the Car", outlines the cycle of exurb development.
That phrase neatly captures my belief that all this extra driving doesn't only impact commuting and traffic congestion, but it greatly influences quality of life. People are moving out to the exurbs looking for better places to raise their families, more house for their money, etc., yet they can't actually experience those benefits spending so much time getting to their jobs, which are increasingly farther away. I talked about this earlier in June about families that specialize in relocation.
12.18.2005
Affording and living the daily life
Posted by Shin-pei at 11:01 PM
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I think there is at play a serious disconnect between people's aspirations and what they probably rationally "need." Not that I or anyone else can generalize about what people need. But, there was an interesting article a couple of weeks ago in the local Yellow Rag (SF Chronicle) about families moving 120 miles away so they can afford a large (5,00 square foot house for a family of three). The father, however, kept his Silicon Valley job, living in a small apartment during the week. The family collapsed due to lack of time, resentments, etc. Yet, the wife still burbled happily about nhow great her new neighborhood was.
Absolutely. I'm waiting for the trend of moving out of McMansions to happen. Anecdotally, it seems that most people can't afford that kind of house until they're well established with their careers, at which point many of them have college-age kids, etc. and don't need the space any more.
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