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Bay Area hammered by loss of jobs: Lack of affordable housing strangles hiring

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Re: Bay Area hammered by loss of jobs: Lack of affordable housing strangles hiring

#281

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, I wish more would come to Phoenix and drive up our real estate prices more. I left California right before the last housing bubble burst to take advantage of the real estate arbitrage. I'd love to do it again.

There are no hard rules, but very few of my non-white friends are OK with Phoenix or most other red states. AZ especially given the papers-please laws employed 'randomly' on brown people. Besides jobs, California offers open minds and much a much friendlier atmosphere for brown people.

Which of course perpetuates increasing problems on a national level much like the clustering of jobs seen as the way to get ahead does.

Lotta immigrant communities in a lot of "red states" that've largely been making progress on their own just like everywhere else, and now we're helping hang them out to dry.

If I move I want it to be to such a place for just that reason. You don't win over anyone, or win any battles, by retreating.

Re: Bay Area hammered by loss of jobs: Lack of affordable housing strangles hiring

#282

38, two kids and a wife. Have been living in a 900SQ/FT apt, I don't know how much longer I can take this before rage quitting and relocating somewhere else (don't know where). The sad part, as a ethnic-minority, I have just found our community for my kids, etc. It would be really tragic if I have to tear my kids away from that. Don't get me wrong, my daily 30 minute commute on BART isn't the worst. The worst part is…

As someone who's originally from California (not the Bay Area, though), let me tell you this: the cost of living, for what you get, is astronomically high compared to other places. Here in North Texas, I make around 100k/yr, and due to cost of living I can squirrel a lot of that away. We have no state income tax, and our property tax, while high, isn't nearly as high as California's (and will vary depending upon whic…

Having lived in both Texas and now California I do have to say that the higher taxes do provide for better public everything.

Texas seems so far behind when it comes to things like parks, transportation, and publicly available goods that coming to California is like a dream.

I'd happily pay more taxes to be able to have these things be available for everyone.

Re: Bay Area hammered by loss of jobs: Lack of affordable housing strangles hiring

#283

38, two kids and a wife. Have been living in a 900SQ/FT apt, I don't know how much longer I can take this before rage quitting and relocating somewhere else (don't know where). The sad part, as a ethnic-minority, I have just found our community for my kids, etc. It would be really tragic if I have to tear my kids away from that. Don't get me wrong, my daily 30 minute commute on BART isn't the worst. The worst part is…

> The sad part, as a ethnic-minority, I have just found our community for my kids, etc.

California has a number of Asian communities, but depending on which culture you want... there are plenty of other cities out there.

Filipinos are basically everywhere in the USA as far as I can tell... Vietnamese and Koreans are a bit more rare but still exist in virtually every major Metropolian area in the USA (New York, DC, Austin).

A bit of exploration / tourism can go a long way. Visit other cities and look for a new home. Locals often can point you the way towards "Chinatowns" (even if they're mostly Vietnamese or whatever).

Re: Bay Area hammered by loss of jobs: Lack of affordable housing strangles hiring

#284
post #108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In which of the above 3 categories would you put the Google/Facebook/Apple employees making 200-300k+ per year? I can't speak towards family living, but as a single person willing to live with roommates, you can find pretty nice places in the heart of Silicon Valley for ~$1000/month. Now add in compensation-packages well over 6 figures, brand-name companies for your resume, networking locally with other great enginee…

I'd consider living with non-family roommates to be in the "relative squalor" bucket if you're making $200k-300k a year.

That's a ridiculous statement to make. I live with a roommate and love it even though I could afford to live by myself. We have a really nice central apartment and get more social interaction.

People making different choices than you aren't "living in squalor." You're going to have a hard time convincing me that a luxury apartment with separate bedrooms is squalor.

Re: Bay Area hammered by loss of jobs: Lack of affordable housing strangles hiring

#285
post #16

Most of the bay area employees are divided into 3 categories from anecdotal experience: young rockstars that are willing to live in relative squalor for a chance to prove themselves, vested and moneyed elites (CEO's, presidents, VC funded overlords) who are so out of touch with the average employee its best they not show up to the office that frequently, and H1B visa recipients that endure the soul-crushing San Jose…

I want to add to this list:

One of the most ineffective, corrupt and unresponsive Governments in the country. Its like a failed state.

Re: Bay Area hammered by loss of jobs: Lack of affordable housing strangles hiring

#286
If you're living in the Bay Area and you don't have any other reason for living here other than for work, please do yourself and everyone else a favor and move away. Many of my friends who are not tech workers, who have lived here since before the last boom got ridiculous, live in semi-legal and often unsafe housing and are doing everything they can to stay here for reasons that transcend the current economy. If you have no attachment to this place other than your job, for the love of God, get out.

Re: Bay Area hammered by loss of jobs: Lack of affordable housing strangles hiring

#287

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Counterpoint: it is a very conservative state, and one of their elected representatives choke-slammed a Guardian journalist who was trying to ask him questions, and he still got elected.

This should be considered for sure. Texas anything was removed from my family's potential places list because of its hostility to women; my wife said in no uncertain terms that we would never be moving there.

[deleted]

Re: Bay Area hammered by loss of jobs: Lack of affordable housing strangles hiring

#288
post #217

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Absolutely insane. Going to buy a house with a 15 minute commute by train downtown. I’m looking to spend less than ~350k for a house with around 1500sq feet and fenced in yard. I will be spending less than $2k total a month. West coast is crazy.

Where are you buying?

Atlanta and in an area that has exploded in the past 5 years. Comparable to Austin, Houston and maybe Portland. Maybe not so comparable for Portland anymore.

Bankrate calculator says it’s $700k more expensive for the same house in SF.

Re: Bay Area hammered by loss of jobs: Lack of affordable housing strangles hiring

#289
post #16

Most of the bay area employees are divided into 3 categories from anecdotal experience: young rockstars that are willing to live in relative squalor for a chance to prove themselves, vested and moneyed elites (CEO's, presidents, VC funded overlords) who are so out of touch with the average employee its best they not show up to the office that frequently, and H1B visa recipients that endure the soul-crushing San Jose…

> Rising levels of increasingly aggressive homeless

Citation needed. The most recent data on this disagrees with you.

Re: Bay Area hammered by loss of jobs: Lack of affordable housing strangles hiring

#290
post #108
post #16

Most of the bay area employees are divided into 3 categories from anecdotal experience: young rockstars that are willing to live in relative squalor for a chance to prove themselves, vested and moneyed elites (CEO's, presidents, VC funded overlords) who are so out of touch with the average employee its best they not show up to the office that frequently, and H1B visa recipients that endure the soul-crushing San Jose…

In which of the above 3 categories would you put the Google/Facebook/Apple employees making 200-300k+ per year? I can't speak towards family living, but as a single person willing to live with roommates, you can find pretty nice places in the heart of Silicon Valley for ~$1000/month. Now add in compensation-packages well over 6 figures, brand-name companies for your resume, networking locally with other great enginee…

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