Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Record number of Americans are homeless amid nationwide surge in rent

cbsnews.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

11–17 of 17 posts

Re: Record number of Americans are homeless amid nationwide surge in rent

#11

Post by h2odragon »

just came across this: https://www.realtor.com/research/december-2023-rent/

> In December 2023, the U.S. median rent continued to see a year-over-year decline for the eighth month in a row, down -0.4% for 0-2 bedroom properties across the top 50 metros, a pace slightly slower than the -0.6% seen in November. The median asking rent was $1,713, down by $4 from last month and $63 (-3.5%) less than the peak seen in July 2022. However, it was still $309 (22.0%) higher than the same time in 2019 (pre-pandemic).

Re: Record number of Americans are homeless amid nationwide surge in rent

#12

Post by adipose »

pylua wrote: post #7
davidw wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Housing is a huge problem and while it has started to improve in some places that have started building a bit more like 'enough', it's going to take a while to turn that ship around. And there's still a lot of scope for reform in the US. The good news is that it is something most people can help fix locally. Like... look at this group of local NIMBYs trying to stop an apartment from being built in their neighborhood,…

What’s wrong with this? People have paid lots of money for those houses and they don’t feel like the local infrastructure can support apartments population density. I have seen huge problems in Tennessee zoning causing massive traffic issues where I grew up. It’s honestly very bad — maybe we should start by fixing the infrastructure first.

NIMBYism is rancid in general because it prevents the realization of anything that could materially help people, and keeps people at arm's length from problems.

Concerns about property values, congestion, and other impacts are valid, but are plainly less important than preventing homelessness. Or not having medical care. Or not having good drinking water. Etc.

It's possible that the NIMBYs in this case are right, especially if the proposed new "affordable housing" isn't really affordable at all, etc.

But in general NIMBYism is essential for keeping things exactly as they are: it lets people feel good about "wanting" better things for society, without having to make material decisions which are inevitably imperfect and zero-sum.

Re: Record number of Americans are homeless amid nationwide surge in rent

#13

Post by davidw »

adipose wrote: post #12
pylua wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What’s wrong with this? People have paid lots of money for those houses and they don’t feel like the local infrastructure can support apartments population density. I have seen huge problems in Tennessee zoning causing massive traffic issues where I grew up. It’s honestly very bad — maybe we should start by fixing the infrastructure first.

NIMBYism is rancid in general because it prevents the realization of anything that could materially help people, and keeps people at arm's length from problems. Concerns about property values, congestion, and other impacts are valid, but are plainly less important than preventing homelessness. Or not having medical care. Or not having good drinking water. Etc. It's possible that the NIMBYs in this case are right, esp…

Brand new market-rate housing is rarely "affordable", just like new cars aren't, but the economic research is very, very clear that it creates "moving chains" that fairly rapidly do have effects on the overall market:

https://bendyimby.com/2024/01/01/housing-supply-and-demand/

Agree with everything else about NIMBYs.

Re: Record number of Americans are homeless amid nationwide surge in rent

#14

Post by antisthenes »

h2odragon wrote: post #11

just came across this: https://www.realtor.com/research/december-2023-rent/ > In December 2023, the U.S. median rent continued to see a year-over-year decline for the eighth month in a row, down -0.4% for 0-2 bedroom properties across the top 50 metros, a pace slightly slower than the -0.6% seen in November. The median asking rent was $1,713, down by $4 from last month and $63 (-3.5%) less than the peak seen in July…

If these numbers are not inflation adjusted, then $309 (the increase) is just about 22% higher than the pre-pandemic number, which almost exactly tracks inflation since then.

Seems like a non-news article to me then.

Re: Record number of Americans are homeless amid nationwide surge in rent

#15

Post by klipklop »

h2odragon wrote: post #2

I could dump a dozen headlines from the last two days about how great the economy is. And one or two that talk about how the latest "GDP rose by 300 billion" is balanced by "public debt rose by 800 billion." The economy of the world I live in hasn't been getting better; we've drastically reduced the variety of foods we buy and I'm stretching medications for chronic conditions

Yup tired of the election propaganda trying to make it seem like the current ruling party is doing great because the economy is just humming along.

At this point the media is gaslighting the public. This is the most bleak economic future I have seen in my lifetime. I say this as somebody making multiples of the median income. I greatly worry that one day I will join the lower class (where I started) in misery as my buying power is completely eroded.

Re: Record number of Americans are homeless amid nationwide surge in rent

#17

Post by jacobr1 »

pylua wrote: post #7
davidw wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Housing is a huge problem and while it has started to improve in some places that have started building a bit more like 'enough', it's going to take a while to turn that ship around. And there's still a lot of scope for reform in the US. The good news is that it is something most people can help fix locally. Like... look at this group of local NIMBYs trying to stop an apartment from being built in their neighborhood,…

What’s wrong with this? People have paid lots of money for those houses and they don’t feel like the local infrastructure can support apartments population density. I have seen huge problems in Tennessee zoning causing massive traffic issues where I grew up. It’s honestly very bad — maybe we should start by fixing the infrastructure first.

The problem is that there always is some objection. Building out in a wilderness area will have environmental impact. Building in a farm area will have a huge impact on the local, formerly rural community. Building in a former industrial area might have cleanup issues. Projects don't have "enough" affordability, or are too dense, or don't match the local style, or will require more investment in public services.

There are many impacts. But collectively if all taken seriously, it means we can't build anything. Or the costs to build just get really high. And then we don't have enough housing and the housing we do have is either very costly or in undesirable areas.

Something must give, and it really might impose costs on locals. But the alternatives ensure housing scarcity and its many ills.

Post reply on HN