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I will do anything to end homelessness except build more homes (2018)

mcsweeneys.net

451–452 of 452 posts

Re: I will do anything to end homelessness except build more homes (2018)

#451

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People love to blame regulations. I live in a bushfire, cyclone and flood prone part of Australia. We have lots of regulations. For example a category 5 cyclone recent hit us, but no one overly concerned because it is a new area, and if you live in a cyclone area your house must be able to withstand 300 km/h winds. If you live in a bushfire area, you are required to have 20,000 litres of water on hand at all times. I…

"If you want to blame the government for something..." * 88% of California jurisdictions have a minimum lot size of 5,000 sq ft or more * Prior to 2024, jurisdictions in California required a minimum of two spots per single family home, or one to two spots per unit in a multifamily. California created a law to address this in 2024, but jurisdictions in most states still have similar requirements. * Most jurisdictions…

Those figures aren't useful without more background information. For example, 88% of California jurisdictions have a minimum lot size of 5,000 sq ft (which sounds small to me, so that's a good thing?). For the 5,000 sq ft to be a limitation California would need a lot of inner city jurisdictions. In US and Australian suburbia a 5,000 sq ft lot is small, and there is lots of land outside of the cities. On the other hand, if we are talking high density inner-city housing whether everything is accessible via public transport then 5,000 sq ft is far too large as you say. It would not fly in a European city. But most of California isn't like that, so the 88% sounds fine.

And two parking spots per single family home sounds in line with a California household having close to 2 cars. Again, 2 cars is overkill in the city, but in suburbs with both parents working it's almost a necessity.

Your final point has no figures to back it up at all.

While TV's, AC, plantation blinds, stone bench tops, multiple shower roses, 2 dish washers, plumbed in fridge, and so on each don't add much individually the a modern house today is downright opulent compared to the one I grew up in decades ago. Add that to them doubling in floor area per person housed, and you get to the real reason why costs have more than doubled.

All of that follows from one thing - only rich people have the money to build homes, and they build homes rich people like. Those houses are big. They sit on large green lots. They are fenced. They can garage at least 2 cars. They are expensive, and they want similar houses around them, so they, the people who live there, petition for laws like the ones you mention. And they get them, reasonably enough.

To me it looks like you're blaming the government for delivering what the constituents asked for. Blaming a democratically elected government for passing laws the majority wants isn't going to stop the majority from re-electing them next year. You need to do something more constructive - like come up with reasons why it's in everyones interest (rich and poor alike) to ensure a single mother with 2 can be housed, and them work on solutions for that.

This infatuation in the USA for blaming the government they elected for all their woes is downright odd. Blame generally doesn't get you very far.

Re: I will do anything to end homelessness except build more homes (2018)

#452
post #288
post #239

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The commenters here have simply assured me that allowing these people to live near me will expose my young children to marijuana smoke, and that I will not and should not have any recourse. Many of them are marijuana smokers themselves. They have no answers, to the extent they could even see this as a problem at all or understand my very common point of view. This seems like a no-brainer, and I will continue to vote…

> The commenters here have simply assured me that allowing these people to live near me will expose my young children to marijuana smoke, and that I will not and should not have any recourse. At least in the state I live in, the only legal place to smoke is on your own property. So, if you dont want to smell it, you are basically arguing for it to become fully illegal again so you can call the cops on your neighbors.…

I don't want people smoking on their balcony while I have my windows open on a nice day. I don't want a child's room to smell like pot smoke and I want the free enjoyment of my property. I will not support this policy proposal as it further whittles my rights away.
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