Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Yes, the "secret capitalists hiding in the woodpile" theory of why communism sucks. As I specified in my previous post, I was talking about public housing in the US. > This is shit throughout all of western civilization. Go check out Ireland, or any place in Europe right now. It's shit everywhere. The poster child counterpoint is Austria, proving it's possible. Hard to do? Mostly on a political front. Anyway, I apo…
I've met Austria, and, trust me [America], you're no Austria. The other day, this happened: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/portland-area-mom-gets-... That doesn't happen in Austria. That happens in https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pe4d6aPhbHo
The elderly are becoming homeless at a rate not seen since the Great Depression
871–880 of 1001 posts
Re: The elderly are becoming homeless at a rate not seen since the Great Depression
#872Earlier quoted context omitted.
I think Boomers share a lot of blame for where we're at, policy wise, but also not everyone who is a Boomer had a say in poor housing policy (ie NIMBYs keeping us short millions of housing units over decades), the deprecation of pensions for 401ks that no one could afford to fund (due to globalization and stagnant incomes), an employment environment where you could become unemployed in your 50s or early 60s with no c…
> we can work towards fixing it with policy that benefits the Boomers who are left As a member of Walk Bike Berkeley and Berkeley Neighbors for Housing and Climate Action I go to war every week, against Boomers, for the exact policies that will benefit them: more housing, better transit and walking facilities. And every week they show up to denounce those policies using their tired Boomer memes. Building housing is "…
Re: The elderly are becoming homeless at a rate not seen since the Great Depression
#873This is the kind of news that's been suppressed by the administration(s). Until we have a government that's willing to admit there's a problem, we're never going to have a fix. All we hear from both R and D is that the economy is doing great, never better, maximum employment. I blame the suffering on the internet - which has hyper focused the "mob" to blame something immediately when something sounds horrible. For so…
This says so beautifully what I, as European, never understood about the US political system. They say it's the THE democratic system in the world, but yet there are only two parties! How could that even work?!
I mean, we in Germany have a lot to deal with too. But at least we can balance our blame on at least 3 political parties....
Re: The elderly are becoming homeless at a rate not seen since the Great Depression
#874Earlier quoted context omitted.
Sure, but when family is in the car, I drive in the slow lane, to help protect them. When family is on the metro, wtf am I supposed to do, beyond maybe a pocket knife on my belt? I took my family on the metro exactly once, and never again, after a younger one almost stepped on a syringe, and a homeless guy was rambling about hiding in a dumpster. If you're a guy taking a ride, sure. Otherwise, get real.
Surely you can do something to give yourself an illusion of control on the metro just like you do on the freeway.
Re: The elderly are becoming homeless at a rate not seen since the Great Depression
#875Part of the problem is government regulation. In some places, it's almost impossible to build new houses due to regulations. Some portion of the population wants to see house prices continue to increase and they will vote for politicians who will implement policies which will support that agenda. Of course this happens at the expense of another, also large portion of the population who do not own a house and have to…
Among my friends seeking to buy houses, the greater problem is the ability of large companies to buy up whatever is on the market, which they then immediately turn into a rental. It’s nearly impossible to compete with a company who will pay $50k over asking price, in cash, for the house you’re trying to get. Comparatively, immigrants don’t have the purchasing power to compete, so saying they’re the problem is a weird…
Re: The elderly are becoming homeless at a rate not seen since the Great Depression
#876Earlier quoted context omitted.
Among my friends seeking to buy houses, the greater problem is the ability of large companies to buy up whatever is on the market, which they then immediately turn into a rental. It’s nearly impossible to compete with a company who will pay $50k over asking price, in cash, for the house you’re trying to get. Comparatively, immigrants don’t have the purchasing power to compete, so saying they’re the problem is a weird…
I don't understand the math of this? If the company is paying way over asking price, they will be losing money for some number of years while renting the property. I guess the idea is that eventually they will turn cash flow positive? So these companies have a bunch of cash in reserve? My personal experience in recent years, in the city of Atlanta, Atlanta suburbs, and Philadelphia suburbs, is that I do not see compa…
Hold on long enough to get your money back plus a hefty profit, and then when it seems like the laws will change to outlaw what you're doing, then sell ahead of the wave for more than you paid to begin with and leave the next sucker holding the check when the bottom falls out.
It's worked so many times in the past and barring some sort of major legislation it will happen again.
Re: The elderly are becoming homeless at a rate not seen since the Great Depression
#877Earlier quoted context omitted.
>Among my friends seeking to buy houses, the greater problem is the ability of large companies to buy up whatever is on the market, which they then immediately turn into a rental. It’s nearly impossible to compete with a company who will pay $50k over asking price, in cash, for the house you’re trying to get. Comparatively, immigrants don’t have the purchasing power to compete, so saying they’re the problem is a weir…
These companies hardly exist, "evil corporations" is just super memeable and denizens of the internet will accept it as the answer to anything bad. In reality, the economy has been booming for the "haves" and those people are the ones bidding up homes and pay $50k over asking with a 6.5% mortgage. Corporations don't care much for home rentals when treasuries are paying 5% with zero overhead and zero risk. Sucks to be…
Re: The elderly are becoming homeless at a rate not seen since the Great Depression
#878Earlier quoted context omitted.
Im going to have to decline doing a research project for you. Regardless and back to the main point of my comment - the reason 3/4 of water delivery is a public service is from permitting and other red tape primarily. Not because of reasons having to do with pricing.
You're the one claiming privatizing a water system could be cheaper! I could not find an example. I did try.
Re: The elderly are becoming homeless at a rate not seen since the Great Depression
#879Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Rent control is the ultimate "I got mine" - it rewards people who got in early while making it impossible for anyone else to have housing. Where the fuck is the priced out person supposed to go? They need to uproot their life because a wealthier person came along?
You don't have some special right to keep living in the same neighborhood just because you were there first
Re: The elderly are becoming homeless at a rate not seen since the Great Depression
#880Earlier quoted context omitted.
Labor rights degraded quite a bit between boomers and millennials. Hell, it has degraded between Millennials and gen z! Our current economic model is not sustainable. It is a cancer.
yeah, because you need a lot of labour rights to make a living ... a person with skills and good work ethic will always find work, with or without "rights"
What ended child labor in (most) of the west? What gave us the weekend? What gave us paid time off? Blood. People had to sacrifice their lives. We have to actively fight for better working conditions.