More on why northern California is turning into a terrible place

 Citylab just published a nice piece on why San Jose generated so much upward mobility compared to other American metropoli ... and why it will be dystopic in a few more decades.

Why was it so good at fostering upward mobility?

1. Poor people in proximity to Silicon Valley exposed children to opportunities and role models they would not have had;
2. Factor (1) in reverse: weathy people contributed directly to helping poorer neighbors;
3. Housing was cheap and affordable;
4. Commutes were short (this in particular has statistical backing).

And all of that is going away because people do not want to build more houses.

I have an old friend, Kris M., whose thoughts I would really like to hear on this issue. Why is NIMBY, so strong across America, even stronger in California? 

Comments

[Logan]

Good article on the coalition politics behind NIMBYism

https://thewpsa.wordpress.com/2015/08/09/the-progressive-ideological-coalition-and-the-crisis-of-housing-affordability-in-san-francisco/

We need to really mobilize a strong pro-development, pro-housing, anti-NIMBY movement at the state and local level.