West Coast baby

  • I Cast Fist
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    1 year ago

    However, most cities in the US and Canada have huge swaths of their metro area zoned exclusively for low density single family housing. Upzoning neighborhoods on the edges of cities is politically difficult. If we build a lot of net-new housing, prices will fall.

    Also @[email protected]

    This is a “your mileage may vary” case that definitely depends on where you live. Demand can always be artificially inflated

    I live within 10km of a very densely populated city (Brazil), zero houses and hundreds of 12+ stories residential apartments. Problem is, the vast majority of apartments are high value. They’re also in a very desirable area, so the price of a 24 m² apartment is usually the same of a 140 m² house in a less desirable place within 15km

    What about moving within said city? There’s plenty of stuff within walking distance, which is great, but the majority of people that do live there work in a different city. Also, most people that work there come from other cities. Since the only “real” public transport is a nearly straight line of metro, traffic is an absolute mess most of the day. I strongly suspect that the original planning wasn’t for such high density, especially when you account for the ridiculously low number of bus lines from there to anywhere and back, but I’d need to do proper research to assert for sure.

    • spiderplant@lemm.ee
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      1 year ago

      Ooh my first mention!

      I’m not familiar with Brazil’s housing situation specifically but building more affordable homes and increasing social housing stock would increase the supply and reduce prices.

      Definitely feel you on the lack of jobs locally. Its going to take provincial or national planning and investment to fix.

      Sounds like a major enough city, I think most major European cities with subways usually have multiple crossing lines and a decent bus network to fill the gaps. Interestingly I don’t even think that’s the weirdest metro layout, personally I have to give it to Glasgow. They have a single subway loop that runs 2 directions and its the 3rd oldest underground rail transit system but it hasn’t had the route changed or expanded in 125 years. They do have an advantage of having a decent bus system though.