Will Gentrification, high housing prices eventually wipe out the poor and middle class? (Burbank: rental, cheap home)

[matzoman]

Who will be the service providers, restaurant workers, teachers and public works employees if they are all pushed out too many miles away by greedy landlords, realtors and selfish gentrifiers?

[Finper]

Originally Posted by sdlife619

As a young person, and one that wants to start a family soon, I know I will never be able to afford to buy a home in CA, yet alone in San Diego. It seems like as the years go by, prices for homes just keep accelerating yet the wages for jobs aren't keeping up with the cost of living, the majority of our urban core has been heavily gentrified and white washed, minorities keeping being pushed out further and further away from the city. Suburbs are still very expensive out here, every area of San Diego is slowly getting more expensive, even in the bad parts, the homeless population keeps getting worse, the city cares more about downtown development and building luxury condo's for the rich, rather than trying to build affordable housing.

I see the California catering and being the land of strictly the wealthy in the coming years. Even 20+ years ago, a working man, blue collar type could somewhat afford a home here, but not anymore.

Every year one needs to make more and more money just to keep up with inflation of everything, yet employers refuse to increase pay in many segments of employment, so what are people supposed to do? Whos to blame here?

It's like if you are a teacher, and you haven't had a good raise in 5 years, say only 2% which is nothing, housing prices and inflation goes up 10% or more, who's fault is that? One will say, "Well you should look for a better paying job, or switch school districts", but the real blame is on the city government, state government for not allowing more housing development to help reduce housing cost. So in a sense, the state is outpricing even the middle-class households that work hard and are doing all the right things. A neighborhood that was once say poor to middle class is now upper middle class due to people having to leave because they simply can't afford their rent or mortgage anymore, and the ones that have professionals careers, replace them.

It has really gotten out of control, and I honestly don't know how the service sector workers are able to make ends meet or are even able to afford rent. Sure the economy is great in CA from the latest statistics, but the continued increase in housing, and cost of living in general, I feel we might have a massive exodus of poor to middle-class residents fleeing the state in the next several years, and we wont have as many people being able to work at your local Starbucks, retail store or your favorite taco shop because nobody will be able to afford to even live in the immediate area.

As for gentrification, with the increase of redevelopment in cities like L.A., S.F., Oak, S.D. eventually all poor minorities will be extinct from the inner cities and it's downtowns. Sure some like this that are pro gentrifiers, but the downsides and negatives is that the culture will be completely whitewashed, water down, corporate, trendy lame businesses, breweries and coffee shops on every freakin corner that doesn't promote high paying jobs, only more low paying service ones and bland architecture as more older buildings are being demolished, soon we wont recognize the old city and most of its history will be destroyed.

San Diego is a perfect example of this, this city is quick to tear down anything that is old or blighted, rather than trying to save some older buildings for history purposes, they want them demoed as fast as possible, you can see the changes in our downtown. I hardly recognize the place anymore, everything that is old will soon be no more.

What can be done to save the middle class in CA, as the poor are already screwed? Is there any hope? Or is CA eventually going to be the land of the rich and upper middle class only? The economy can't sustain that.

My nephew is in the same boat as you. He's 25 newly engaged has a job that pays around 40k his fiancé is the same. They want to buy a small condo but are only preapproved for 220,000. I think his only chance of buying is to move out of state but he's not listening to me.


I agree with you that the middle class is being forced out of nice areas of so cal. Then what will be left is the poor and the rich... then the rich will look around wise up and move out. I think Ca will collapse just don't know when but this is unsustainable.

[radiolibre99]

Sorry to say OP but coastal CA is out of reach these days. But as some one has said before move inland to the Central Valley. It's beautiful. I almost like it as much as coastal CA. Nothing wrong with it at all and if I could find a job I'd move to Temecula (not central but Inland) or the neighboring towns. Most of the problems people complain about are coastal CA issues. I disagree with many people on here on some of the nimby policies put out because we don't need to be nickel and dimed for everything to keep CA and the cities nice but I do agree with them that this is supply and demand. Things have changed and coastal CA is now a world class area with a world market. That's life. Adjust accordingly and develop the skills necessary to stay. Even then there's no use being sad about it, it's not like Inland CA is ugly at all.

[CaliRestoration]

Originally Posted by matzoman

Who will be the service providers, restaurant workers, teachers and public works employees if they are all pushed out too many miles away by greedy landlords, realtors and selfish gentrifiers?

How does Manhattan deal with it? They still have teachers, restaurant workers, and public employees.

The truth is people make sacrifices. They travel into the city to work, and then travel out. Heck one of my neighbors makes nearly $300,000 a year and commutes to Burbank from OC.

Why does a dish washer HAVE to live in the coastal community where he works? That doesn't make any sense.

[radiolibre99]

OC to Burbank? Hellllll no. That's too much a sacrifice. In NYC I assumed the train system made commutes more tolerable and their being massive assistance according to a NYC poster in the LA forum.

[jm1982]

The trend is that the poor and middle class are moving out and being replaced by wealthier residents .
I don't believe anyone has a "right" to live in an area at a cheap or below market price even if they were born in the area or neighborhood.

In L.A there are a lot of residents putting pressure on politicians to stop or slow gentrification. This is a bad idea in my opinion as it least to socialist style policies.
I'm not sure where someone got the idea that as renters they should be able to live somewhere cheap forever .

I hear the argument that "but businesses won't be able to find service workers " this isn't a problem for businesses hiring lower wage workers . It's actually more an issue for skilled workers .
As others mentioned minimum or low wage workers will commute in to work . Whether it's prime SAn Diego , Manhattan or Beverly Hills .

When employers stop getting applicants THEN they raise wages .

Although the left is celebrating the $15 min wage this is going to accelerate gentrification . Many long time mom and pops won't be able to survive and more of those trendy places will move in. Think less cheap burger joints and more gastropub type places with $15 burgers and $8 glasses of beer.

Nobody is forced to live in an area .
Start researching and visiting other cities in CA and out of state .
Try to keep an open mind about other places to live .
You might be surprised to find that other places might be affordable and nice places to live .

Basically I'd advise to do something about the issue yourself either focus on making more money or move to an area that's affordable .
The politicians will promise affordable housing but you could be waiting and waiting and it likely will never happen . This is something they promise to keep people voting for them .
Sure some will win the affordable housing lotto but I say you are better off betting on yourself versus putting your faith in government .

[jm1982]

Originally Posted by radiolibre99

OC to Burbank? Hellllll no. That's too much a sacrifice. In NYC I assumed the train system made commutes more tolerable and their being massive assistance according to a NYC poster in the LA forum.

If you are making $300k a year though you could hire someone to drive you to work and back .

But for $300k year you could easily afford a nice home in Burbank .

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by CaliRestoration

How does Manhattan deal with it? They still have teachers, restaurant workers, and public employees.

The truth is people make sacrifices. They travel into the city to work, and then travel out. Heck one of my neighbors makes nearly $300,000 a year and commutes to Burbank from OC.

Why does a dish washer HAVE to live in the coastal community where he works? That doesn't make any sense.

In CA the Gov't has passed laws allowing 1 person for the 1st 100 sq ft of space and then 1 for every 50 sq ft after that. OK rent a 3 /2 1500 sq ft house for $3000.00 a month and cram 30 people in at $100.00 a head. That is happening now, just look at homes with 8 cars parked on what used to be the lawn.

[CaliRestoration]

Originally Posted by radiolibre99

OC to Burbank? Hellllll no. That's too much a sacrifice. In NYC I assumed the train system made commutes more tolerable and their being massive assistance according to a NYC poster in the LA forum.

Loves where he lives, his kids love their schools, and their social circle is all in OC. It's a huge sacrifice, but even the rich make sacrifices in their lives. Poor people, this is all but expected.

[jm1982]

Originally Posted by expatCA

In CA the Gov't has passed laws allowing 1 person for the 1st 100 sq ft of space and then 1 for every 50 sq ft after that. OK rent a 3 /2 1500 sq ft house for $3000.00 a month and cram 30 people in at $100.00 a head. That is happening now, just look at homes with 8 cars parked on what used to be the lawn.

More people but not more city services to keep up with all the people which leads to a degradation of neighborhoods .