Something Is Happening in Southern California (San Francisco, Santa Clara: insurance, home, job market)

[AlongTheI-5]

Like I said before, the Statue of Liberty should be moved from NY to California. The San Ysidro border crossing would be the perfect location.

Let's drive the wimps out of California once and for all. Flyover country is the perfect location for chickens.

[Perma Bear]

Originally Posted by Rheinhardt

So you personally contribute nothing to the economy.

I would if houses were affordable because if they were I could actually focus on consuming and less on saving and praying.

[Finper]

Originally Posted by AlongTheI-5

Like I said before, the Statue of Liberty should be moved from NY to California. The San Ysidro border crossing would be the perfect location.

Let's drive the wimps out of California once and for all. Flyover country is the perfect location for chickens.

So you equate bravery with paying 1700.00 for a 1 bdrm apt... most people equate that with stupidity.

[Perma Bear]

Originally Posted by Finper

So you equate bravery with paying 1700.00 for a 1 bdrm apt... most people equate that with stupidity.

Only 1700 for a bedroom? That's a steal! It nears 3000 here!

[LuvSouthOC]

Originally Posted by Perma Bear

Only 1700 for a bedroom? That's a steal! It nears 3000 here!

Who cares? It's not as nice there. It's only expensive due to jobs there.

[Perma Bear]

Originally Posted by LuvSouthOC

Who cares? It's not as nice there. It's only expensive due to jobs there.

The median income can't support rents that high. People share rooms. Also eh, the Bay Area doesn't get as hot.

[thrillobyte]

Originally Posted by RosieSD

I always like to look at data on questions like this.

According to the California State Dept. of Finance which does population counts in between the Federal Census, here's how the population has changed in three of the cities you mentioned above in the last 5 years:

Pasadena: 2017 population: 143,333 2016: 140,960 2015: 140,310 2014: 140,149 2013: 139,663 2012: 139,600

Glendale: 2017: 201,748 2016: 200,600 2015: 199,574 2014: 196,648 2013: 194,813 2012: 194,037

Burbank: 2017: 105,033 2016: 105,046 2015: 105,207 2014: 105,019 2013: 104,739 2012: 104,732

So, in these three cities the population has definitely grown in the last five years, but it certainly hasn't exploded or increased 10xs.

I don't have figures for Eagle Rock, but I doubt the population there has increased 10xs in the last five years either.

If you're curious about the data for additional surrounding areas, you can find it here:

General Estimated Population by City in Los Angeles County, California

Still, even slower growth or a shift in the areas where people are living and working can definitely change traffic patterns, so I don't doubt you're noticing more traffic.

The building you're seeing going on is happening in a lot of places. But, it's not necessarily due to an exploding population growth.

After the recession, new housing starts pretty much dried up in most of Southern California, and that has led to a shortage of housing for all of the people who want it. So, in the last couple of years, builders have been ramping new housing starts up steadily to fill demand.

The problem is that there just isn't a lot of land left for mega-new housing developments in cities like Burbank, Pasadena, and Glendale. So that's pushing developers to slap up more multi-unit denser developments.

That makes some sense if you think about it. A lot of younger people don't see themselves living in the traditional "suburban" areas; they want to be closer to more urban amenities. And, baby boomers are retiring and downsizing too. They want smaller places to live and they want to be closer to amenities too.

Anyhow, you'll likely continue to see steady population growth in areas like this for those reasons. But, it does sort of have a cap on it, due to the limits on the space available to meet demand for housing like this.

If you're concerned about traffic in your local area, go to city council meetings and get involved with citizen groups working to find solutions like increased public transportation options.

You're overlooking a few pertinent facts. No 1 these figures do not reflect the last 6-9 months activity. No 2 and most important, Glendale is a huge city boundary wise, but nearly all of these thousands of units are concentrated in a small 1 mile radius around the Americana shopping mall downtown. So in a one-square mile radius out of 30 square miles it is jammed packed. But unless you're a resident right in the heart of it you will never notice the impact these 2500 or so additional units have had on the downtown area where most of us live.

[NW4me]

Originally Posted by Perma Bear

I also bring equity, hundreds of thousands and im part of California's natural culture which is healthier for society.

Are you Native American, Permabear? If not, you aren't part of California's natural culture.

[BeauCharles]

Anyone who wasn't here prior to the late 1970s has no frame of reference of how good California used to be. Everything from schools to roads to heath care was better funded and the were among the best in the country. Plus the economy was more robust and diversified (vastly more high value manufacturing) with much more reasonable home prices that any family with an average income could afford. Not to mention that with 15 to 20 million less people it had more natural open spaces and ag land plus less demand for resources.

Call me Clint Eastwood saying "get off my lawn", but The Hart Celler Act of 1965 + a porous southern border the federal government failed at policing + globalization of the economy hasn't done the state any favors. Yes, your personal situation might be great and yes, there is one industry that has done quite well in one geographic location (tech in Santa Clara, San Mateo and San Francisco Counties), but as a whole the state isn't as healthy in many metrics as it used to be.

[LuvSouthOC]

Originally Posted by Perma Bear

The median income can't support rents that high. People share rooms. Also eh, the Bay Area doesn't get as hot.

Inland Bay Area gets very hot. I didn't read anything about Pacifica...