Death to the Land Owners (A Manifesto)

[Saz]

[Dylan]

[Dylan]

I strongly disagree that Manhattan should just be an island for the very wealthy. I'm happy to create market distortions that prevent this from occurring. I also think you're greatly exaggerating the effect but I'd be happy to read reliable sources that suggest otherwise.

[Saz]

[Saz]

[Dylan]

Yes, I understand supply and demand. Isn't supply more constrained by the fact that Manhattan is an island than the fact that 38,000 units are effectively off the market?

Here's a good summary on why rent is so high in NYC. http://www.businessinsider.com/the-8-re ... igh-2013-7

Yes, rent control drives up prices. But it's one of many factors not the sole reason. And the tradeoffs of rent control and required affordable housing are more than worth it to me to retain the unique nature of the city. At my last place I lived next door to a woman who had been there for 50 years. I loved talking to her about how the city used to be, and I loved having a genuine new yorker who had been here forever as a neighbor. It added a lot of character. Same for low-income folks who are only able to live here because of rent control or because of the required affordable housing.

I don't want to live in an island full of little professional clones. I want NY to stay NY.

[Saz]

Never mind the fact half these beneficiaries live in Abject conditions because landlords have all but abandoned these properties. Every single person I've seen essentially squatting in their rent controlled apartment on the lower east side would live in much better conditions if they just moved to jersey or something. They never leave their apartment anyway so it's not like they would miss the city. And yet, instead of building nice government housing in Jersey, where they could be charged a market rate and live a better life, we subsidy and encourage them to squat on what would otherwise be very productive property, incentivizing them to live in squalor. It's a completely shit policy all around, and as is typical with shitlib policies, fails to even benefit the intended beneficiary.

[Dylan]

[Saz]

[Saz]