patrick.net

People buy into Palo Alto precisely because the unaffordability and zoning laws make it a nice place to live. The weather and proximity to silicon valley jobs are no better in Palo Alto than they are in East Palo Alto — the difference between the two is affordability. Politicians, always virtue signaling and shilling for votes, want Palo Alto residents to sacrifice what they have by overrunning the city. Apparently, it's not enough that new Palo Alto residents pay $30k/year and up in property taxes. Palo Alto public schools aren't great because of magic pixie dust; they are great because the kids come from families that are willing to make a huge sacrifice to pay into the system. Bringing in cheap housing will just turn Palo Alto schools into East Palo Alto schools.

The article chastises Palo Alto for bringing in jobs but not adding to the housing. Well, I don't think Palo Alto has all that many more jobs than 20 or 30 years ago. It's Menlo Park (Facebook), Mountain View (Google), and Cupertino (Apple) that have massively increased the number of workers.

Why would people in Palo Alto want a bunch of PoorCunts hanging around, except to use as ash trays and targets for the fleet of Hummers and Bentleys?

No.

When you say working people, I think you mean poor people...and NO...Why do rich people need to let poor people into their areas just to fuck it all up? Let the damn market decide the prices. You don't need the govt to interfere.

A poorly worded question, unless you believe people at Google and their ilk don't work. Agree with the above.

The question should be - should people who can't afford to live there be able to live there? And you know what, they can if they develop skills to generate sufficient income and wealth.

I’m always amazed at the so-called “libertarians” who are opposed to allowing individual property owners build apartment buildings in their neighborhood. So much for property rights!

tovarichpeter says

I’m always amazed at the so-called “libertarians” who are opposed to allowing individual property owners build apartment buildings in their neighborhood. So much for property rights!

Those property owners bought the property knowing the zoning laws. the zoning laws are what make the property valuable. People wanting to build apartments for their own profits are using the communal property (parks, schools, open spaces, etc.) for their own extra benefit.

I want to live in Atherton but all I can afford is an East Bay shack. It's unfair! Government should remedy this horrible situation!

Government created the situation as well, via those zoning laws.

komputodo says

Let the damn market decide the prices.

Keep continue growing aristocratic societies.
OR
Repeal Prop 13 that restores market economy that self corrects itself.
Prop 13 can level it off a bit by keeping the tax rate at 1% market rate from the current, I guess 0.4% city avg.

There are dummies who think that because you work in Palo Alto you should be subsidized to live in Palo Alto??

Promptly explain yourself!

No.

Living off dividends and rental income is not work.

Yes, and if they can't, they shouldn't work there.