1) Yes, San Francisco rents are outrageous; 2) Sketchy neighborhood is some lazy racists code; and, 3) the comparisons are relative, at best. For some, having more square footage per dollar seems the best return on the expense. But for others, like myself, rent includes the city (or town, or whatever) itself. That is, while our rent is high (and the fight to make housing affordable must press forward), were not only paying for the square footage of our apartment, but for the ability to walk to any number of parks, restaurants, locally owned shops, a library, gym, cafés, bars--to live in a community comprised of people from many places, holding many beliefs, views, hopes. We pay for these experiences as well. Now, you can say Im paying far too much money for this experience, and Id agree. You can also say that experience is some privileged talk, and Id agree. But this, too, becomes relative (as privilege conversations are). Suburbs frighten me, so while many folks thrive in them, no amount of cost savings would keep me from going crazy in a 2-story, 5 bedroom home where no one (or everyone) looked like me.
Posted on: Thu, 11 Sep 2014 20:47:41 +0000
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