What do you guys think of this - poverty in Silicon Valley?

[Blanky]

here's another CNN story about a single mother living out of garage paying $1000 in rent a month.

http://www.cnn.com/videos/opinions/...ba.cnn?sr=fb030315poorkidsctlgarage9aVODVideo

$1000 for a single car garage converted into a bedroom with toilet and shower.

Didn't stop her getting pregnant again though, did it? Where is the sperm donor?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-rent-continues-skyrocket-Silicon-Valley.html

 

[Ns1]

Agree but I want to go a step further. Before this third degree burns on the lower body. I couldn't get past the bullshit about 1/3 kids being hungry. I've never seen so many fat kids. I absolutely refuse to believe 33% of US kids "go hungry", particularly with the poor tending to be the very fattest.

that's cuz the fattest are always hungry.

 

[manly]

here's another CNN story about a single mother living out of garage paying $1000 in rent a month.

http://www.cnn.com/videos/opinions/...ba.cnn?sr=fb030315poorkidsctlgarage9aVODVideo

$1000 for a single car garage converted into a bedroom with toilet and shower.

That's actually the nicest garage I've ever seen. It's the first video of the report in the OP. A nice* house in San Mateo County is at least $700k so $1k for a "studio apartment" in a quiet neighborhood is actually not that crazy. Housing/rent in the Bay Area is just outrageous these days. The part I will question a bit is that a single mom who's somewhat down on her luck is pregnant with her next baby.

I had no problem with the "slideshow" report except that with the videos, it was very long. Most people have no attention span these days, and would've bailed within 5 minutes.

I actually recognize a couple intersections in San Jose, guess it's because I live in the barrio.

Those who say leave the Bay Area (or SoCal) if you can't afford it are being unrealistic. For one, I personally wouldn't want to move if I had a choice. But more importantly, if all the "poor folks" left town, who's going to work all the low-end jobs? They can't all just commute from inland counties to the Bay Area, that's just not feasible.

* I don't mean nice, but rather middle-class in a good neighborhood.

 

[Dr. Zaus]

It's funny you ask this because SoCal residents were polled and responded...

So yea. I am not going to feel sorry for someone that's decided they WANT to live a lower-class life style in exchange for living in a tropical paradise. boo fucking hoo

 

[Anonemous]

The market here is absolutely insane. I just passed a home on my way to work. Completely demolished to pave way for a new home. Probably sold for over $2mil not long ago. Another home was asking $2.2mil on the same block and just got sold and will most likely be torn down too.

Then you watch HGTV and they show people paying $200K for the same size/bigger house in Houston or some other city. Nope not going to be able to afford a house in the Bay Area... 1BD/1BA 500sq ft condos in Mountain View starting at $350K. Even the trailer parks start at $200K.

 

[manly]

Then you watch HGTV and they show people paying $200K for the same size/bigger house in Houston or some other city. Nope not going to be able to afford a house in the Bay Area... 1BD/1BA 500sq ft condos in Mountain View starting at $350K. Even the trailer parks start at $200K.

True, coastal Cali housing prices are insane.

But what's also insane? Comparing Houston to coastal California.

 

[rednas]

True, coastal Cali housing prices are insane.

But what's also insane? Comparing Houston to coastal California.

I must be insane then too since I moved from the Bay Area to Houston lol

 

[Imported]

I wouldn't mind making the move to Austin.. if I was paid the same.

 

[rednas]

I wouldn't mind making the move to Austin.. if I was paid the same.

Initially when I was looking to leave California I was focused on Austin but now that I am in Houston I am glad that I ended up here than in Austin.

I got a substantial raise when I moved nothing like moving to a place with a WAY lower cost of living, without state income tax, and getting a raise all at the same time.

 

[K1052]

I must be insane then too since I moved from the Bay Area to Houston lol

Every time my plane lands in Houston I'm taken aback by its general similarity to the third circle of hell except for the climate. Otherwise it does a passable impression.

 

[Mide]

One word: move

 

[who?]

Those who say leave the Bay Area (or SoCal) if you can't afford it are being unrealistic. For one, I personally wouldn't want to move if I had a choice. But more importantly, if all the "poor folks" left town, who's going to work all the low-end jobs? They can't all just commute from inland counties to the Bay Area, that's just not feasible.

If a lot of low end laborers move away the reduced supply to fill the demand will drive the price up to something reasonable.

 

[rh71]

well he could live 2 hours away from work but did not want to commute. never mind that 2 hour commute each way is status quo for many people in say, India / Japan.

That's not even the point - they'd rather live in poverty because finding another job is more difficult? Won't they even try, and give their kids a better life somewhere with lower cost of living?

 

[Anubis]

1) They have no concept of what it is like to live in a place that isn't abhorrently expensive.
2) Media has convinced them that 'fly over states' are full of toothless hillbillies that will murder them
3) People are irrationally attached to the location in which they were born

4) jobs - yes its cheap to live in the boonies but its also hard as shit to find work

 

[Dr. Zaus]

4) jobs - yes its cheap to live in the boonies but its also hard as shit to find work

low level labor will be easy to find. Tech jobs are in abundance in Dallas, Austin, Houston, and many other lower cost of living locations. On occasion you are in a competitive national market and have to live wherever you find job; but that is much more rare than people think it is.

If a lot of low end laborers move away the reduced supply to fill the demand will drive the price up to something reasonable.

This is precisely the point. And then exactly how capitalism is supposed to work.

When everyone can run an spreadsheet then it is the ditch digger that makes the good money: as well it should be.

 

[Staples]

Having lived here for 5 years, I can say this info is pretty true.

Also, I live in a poor neighborhood where a lot of people are on government assistance.

Apparently welfare and housing assistance is enough to live here. Also, there are people I know who live in a lot nicer house than I do and pay less than $100 a month for what would cost $2500 or more.

I've always thought they should make them move to the central valley where housing prices are 1/3 the price.

Edit: Yay, I live over here with Jorge from that video. I tell people I live in E. San Jose and then no one wants to talk to me anymore.

 

[Dr. Zaus]

Perhaps government assistance is doing more harm than good for those that are piled upon one-another in the inner city...

 

[mikeford]

Governments make people poor, high taxes, fewer jobs, no entry level jobs, and to kick it off below worldwide average education.

OTOH before long every nice place to live is going to be too expensive for the lesser skilled lower wage earners.

 

[tfinch2]

I wouldn't mind making the move to Austin.. if I was paid the same.

One of the reasons I love my job. Working for a Bay Area company making a Bay Area salary while living in Austin.

 

[Dr. Zaus]

Governments make people poor, high taxes, fewer jobs, no entry level jobs, and to kick it off below worldwide average education.

OTOH before long every nice place to live is going to be too expensive for the lesser skilled lower wage earners.

There are no roads, education, nor is there money or even a viable economic system without government. Feudalism is what you get when there's no government: the rule of people based on lineage.

 

[Nograts]

Then you watch HGTV and they show people paying $200K for the same size/bigger house in Houston or some other city. Nope not going to be able to afford a house in the Bay Area... 1BD/1BA 500sq ft condos in Mountain View starting at $350K. Even the trailer parks start at $200K.

I love HGTV but there are some episodes like you said where they buy a 2b/2b in the city or somewhere for 650k+. Yeah no thanks. Give me space and give me acreage. Stay the fuck off my lawn.

 

[manly]

One of the reasons I love my job. Working for a Bay Area company making a Bay Area salary while living in Austin.

Austin is more like a California city (sans weather) masquerading as the capital of Texas.

 

[Nograts]

Behold the horrors of homelessness:

From the article:

Jones compares herself to a homeless person

In a bid to make the garage cozy she has installed a fireplace and hardwood floors

Those throw pillows don't even match. The government really needs to help these poor individuals.

 

[NikolaeVarius]

Behold the horrors of homelessness:

From the article:





Those throw pillows don't even match. The government really needs to help these poor individuals.

That looks perfectly fine. WTF is wrong with that?

 

[Nograts]

That looks perfectly fine. WTF is wrong with that?

She can only eat at Applebee's once a week and that TV only gets...*gulp* basic cable...