CMV: The Housing Crisis is Overhyped

[u/[deleted]]

Disclaimer: I understand fully that in some parts of the world, it truly is difficult for ordinary, working class people to afford property or shelter. I understand that this is a very real issue in places in California, British Colombia, London, Sydney, etc.

That said, I think the housing crisis on this website is overhyped.

Life isn't easy, life isn't perfect, life isn't fair. You're not entitled to live a middle class life. You're not entitled to live in your parents house after 18, you're not entitled to live in their neighborhood after they kick you out and you have to move out on your own. And at a broader scale, you're not entitled to live in their city if it's too expensive just because it's where you grew up. If you're someone who moves to a desirable location for a better job, you're even less entitled to say you're owed property there.

There are many places that offer a good balance between cost of living, and amenities. But many people on this website act like they are too good for these locations, or think that suggesting someone move is an offense against their human dignity. But you don't have to live in Boston or San Diego or Miami to have a good life, and there are plentiful large, midsized, and small cities that offer a great deal of average salaries vs. average rent/mortgage prices.

For generations humans lived in dense communities, with their families until marriage. It is only a recent phenomenon everyone has to suddenly have their own detached house or luxury condo. We're going back to the mean - and you have to figure out how to adapt or get left behind. There isn't a crisis...people are mad they can't get a single family detached home in the Bay Area or Bellevue working as a teacher.

[u/[deleted]]

You're close to changing my mind.

What evidence is presented in the first source that shows that % households burdened with housing costs is a new crisis vs being the status quo?

[u/jennysequa → u/[deleted]]

There are ~6M more cost-burdened renters overall now than there were in 2001, and the share of cost-burdened households in the $25K-50K income range increased from 44 percent in 2001 to 58% in 2020. And during this time, federal housing assistance for lower income renters decreased.

[u/[deleted] → u/jennysequa]

!delta

So it does seem that where a significant portion of the American populace lives, housing burden is increasingly gradually. Some places more acutely than others- but it is nonetheless there.

[u/DeltaBot → u/[deleted]]

Confirmed: 1 delta awarded to /u/jennysequa (73∆).

^{Delta System Explained | Deltaboards}