Housing & Homeless Problem

[Josh]

NYC has a multi faceted approach that both works and fails at the same time. Long term solutions include rent control, massive public housing stock, a developed shelter system and community boards with real power to derail "development" the community finds unfavorable. Developers are allowed extra leeway to put up new projects if a certain percentage of the units meet the"affordable" criteria. In the last several years there has been a big push to rezone low density areas near subway terminals to encourage new housing stock. The block adjoining mine went from single family to 14 floor zoning. That really shakes up a neighborhood.

Even so the official unhoused numbers are typically 60 to 70 thousand. Sometimes I wonder if the large cities in south America might do just about as well by allowing unofficial favellas where codes, policing and most city services are not available. At least the poor have a roof, even if it is several sheets of tin.

If you plan to populate your city with people from the third world and maintain third world cultures, yes, you eventually have to have housing and city services (or lack thereof) that look like the third world, too.

[QuietlyListening]

deleted