Oh, woe, the latest study (see the New Yorker dated Aug. 25/16) suggests that major cities in the USA anyway have grown too expensive and are losing their charm...becoming little more than high-priced country clubs for hgh incomers. That only people with already high salary levels are flocking to inner city domains - to work for the prestigious high-paying jobs such as info technology.
People who need jobs, the theory goes, are outclassed if they can't already afford to come. An odd assumption one might think, given that the tech sector especially seems to be graduating more potential employees than ever.
And another trend - retirees giving up suburban homes to become urbanites hoping to be closer to city services (transportation, delivery, health aids etc.) Are these only wealthy well-off retirees???
Rental property for mid or low income is at an all-time low. Anyone wishing to rent property, say a house, must deal with some complicated local licensing laws and red tape if they want to play by the rules.
Note The Washington Post article Sept. 4/16 titled 'The high cost of D.C.'s restrictive licensing.' How discouraging it can be for creative enterprising people to do 'try outs' in the District: to get started is a nightmare trip through legal land. (Note also the author works for the Chamber of Commerce, conventional opponent of government regulation). The usual excuse for excesses "to benefit community health," but I'll wager no study has been done to show the impact of such rules...and yes, there is a move afoot by two Republican members of the House (but not District Council members) to scale back laws (such as requiring a barber to take nearly a full year's worth of training before earning a living legally, where an emergency medical technician needs none).
People who need jobs, the theory goes, are outclassed if they can't already afford to come. An odd assumption one might think, given that the tech sector especially seems to be graduating more potential employees than ever.
And another trend - retirees giving up suburban homes to become urbanites hoping to be closer to city services (transportation, delivery, health aids etc.) Are these only wealthy well-off retirees???
Rental property for mid or low income is at an all-time low. Anyone wishing to rent property, say a house, must deal with some complicated local licensing laws and red tape if they want to play by the rules.
Note The Washington Post article Sept. 4/16 titled 'The high cost of D.C.'s restrictive licensing.' How discouraging it can be for creative enterprising people to do 'try outs' in the District: to get started is a nightmare trip through legal land. (Note also the author works for the Chamber of Commerce, conventional opponent of government regulation). The usual excuse for excesses "to benefit community health," but I'll wager no study has been done to show the impact of such rules...and yes, there is a move afoot by two Republican members of the House (but not District Council members) to scale back laws (such as requiring a barber to take nearly a full year's worth of training before earning a living legally, where an emergency medical technician needs none).
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