<![CDATA[Grist - Comment Feed for Living in the suburbs may not be so cheap]]> Grist Comment Feed en Comment #1 by David Roberts http://www.grist.org/article/the-commuter-pays-principal/ Mon, 16 Oct 2006 07:29:21 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/the-commuter-pays-principal/1 kids

It pains me somewhat, but I agree with what daveatkins said over here:However I don't want to raise my two kids and two dogs in a back bay condo just so I can walk to work. I'd rather we focus our efforts on developing the suburbs to have viable job opportunities and create small communities outside the urban core that are connected by transit and have their own identities. It's not just a desire for greater affluence that motivates people with families to want a 4-bedroom house on a 20K square foot lot with trees and grass and a small town community feel with a good school system, etc. I loved living in the urban core, but at this stage of life, it just doesn't work for me anymore.On that note, my wife and kids and I are moving at the end of the week to a house ... yes, with a big yard. I'm feeling decidedly ambivalent about it -- maybe I'll post on it later this week.

www.grist.org

]]> kids

It pains me somewhat, but I agree with what daveatkins said over here:However I don't want to raise my two kids and two dogs in a back bay condo just so I can walk to work. I'd rather we focus our efforts on developing the suburbs to have viable job opportunities and create small communities outside the urban core that are connected by transit and have their own identities. It's not just a desire for greater affluence that motivates people with families to want a 4-bedroom house on a 20K square foot lot with trees and grass and a small town community feel with a good school system, etc. I loved living in the urban core, but at this stage of life, it just doesn't work for me anymore.On that note, my wife and kids and I are moving at the end of the week to a house ... yes, with a big yard. I'm feeling decidedly ambivalent about it -- maybe I'll post on it later this week.

www.grist.org

]]> Comment #2 by gogogreenguy http://www.grist.org/article/the-commuter-pays-principal/ Mon, 16 Oct 2006 10:32:28 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/the-commuter-pays-principal/2 You can too!

You really can have live in the city with great transportation and have a "big yard" -- it's called a park.  And they are all over, usually just a short walk or bike ride away.  

]]> You can too!

You really can have live in the city with great transportation and have a "big yard" -- it's called a park.  And they are all over, usually just a short walk or bike ride away.  

]]> Comment #3 by randino http://www.grist.org/article/the-commuter-pays-principal/ Mon, 16 Oct 2006 10:41:23 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/the-commuter-pays-principal/3 Cost of suburbia.

The number one reason for moving to suburbia is that our society long ago decided to let our cities become shit holes. Young couples in Cleveland live in the city until the birth of their first child. Then it is adios because among the middle class in the Cleveland area, sending your kids to the Cleveland Public Schools is considered child abuse. You also have to deal with crime. One household of desperadoes can depopulate an entire block. Finally in spite of all the blather about multiculturalism, the fact is that most Americans - especially white Americans - don't want to live around people who are different from them. Boys and girls, can we spell racism?

Randy Cunningham

Randy Cunningham

]]> Cost of suburbia.

The number one reason for moving to suburbia is that our society long ago decided to let our cities become shit holes. Young couples in Cleveland live in the city until the birth of their first child. Then it is adios because among the middle class in the Cleveland area, sending your kids to the Cleveland Public Schools is considered child abuse. You also have to deal with crime. One household of desperadoes can depopulate an entire block. Finally in spite of all the blather about multiculturalism, the fact is that most Americans - especially white Americans - don't want to live around people who are different from them. Boys and girls, can we spell racism?

Randy Cunningham

Randy Cunningham

]]> Comment #4 by Biodiversivist http://www.grist.org/article/the-commuter-pays-principal/ Mon, 16 Oct 2006 11:12:51 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/the-commuter-pays-principal/4 If these people would put a dollar value

equivalent to their hourly wage on the time wasted in cars they would find that they are losing a fortune, as well as a big chunk of their lives.

In the end, it all comes down to biodiversity. Help acquire and protect ecological hotspots, give to a conservation organization: http://www.saveourbiodiversity.com

]]> If these people would put a dollar value

equivalent to their hourly wage on the time wasted in cars they would find that they are losing a fortune, as well as a big chunk of their lives.

In the end, it all comes down to biodiversity. Help acquire and protect ecological hotspots, give to a conservation organization: http://www.saveourbiodiversity.com

]]> Comment #5 by KathyF http://www.grist.org/article/the-commuter-pays-principal/ Mon, 16 Oct 2006 17:44:30 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/the-commuter-pays-principal/5 The last time I drove around Chicago

it looked like there were plenty of office buildings located right in the suburbs.

Granted, if you're young and childless, or old and childless, living in the city near theatres, good restaurants, night spots, and other childless couples might be attractive, despite the fact your work may be located in the suburbs.

But when you have children, going to the theatre is not nearly as viable or desirable as going to a soccer game.

Also, for those of you who haven't been to the suburbs lately, there is plenty of shopping available there, more, in fact, than in the city, where dept stores all pulled out in the 90s.

So when are we going to have the study about the high commuting costs of living in the city?

]]> The last time I drove around Chicago

it looked like there were plenty of office buildings located right in the suburbs.

Granted, if you're young and childless, or old and childless, living in the city near theatres, good restaurants, night spots, and other childless couples might be attractive, despite the fact your work may be located in the suburbs.

But when you have children, going to the theatre is not nearly as viable or desirable as going to a soccer game.

Also, for those of you who haven't been to the suburbs lately, there is plenty of shopping available there, more, in fact, than in the city, where dept stores all pulled out in the 90s.

So when are we going to have the study about the high commuting costs of living in the city?

]]> Comment #6 by Biodiversivist http://www.grist.org/article/the-commuter-pays-principal/ Tue, 17 Oct 2006 04:00:16 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/the-commuter-pays-principal/6 daveatkins is describing Seattle's

neighborhoods.

small communities outside the urban core that are connected by transit and have their own identities

Maybe more cities should be emulating Seattle, which has surrounded its (thriving) city core with neighborhoods that are mostly zoned for single family housing, which includes townhouses and mother-in-law spaces. The cost of said housing goes up as you get closer to downtown, but gets more affordable in the more outlying neighborhoods. Many big cities have rotted away at the core and are surrounded by high-rise housing--pressure from developers to jam as much housing as possible into as little space as possible. Seattle has to date, found a good balance.

In the end, it all comes down to biodiversity. Help acquire and protect ecological hotspots, give to a conservation organization: http://www.saveourbiodiversity.com


]]> daveatkins is describing Seattle's

neighborhoods.

small communities outside the urban core that are connected by transit and have their own identities

Maybe more cities should be emulating Seattle, which has surrounded its (thriving) city core with neighborhoods that are mostly zoned for single family housing, which includes townhouses and mother-in-law spaces. The cost of said housing goes up as you get closer to downtown, but gets more affordable in the more outlying neighborhoods. Many big cities have rotted away at the core and are surrounded by high-rise housing--pressure from developers to jam as much housing as possible into as little space as possible. Seattle has to date, found a good balance.

In the end, it all comes down to biodiversity. Help acquire and protect ecological hotspots, give to a conservation organization: http://www.saveourbiodiversity.com


]]>