[quote=FlyerInHi]Only a few special places like silicon valley, manhattan, london are such that people will do almost anything to live there.
They don’t live on large lots that you like. Plus they pay a lot to live in closets. Not a good lifestyle.[/quote]There ARE largish lots in SV. I just posted several listings here with 8500+ sf lots in Saratoga a few months ago. That’s not the only town with larger-than standard lots. Campbell and SJ have a lot of them as well as a few other cities. There is nothing (physically) “special” about SV cities (except a plethora of high-paying jobs). At least not any more “special” or charming than cities in any other CA coastal county. Yes, the huge open spaces, parkland and trails surrounding both sides of the Santa Cruz range is fantastic but no one actually lives there. Wise planning decisions by past SC and SM County leaders made sure of that. These past decisions are the sole reason for the excellent quality of life residents of the SV have today, IMO.
Even East Bay (Alameda County) is not overbuilt in the cities adjacent to and nearby the SM and Dumbarton bridges (leading into SV). All its parkland set aside in the middle of the last century is still parkland today. For example, Fremont, Milbrae, Hayward and Castro Valley’s housing stock is mature. The older tract home subdivisions in these cities are nothing “special” (although some have views of the bay and surrounding hills). I’m sure these cities could use more housing, but guess what? They haven’t approved any large new subdivisions in decades! They’ve decided against them because they don’t want the QOL ruined for their existing residents, DUH … yes, even if “people” are still transferring to SV for jobs.
Ditto for the wise stewards of LA County and its cities.
“People” (aka “newbies in town”) are most certainly free to buy or rent what is already on offer in a coveted CA coastal county. If “people” don’t like that, they are free to vote with their feet (and decline any SV jobs on offer to them). It’s a free country and CA coastal cities/counties owe them nothing. It’s as it should be in most of the bay area. However, nearly ALL SD County’s leaders felt a compelling need to begin selling out to Big Development beginning about 28-29 years ago, depending on jurisdiction. In doing so, they sold their existing residents’ QOL down the river in the process and the damage is now done, which we ALL must now live with.
That’s the difference between wise city/county stewardship (with foresight) and greedy, corrupt city/county “leadership.”
