D.O.P.-T.

[weofodthignen]

A month or so ago, there was a nasty sign posted by someone in the neighborhood next to the main park entrance asking us all to report RVs so that the park wouldn't become a homeless encampment. There is a terrible housing crisis around here, but the park has always had a few daytime homeless denizens, and I wouldn't be surprised if some of them sleep in the bushes. When the old lady's house on the corner was empty after her death, a guy slept sitting in her chair on the porch every night until it was demolished to build the cursed rental. Last night I walked the dog late, after the housemate had already turned in, and saw at least 3 RVs around the park: one full-sized at kerbside and two smaller ones in a parking lot. No trash, no noise. I hope nobody reports them.

Comments

[dubhain]

When Nextdoor.com breaks through into the physical world....

[weofodthignen]

In addition to several five-, six-story buildings of new market-rate apartments on the other side of the local arterial road (and several more to be finished soon, and one projected on top of the local Denny's or Hardee's, whatever that place is), there are fairly swanky houses on one side of the park that were built on part of it 15, 20 years ago, and the tract houses on the opposite side have been changing hands for over a million for some years now, and are starting to be replaced with McMansions, as are the older houses a little further away. It's a nice neighborhood, but many of the new people may feel they paid a lot of money for the Silicon Valley family house package and we should all make sure the stage setting is seamless.

I am sorry for those who moved here to work for Yahoo!

M

[dubhain]

Yeah. Affordable housing for working folks is a diminishing concept, these days. The profit margin on McMansions and luxe accomodations is so much higher. And, of course, gentrification of formerly-affordable living spaces has become chic, especially in the neighborhoods where it previously wasn't worth upgrading them. So their 'character' remains.

Meanwhile, if you're not wealthy, good luck finding affordable living space that you don't have to share with someone. (Or several someones.)

And, of course, with gentrification comes a whole mob of Mrs Grundys, all peeping through their curtains, clutching their pearls, and shrieking that "Standards must be kept!" (In a neighborhood which previously would've laughed at her precious standards as she looked all the way down her nose at its inhabitants.)

Meanwhile, I live near The Villages — a constantly-expanding, master-planned, retirement Hell-Mecca, which bills itself as "America's Friendliest Hometown," then proceeds to demonstrate the exact opposite of that claim, whenever it interacts with the area's existing residents. (We're frequently referred to as "Trash people," by 'Villagers,' who also use the word 'Historic' (as in the Historic town versus the new Villages subdivisions) as an insult and vicious class-sneer.)

I really miss my old apartment in Midtown Sacramento. All but its stairs and its tiny, tiny, kitchen....