Why don’t Americans embrace urban living?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why the obsession with huge houses 3 miles away from everything. Why not access to parks, trails, restaurants, schools, grocery stores, socializing in coffee shops, biking etc?

The American obsession with SFH is unsustainable environmental, financially (impossible to maintain long exburban roads) and mentally

First things first -- people like what they like and it is different from others.

Second many people just do not like urban living -- I don't. Not even sure I like suburban.

Third ---- the way we live is not even close to being unsustainable in any way. I have no idea what you mean by impossible to maintain long exburban roads. That is not even an issue in the US.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why the obsession with huge houses 3 miles away from everything. Why not access to parks, trails, restaurants, schools, grocery stores, socializing in coffee shops, biking etc?

The American obsession with SFH is unsustainable environmental, financially (impossible to maintain long exburban roads) and mentally

Agreed. The American landscape is largely a dead place.

That said, there are large numbers of Americans who do prefer walkable urban living; one factor behind the huge COL increases in places like SF.

Everyone is leaving SF -- have you missed this? There are few people with children there anymore.

[Anonymous]

This thread pops up like clockwork.

What is urban living? Baltimore inner city? NW DC SFH?

Having lived in cities like NYC and HK and London and now living in a leafy suburb, each was right for me at different times of my life. Right now I enjoy having a bigger house and garden and the peace. Things that keep me from moving into an urban area include dysfunctional urban politics, urban demographics, bad schools, higher crime, and no desire to live where 90% vote lockstep for same corrupt politicians and party because of brain dead tribal mentality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:80+% of Americans live in cities...

Not really true ----- yes cities but not urban. Just in this area Arlington and Alexandria would count as citites and they are not like DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For whatever reason, folks in Singapore, London, Hong Kong don’t seem to have these hang-ups about “the neighbors,” “living on top of one another” or “sharing walls”

Well, those are the people who choose to live in cities. The people in New York City and London and Tokyo choose to live there. The people who want more space move out to the suburbs or countryside in England or to the suburbs or countryside in America, or to the far out suburbs and countryside wayyyy out on the rail lines in Japan.

Before everyone starts going on about these cities --- in London -- once bankers and magic circle lawyers make partner and have kids older enough to go to school they move out to the country and take a train. If they get really rich they move back to the city but just rich they stay in the country. Why? Because they can.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For me, I get that people want different lifestyles, but the way America's suburbs are design is so incredibly horrible for the environment that it's hard for me to understand.

how do you mean?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For me, I get that people want different lifestyles, but the way America's suburbs are design is so incredibly horrible for the environment that it's hard for me to understand.

So you think creating super cities like Shanghai, NYC, CDMX, São Paulo, etc. across the globe are preferable to more, smaller cities? No thank you. Those cities don't fair well in a pandemic.

[Anonymous]

We tried living in a DC condo in Shaw (near Convention Center) and loved many aspects of it but ultimately moved to Del Ray because:
—With hybrid work schedules we only need to commute 1 or 2 days a week instead of 5
—Hated having neighbors clomp clomp clomping above us or deciding to host a loud party on a Wednesday the night before an important work presentation
—mere feet from our front door people were murdered, stabbed and shot at. This really wears on your mental health to experience it time after time after time.
—Constant drug dealing a block away causing a million problems leading to the murders/shooting/stabbing above but no entity is willing/allowed to even attempt to do something about it.
—My wife orders a pair of shoes online? Stolen. I order a freaking measuring tape worth $5? Stolen.
—We can now have a small yard, safety, no noisy condo neighbors and still easily get into DC quickly for work events dinners or to watch a game. Also there are tons of great restaurants across NoVA.

We are DINKs and genuinely wanted to stay in the city but found the close-in suburbs to be a much higher quality of life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For me, I get that people want different lifestyles, but the way America's suburbs are design is so incredibly horrible for the environment that it's hard for me to understand.

So you think creating super cities like Shanghai, NYC, CDMX, São Paulo, etc. across the globe are preferable to more, smaller cities? No thank you. Those cities don't fair well in a pandemic.

Access to world class hospitals is generally a plus during a pandemic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For whatever reason, folks in Singapore, London, Hong Kong don’t seem to have these hang-ups about “the neighbors,” “living on top of one another” or “sharing walls”

Well, those are the people who choose to live in cities. The people in New York City and London and Tokyo choose to live there. The people who want more space move out to the suburbs or countryside in England or to the suburbs or countryside in America, or to the far out suburbs and countryside wayyyy out on the rail lines in Japan.

Before everyone starts going on about these cities --- in London -- once bankers and magic circle lawyers make partner and have kids older enough to go to school they move out to the country and take a train. If they get really rich they move back to the city but just rich they stay in the country. Why? Because they can.

It would be cool if the U.S. had rail from the countryside.

[Anonymous]

Once I had kids I wanted more personal space.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For whatever reason, folks in Singapore, London, Hong Kong don’t seem to have these hang-ups about “the neighbors,” “living on top of one another” or “sharing walls”

Well, those are the people who choose to live in cities. The people in New York City and London and Tokyo choose to live there. The people who want more space move out to the suburbs or countryside in England or to the suburbs or countryside in America, or to the far out suburbs and countryside wayyyy out on the rail lines in Japan.

Before everyone starts going on about these cities --- in London -- once bankers and magic circle lawyers make partner and have kids older enough to go to school they move out to the country and take a train. If they get really rich they move back to the city but just rich they stay in the country. Why? Because they can.

+1 I know several people in SF who left for the burbs after they had kids. I would never live in SF with kids. We lived close to SF, and on the weekends, I would see some families from SF at the parks who would escape the city on the weekend for the better family oriented amenities in the burbs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm confused by the people who want yards. I think I'd rather live right next to or very close by some awesome parks. When I was growing up, we only played in our yard until we were 6 or 7, then it was just playdates with other kids.... which you'd have to drive to in the 'burbs. My city kids walk around the block to play with their friends. Sure you need money, but DC is amazing for having close-in neighborhoods with green space and parks and being pretty safe.

Suburbs have both great parks, great yards, friend to walk to.

Capture the flag, catching lightning bugs while parents visit on the deck.

Have you ever lived in a city? Do you think that doesn't happen here too?

So we get a yard AND friends running to park. How is that not better?

Who wants to mow a lawn? Treat grass?

No thank you.

Suburban dweller here. You really think we all mow our own lawns? In my neighborhood its generally just the retired military guys who mow their own lawns. Otherwise we contribute to the local economy by hiring lawn services.

I think part of the point is who wants to either do it or hire people to do it? It's work, and also, if you generally need to mow your green monolithic grass lawn, it's absolutely terrible for the environment.

Do you travel? Fly? Terrible for the environment.

DP. I travel via Amtrak domestically, including pretty long distances. I do not travel via plane much due to the environmental impact.

but every time you do, it does impact the environment. Shame on you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At this point, we could afford very nice urban living, but we prefer to have neighbors with a wider diversity of political viewpoints.

Yes, there are very good people on both sides.

np. the fact that you say this sarcastically proves her point

Sorry, I don't consider MAGA to be very good people. But PP is wrong, I live in NYC and have some frothing-at-the-mouth Trump supporters right here in my neighborhood. It's more diverse than you'd think!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why the obsession with huge houses 3 miles away from everything. Why not access to parks, trails, restaurants, schools, grocery stores, socializing in coffee shops, biking etc?

The American obsession with SFH is unsustainable environmental, financially (impossible to maintain long exburban roads) and mentally

First things first -- people like what they like and it is different from others.

Second many people just do not like urban living -- I don't. Not even sure I like suburban.

Third ---- the way we live is not even close to being unsustainable in any way. I have no idea what you mean by impossible to maintain long exburban roads. That is not even an issue in the US.

How have you never heard about climate change? Or are you just a denier?