Why don’t Americans embrace urban living?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sad to say, but American cities are not that nice, at least compared to European cities. If our cities had better layouts and more charm, maybe more people would live there.

I lived in DC for 6 years and thought it was fun then. But when I moved to a close-in suburb, I was surprised how much my quality of life increased.

+1

I lived in DC and had to dodge bullets, robberies, drunk homeless people, you name it.

I don’t worry about this at all where I’m at in the burbs now. And I’m quite walkable to things. I’m not surrounded by weed, alleys that smell like piss, drunk college kids, etc. That lifestyle is only fun for so long but it’s no place to raise a family unless you want them to become druggies by the time they’re 20.

Are you seriously using just DC as your evidence for why American cities in general are not as nice as European cities? I would put NYC or Chicago or parts of LA up against London or Berlin any time. You also seem like you haven’t been outside Western Europe. Europe isn’t just London, Berlin, and Paris.

[Anonymous]

Because of a fear of minorities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because of a fear of minorities.

Wut?

[Anonymous]

I live in a large house, on a large lot near a large park and a ton of other stuff with neighbors who are Asian, Black, Hispanic, gay, various religions, etc etc and I live in DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You couldn’t pay me to live in DC. I lived in Georgetown during law school and I never liked it. Who want to haul their groceries to their house? The crime is an issue. One that I don’t want to deal with on a regular basis.

I love my big house in the burbs. I go into DC once a year. Nothing there I need.

What suburb?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because of a fear of minorities.

Plenty of minorities in the suburbs.

[Anonymous]

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.

You must live in a very expensive part of the city, because our section had few kids because of lackluster schools, and no running to the park because it was overrun with homeless and drug paraphernalia

Cities work in other countries because they accept higher taxes for social welfare: thus funding much better transit options, less homelessness because of housing and programs, more crews to clean public parks, better city schools, and less extreme poverty in general (which impacts school populations)

Also, if you don’t own s SFH, you have to worry about decondo, power mad HOA boards, neighbors who smoke pot constantly seeping through the walls or adjacent windows… on and on. Some of this is better in Europe (I assume an investment company can’t buy out s condo building and tosss you to the curb)

Urban schools that are undesirable did not get that way due to insufficient funding. DC schools, for example, are typically spending the most per student of any of the surrounding districts.

this statement is so exhausting. Most of that extra money goes to administration not the children.

[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

After the orgy of violence and intimidation in so many downtowns in 2020 you really wonder about this?

[Anonymous]

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.

You must live in a very expensive part of the city, because our section had few kids because of lackluster schools, and no running to the park because it was overrun with homeless and drug paraphernalia

Cities work in other countries because they accept higher taxes for social welfare: thus funding much better transit options, less homelessness because of housing and programs, more crews to clean public parks, better city schools, and less extreme poverty in general (which impacts school populations)

Also, if you don’t own s SFH, you have to worry about decondo, power mad HOA boards, neighbors who smoke pot constantly seeping through the walls or adjacent windows… on and on. Some of this is better in Europe (I assume an investment company can’t buy out s condo building and tosss you to the curb)

Urban schools that are undesirable did not get that way due to insufficient funding. DC schools, for example, are typically spending the most per student of any of the surrounding districts.

this statement is so exhausting. Most of that extra money goes to administration not the children.

False and BS anyway. It's massive money, quit the cheap excuses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because of a fear of minorities.

At this point the suburbs are more diverse than most cities.

[Anonymous]

I read the posts and think I’ll head to Brambleton this weekend to bask in its diversity, vibrancy and excitement. I plan to walk to all 3 shopping locations. The local pamphlet extols its virtues and I will be “bindulging” too:

“BINDULGENT
In a community designed to live, work, and play, convenience to a variety of shopping venues is paramount. To meet the lifestyle needs of its residents and neighboring communities, Brambleton offers three shopping destinations in Ashburn, VA”

[Anonymous]

Because neighbors suck.

[Anonymous]

My reason for not wanting to live in a city is that it's not easy to own a car. Screw "walkability" I like being able to drive to Costco and load up on enough groceries to last a few weeks. I Can't imagine having to shag my ass a quarter of a mile in the rain and cold every time I needed a gallon of milk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My reason for not wanting to live in a city is that it's not easy to own a car. Screw "walkability" I like being able to drive to Costco and load up on enough groceries to last a few weeks. I Can't imagine having to shag my ass a quarter of a mile in the rain and cold every time I needed a gallon of milk.

Ever heard of Instacart?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You couldn’t pay me to live in DC. I lived in Georgetown during law school and I never liked it. Who want to haul their groceries to their house? The crime is an issue. One that I don’t want to deal with on a regular basis.

I love my big house in the burbs. I go into DC once a year. Nothing there I need.

What suburb?

You sound like the most boring person on earth. Imagine living with a few miles of world-class museums, concerts, restaurants, major league sports, and the seat of government of the most powerful country in the history of the world and not being slightly interested in any of it.