Reply to Say NO to Bowser on changing building height limits

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]
[quote]There was a recent, deeply written article on SF and how horrible it's become with its "growth" and how everyone pretty much hates it and is miserable.[/quote]

"no one goes there anymore, its too crowded"

[quote] I'm happy to "look out" and put the brakes on this growth. To what end? DC is vibrant and has good balance right now. We have a built in employer (FEDS) and some nice pop ups. All neighborhoods wi eventually be "discovered"[/quote]

And be gentrified and become all white and UMC except for committed affordable housing. Is that the DC you want?

[quote]and we should "look out" for really thoughtful, human scale development that is mixed income and win win. We should continue to improve mass transit. [/quote]

As noted, density supports transit, transit supports (and is justified) by density.  L'Enfant Plaza is at the junction of FIVE metro lines. It is far from vibrant.  Allowing taller denser buildings there seems like a no brainer to me.

[quote]Let the tech and high rises go to the suburbs.[/quote]

There is already talk about SOME Amazon employees reverse commuting from DC.

[quote]Too bad SF didnt do this.[/quote]

Most tech employment in the Bay Area IS in the suburbs.   They just ended up with lots of reverse commuting. While Arlington is more friendly to urbanist growth than most SF suburbs are, moving more employment growth there will mean demand in DC.   I suppose you could hope for all tech growth to be out past Dulles.  With lots of added sprawl, lots more auto trips, lots more green house gases.  It might preserve your quiet block in DC, at the expense of the region and the planet.

[/quote]

People who buy in the outer suburbs are looking for a particular type of house with a nice fenced yard for kids and a dog, at a more reasonable price than closer in.  It is not the same demographic as would rent or buy in some upscale flat above a CAVA in DC.  The notion that DC needs to be massively upznned to prevent suburban sprawl is a red herring.[/quote]

Prices control everything. If we could have an affordable 3BR condo in the city, we wouldn't necessarily be living in the suburbs. But I'm not going to pay these current DC prices[/quote]

No developer is going to build many "affordable" 3BR condos in the city, height limit or not.  Even in new luxury projects today, where 3 BR units could command a premium, developers all follow the same model:  studio, I BR and 1 BR with "den", all aimed at the young-professional market segment, disposable income and no kids.[/quote]

There are more single person households than there are existing studios and 1BRs.   Single people solve their affordability problem, often, by sharing existing older, 3BR apts and houses.  Outbidding families.  As long as that is the case smaller units will rent for a premium, and developers will build them.  Allow MORE studios and 1BR's and you released more of the larger units for folks who really want them. [/quote]
This is not what happens. Young people move into 3 and 4 bedrooms because they can’t afford their own one bedroom or studio. [/quote]

PP you are responding to - I am confused, is that not exactly what I said?   Except I believe that building more studios and 1BRs will hold down or even bring down the rents for such units. [/quote]

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