It isn’t unaffordable here because of the “laws of economics” — it’s unaffordable here because of the laws passed by the City Council. Developers would love to build housing in an economically booming area. They’re not building it because this city has created a system of zoning and taxes that make building housing here incredibly expensive and time consuming to build and very little can legally be built here. We have a 4 story height limit across the city and only in a tiny fraction of this city is it legal to build things like duplexes and apartment buildings. This is about a City Council that has enacted policies to create an artificial shortage where none need exist.

As I said above, this isn’t a sad story about me. I’m doing great and I’ll be doing well anywhere I go. I have lots of choices in life- I’m very lucky. But the advice of “just move away” doesn’t work when you say that to our cops, firefighters, nurses, teachers, day care workers, elder care professionals, garbage collectors, auto mechanics, etc. What exactly is going to be left of this area if all those people follow your advice and just move away?