Affordable Housing - Homeless

Everybody is talking about 'affordable housing.'  What that means, exactly, I don't know.  Politicians are clamoring all over themselves boasting they have the answers.  They don't.  Nobody can escape the economic law of supply and demand.  Sonoma County is a desirable place to live; it's expensive.  Unless you're willing to sell your home to the lowest offer below market value, you are part of the problem as well.  Nobody sells for less, even uber democrats who demand socialist programs for all -- until they're called upon to cough up their monetary share.  Nobody wants more housing in their neighborhood, either -- especially the most recent transplants to Sonoma.  Believe me.  The irony is not lost on me. 

Relax, everybody, as I see another tech and housing bubble happening.  Silicon Valley, once believed to be the mecca of anything that contained the word 'tech', is loosing its appeal.  They don't have any affordable housing, either.  Plus, their workforce is now entering an age where they want living conditions that don't mimic a college dorm/campus.  Adding to the situation is that location is no longer relevant.  Telecommuting and other advances of the internet deem the office cubicle or workstation obsolete.  Where are they going?  They are growing up and want to move out of the mommy and daddy House Google.

Which gets me back to Sonoma County.  Yes, our prices are now at pre-recession highs.  However, the median wages for most Sonoma County residents have not warranted such a price leap.  Banks are back to their old tricks again in lending, and people making $25 an hour believe they can afford a $550,000 home.  Not everybody works for Google....yet.

Which gets me to the homeless.  It was pointed out to me from my son that San Francisco and San Diego have very similar problems in combating the ever-increasing tide of homelessness.  San Francisco has the liberal approach, and San Diego has the conservative approach.  Guess what.  Neither approach works and homelessness is rampant.  It's the underlying issue of the law of supply and demand.  Nobody wants to look that hard, ugly fact in the face, especially politicians who pretend they can solve the problem.