People are leaving Massachusetts in droves. Who are they?

[msRB311]

So should people living in towns just give up part of their land so a new house can be built on it? Like hey neighbor, sure you can build on my front lawn. Or should we just do away with any bit of nature to build more ugly houses?

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by msRB311

So should people living in towns just give up part of their land so a new house can be built on it? Like hey neighbor, sure you can build on my front lawn. Or should we just do away with any bit of nature to build more ugly houses?

The latter, obviously. No one is seeking eminent domain over peoples yards.

But It's very clear you don't really care about the comic health of the state or people being able to live there. You got yours. You can just admit that.

[BruinsGirl]

Housing that state wants to built is affordable housing and we know who will live there.

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by BruinsGirl

Housing that state wants to built is affordable housing and we know who will live there.

Is the state (commonwealth) building affordable housing?

And no, we literally don't know. I have no idea who moves into affordable housing (income-restricted housing). Most low income and minority folks I know say they cant afford it. Most middle-income or upper-middle-income people I know say they don't qualify. It seems all groups born here do move eventually, not at equal rates of course..but they do move.

There is no data. I'm stumped. Illuminate us.

[msRB311]

I again just don't think it's true to say that no extra housing has been built. Every time I drive into the city I see new housing being built...it isn't making a dent in the housing market and hasn't for years. Housing prices keep going up. There's something else going on here and it isn't that new housing isn't being built.

Perhaps people are also tired of how much it costs to build more housing.

[Iced_Coffee]

Originally Posted by msRB311

There's something else going on here and it isn't that new housing isn't being built.

Then what is it?

[lrfox]

Originally Posted by msRB311

So should people living in towns just give up part of their land so a new house can be built on it? Like hey neighbor, sure you can build on my front lawn. Or should we just do away with any bit of nature to build more ugly houses?

We've had this discussion before, but it obviously doesn't have to be either/or. There's a ton of land across the state that isn't either already someone's front yard, or the rainforest from Fern Gully. Vacant (or nearly vacant) malls/strip malls, old industrial or warehouse areas, entire former military bases and small airfields, etc. all exist in fairly large quantities and are ripe for redevelopment. But a combination of restrictive zoning, fierce opposition, lengthy permitting process, staggering construction costs, etc. all prevent redevelopment of those spaces from happening in meaningful quantities. Weymouth NAS is probably the most glaring example. There's no good reason there should only be a couple of blocks developed at this point, but there are plenty of others.

[Iced_Coffee]

Originally Posted by lrfox

We've had this discussion before, but it obviously doesn't have to be either/or. There's a ton of land across the state that isn't either already someone's front yard, or the rainforest from Fern Gully. Vacant (or nearly vacant) malls/strip malls, old industrial or warehouse areas, entire former military bases and small airfields, etc. all exist in fairly large quantities and are ripe for redevelopment. But a combination of restrictive zoning, fierce opposition, lengthy permitting process, staggering construction costs, etc. all prevent redevelopment of those spaces from happening in meaningful quantities. Weymouth NAS is probably the most glaring example. There's no good reason there should only be a couple of blocks developed at this point, but there are plenty of others.

Ironically, the same people against this kind of stuff are usually vocally against migrants and illegal workers - both of which will be sorely needed when the state loses their young, educated, middle-class, and even blue-collar population.

[msRB311]

I think much of it is greed. It's going to take a lot for prices to go down. The demand isnt going to away just by building more. As has been said more has been built.

No idea why people aren't tearing down strip malls to built more housing.

I do think there are people who don't want more population. What can you do about that? Change their minds? Wait for those people to die and hope others agree with you?

[msRB311]

places like this exist in Braintree:

https://www.coldwellbankerhomes.com/...X6bjOEMPUStIJ_

why arent they all the rage? Why aren't more people dying to live in a place like this ?