To Get a Home in San Francisco, First Get a $200,000-a-Year Job

Re:To Get a Home in San Francisco, First Get a $200,000-a-Ye... by QuantumChaos on Tuesday May 20, 2014 @09:22PM (#7776242)

But if that were the case, then schools would simply be forced to pay higher wages for teachers. That, or teachers would be willing to travel further (perhaps in exchange for slightly higher wages).

In either case, the idea that a city can just "break" because it is too expensive for ordinary workers, ignores basic microeconomics.

The laws of supply and demand imply that wages go up to deal with lack of supply of certain professions. Whether that lack of supply is caused by a nationwide talent shortage, or a local high cost of living, makes no difference.

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Re:To Get a Home in San Francisco, First Get a $200,000-a-Ye... by sliverstorm on Tuesday May 20, 2014 @10:30PM (#7776410)

Nobody is saying the city will cease to function because no ordinary workers can be found.

But there are problems. Perhaps the simplest of which: I personally feel like you ought to be able to live in the city you serve.

The more complex problems get into the inter-city dynamics, the sleepy commuter towns, the slums that wind up surrounding the wealthy areas...

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