Does Gentrification Cause a Reduction in Laundromats?

Re:Does Gentrification Cause a Reduction in Laundromats? by henrikschroder on Wednesday February 04, 2015 @11:41AM (#8997802)

> the housing situation in cities like NYC and SF is so competitive that landlords don't really need to adjust their policies to get the tenants they want

This bothers me to no end, I'm continually amazed that the standard of apartments in SF is so very, very crappy. You're charging several thousand dollars per month, yet the stove and the fridge and the in-apt washing machine is either 20 years old or the cheapest shit you can buy. And since the market is the way it is where most people don't care about these things, this is what you get. :-/

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Re:Does Gentrification Cause a Reduction in Laundromats? by otterley on Wednesday February 04, 2015 @12:15PM (#8998053)

Rent control bears much of the blame for this. Landlords subject to rent control are discouraged from keeping their tenants happy with updated appliances, frequent maintenance, etc., because the only way they can re-price their units at market rent is if the current tenant vacates the unit. Poor upkeep, on the other hand, will encourage tenants to vacate.

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Re:Does Gentrification Cause a Reduction in Laundromats? by kleer001 on Wednesday February 04, 2015 @11:55AM (#8997916)

Blame zoning laws that don't allow people to build up and add more space to the limited ground area. Ironically this makes people live further away from their work places in the city, increased traffic and pollution, the opposite of what the regulations are for.

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