Silicon Valley Workers Living in RVs

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Bill N

Bill N

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 4, 2014
Posts
2,551
Location
Ozark, Missouri
http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2017/11/08/silicon-valleys-car-people-push-homeless-crisis-to-brink.html

These people are not bums. They all have jobs and cannot afford to live anywhere close to those jobs.

Bill
 
This has been going on for a long time. 17 years ago I discovered one of my degreed engineers was sleeping in his car because he couldn't afford an apartment; A single room at that time cost $1,600/month. Some folks in San Jose were renting out the floor of their living room; A space just large enough for a sleeping bag cost $300/month, with no access to kitchen or bathroom. I can't imagine what these costs are today.

Enlisting the help of a number of colleagues, we found the engineer an affordable apartment, and we gave him a raise to help out.
 
My sister lives in Santa Cruz. Recently I was talking to her and she was complaining that her grandson can't find a decent one room apartment for under $3000 a month in Sacramento. I suggested he move to Florida where you can score a decent one room for under $500 a month. She was mortified. Didn't want her grandkid so far away so she came up with all kinds of excuses as to why he would not move here. Can't save these dumb people.
 
It is a choice. Everything in life is a tradeoff, no?

Coastal California is a beautiful place to live. If your skill set can get you only a menial income, yet you want to live in one of the most spectacular places in the world, living there in a car or RV is a great option.

If this life does not please you, release the parking brake and earn your income in a more affordable area. 



 
glen54737 said:
I was thinking the biggest advantage is the rv is easy to move to a more affordable location.
Click to expand...

That can work for some, but not for all because if everyone moved to places where there is cheaper housing, then wages would see downward pressure as the supply of labor would exceed demand.
 
Re: that lady with 3 adult sons.  I wonder if they are working or is mom supporting them.
 
Folks who haven't lived in, or experienced the real estate market in, the Santa Clara Valley (aka Silicon Valley) have no clue how brutal it is. Folks commute from the south (Santa Cruz) and the East (Tracy/Modesto) to live in more affordable housing.

When we owned our first (very modest) home in San Jose, I invited a business visitor to dinner. As we drove into the driveway he asked "what do you pay for something like this?" I told him and he was speechless. "What's wrong?"; He let me know they'd pay 20% of that price in OH for the same home.

Meanwhile, having recently bought property in OH near our kids and grandkids, I understand.
 
This current thread on another board explains the issue.  Thanks Tom for the research.

http://www.rvforum.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,110164.0.html
 
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