ManhattanRailfan

ManhattanRailfan t1_j7mwg3r wrote

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0094119006000635?fr=RR-2&ref=pdf_download&rr=795fcfe749fc0cb1

And an article for slightly easier comprehension.

In fact, the only articles that I could find that claim rent control decreases construction were published by developers and parasites landlords themselves. Not exactly an unbiased source. And basically all of them cite that single Bay Area case study that you did. And case studies aren't good evidence of a trend or causation. Only that something is a possibility.

1

ManhattanRailfan t1_j7l4e3v wrote

I don't know about buses, but in the 70s, local trains on trunk lines ran every 4-5 minutes during rush hour compared to every 2-4 today. In total, there were about 6600 daily trains compared to 8200 in 2016.

https://www.nytimes.com/1976/08/14/archives/215-more-daily-subway-runs-will-be-eliminated-by-aug-30-215-more.html

http://web.mta.info/nyct/facts/ffsubway.htm

2

ManhattanRailfan t1_j7l0zm8 wrote

Most of the 2010 cuts have been restored, and some lines, like the L and 7 receive more service now than ever before due to CBTC upgrades. Not to mention the 7 and Q extensions, station rehabilitation, elevator retrofitting. The MTA in the 1970s also had huge deficits, and in 1970 raised the fare by 50% to plug the holes. Track conditions were bad, maintenance didn't happen like it should have. Hell, as late as 2019 the MTA was still working on the maintenance backlog from that time, which was part of the reason a state of emergency was called in 2017 and is why there seem to be service changes every weekend and night.

https://www.nycsubway.org/wiki/The_New_York_Transit_Authority_in_the_1970s

0

ManhattanRailfan t1_j7i7t9r wrote

Yeah, and it's the free market that allowed 10 to a room tenements with factories right next to homes, child labor, no safety codes, and blue fucking milk. I'm not saying zoning regs as they stand are good, but rent regulation is absolutely a good thing because landlords are universally terrible who see their tenants as nothing more than a source of income with little to no labor required. Even Adam Smith, the father of capitalism, thought landlords could get fucked, so obviously we should be keeping them on an extremely tight leash.

2

ManhattanRailfan t1_j7i5spe wrote

You mean when builders threw a fit? Rent control was in place for a single year. Ultimately, they always come back because they can still profit off the backs of people who actually work for a living. Obviously, the best solution would just be to have all the government do it like in Singapore or Vienna, but this is the US and we can never do anything that would benefit people to the detriment of parasites corporate shareholders and billionaires.

0

ManhattanRailfan t1_j7i4wg0 wrote

NAHB? This is like citing a study by BP to say that climate change isn't real. Of course the parasites that are collecting rent aren't going to want rent control.

Also the problem with this case study is two-fold. 1, Costa-Hawkins passed in 1995, right when cities all over the US were going into a growth period with massive amounts of investment and construction. In fact, more housing was built in 1990, 91, and 92 than. In 1995 or 1996. 2. Clearly, it hasn't solved the housing affordability crisis because SF remains the first or second most expensive city in the country, and the rest of the Bay Area isn't much better.

The primary factors behind a lack of construction in NYC are zoning, NIMBYs, and high upfront costs. The idea that rent regulation is even a factor, especially in as-of-right construction with no mandatory inclusionary housing, is quite frankly, asinine.

3

ManhattanRailfan t1_j7hvgsk wrote

Except that's demonstrably not true. Rent regulation has never been shown to have a detrimental effect on the rate of new construction in any city where it's been implemented. If you're concerned about pied-a-terres, all you have to do is have a strictly enforced full-time residency requirement.

All you're really saying is that the free market is terrible at making housing affordable and we should massively expand public housing.

6

ManhattanRailfan t1_j7h4cci wrote

The median cost for owning a car in New York state is just under $14k per year per car. I'd be willing to bet for people in and around the city that's even higher considering gas prices and the cost of parking. But even if the net cost is the same, you're still saving time and have a much higher quality of life in the city vs the suburbs.

As for the commute times, I just looked at the time listed on Streeteasy to either my job in Lower Manhattan or my apartment in Midtown a 5 minute walk from GCT, whichever was closer. The longest was 38 minutes from the one in Sunset Park and it required a transfer.

3

ManhattanRailfan t1_j7gg9ly wrote

There are plenty of one bedrooms available in Queens and Brooklyn for 1800 or less. Right now on Streeteasy, there are 4 in Astoria, 1 in Woodside, 2 in Flushing, 5 near Prospect Park, and 1 in Sunset Park. All safe, walkable neighborhoods where cars are unnecessary and the commute to Manhattan would be 40 minutes or less.

But even paying $2400 in Manhattan, I still save a ton compared to living in Westchester. The extra ~7200 I spend on rent is half what I would spend on a car, and transportation here maxes out at $1524. Not to mention the significantly higher quality of life and far shorter commute.

8

ManhattanRailfan t1_j7fmekw wrote

It's not like the suburbs are any cheaper. Housing costs aren't significantly lower than they are in Manhattan, and are roughly similar to parts of Queens and Brooklyn and the cost of owning a car is like another $12-15k per year per car.

10