To the editor: Contributing author Joel Kotkin’s op-ed is evident and informative till the final paragraph (“Don’t blame the boomers for millennials’ struggles,” Feb. 26). As a substitute of a conclusion primarily based upon his previous concepts, he introduces unsubstantiated notions that belie one other agenda. He all of the sudden cites rules that have to be scaled again as the explanation housing affordability has decreased.
As a just lately retired architect, I discovered that the development of recent and transformed housing grew to become problematic in the course of the COVID pandemic. Many building staff both modified jobs or fled the state, inflicting the price of building to skyrocket. The disruptions of provide chains additionally led the price of building supplies to dramatically enhance. What had been $100 per sq. foot pre-pandemic was all of the sudden $300 per sq. foot.
Whereas acquiring permits actually grew to become extra annoying with shuttered authorities workplaces utilizing beforehand untried “paperless” allow submittals, the precise price of that was not the dramatic expense at all times famous by conservatives. The rules lots of them hated supported environmental protections, office security and occupant security. In the meantime, the market manipulations of hedge funds shopping for up residential actual property is ignored as an issue.
Lastly, that manipulation of the housing provide is exacerbated by the huge switch of wealth to the highest 10% from the 90% — the remainder of us — that has occurred during the last 40 years. When company mismanagement of the financial system is ignored as the most important affect on housing costs, the entire op-ed falls aside.
David Gene Echt, Torrance
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To the editor: I agree with all the things that Kotkin wrote in regards to the disparities in wealth distribution by era. A larger proportion of youthful folks shifting towards expert commerce is a good development. However the stubbornly excessive housing costs of metropolitan coastal cities stay an enormous drawback.
Nonetheless, there may be cause to be longing for the younger: Boomers might be dying in giant numbers over the subsequent 20 years, and guess who might be inheriting all these belongings?
Mike Sovich, Glendale
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To the editor: Articles on this topic all omit one crucial truth: Usually talking, millennials are the kids of boomers. Not all boomers are wealthy, in a position to increase their youngsters into their best life-style, and people who are are usually extra frugal, instilling their values into their youngsters. They didn’t instill an expectation of prosperity, however somewhat emphasised the significance of enchancment by means of schooling, coaching and work, one thing they inherited from their dad and mom (those that grew up in the course of the Nice Despair and fought in World Struggle II) in flip.
Martin Usher, Thousand Oaks
