SheeEttin t1_j7v7z1n wrote on February 9, 2023 at 5:25 PM

Reply to comment by FaustusC in Want passenger rail in Manchester? Make your voice heard by PurpleSubtlePlan

Maybe we should improve transit and housing.

FaustusC t1_j7vafg0 wrote on February 9, 2023 at 5:41 PM

Maybe we should improve housing first ffs.

Making it so residents have basic shelter should be a much fucking higher priority than, idk, making sure Dipshit McGee doesn't have two dwive an hour for work :((((((

nowhereman1223 t1_j7vt78r wrote on February 9, 2023 at 7:36 PM

Housing will get improved when there is profit to it. Right now there isn't.

Unless you want the government to pay for, regulate and subsidize low income housing?

Parzival_1775 t1_j7wiwqy wrote on February 9, 2023 at 10:15 PM

That's exactly what needs to happen. The profit motive is inherently unsuited to providing affordable housing, because it is always more profitable to build mcmansions and luxury apartments. The actual incremental cost in building such homes is negligible, resulting in a much higher profit margin.

Dramatic_Mechanic815 t1_j7x3td3 wrote on February 10, 2023 at 12:41 AM

You’re correct in some respects. This is usually when the government should step in to help make building affordable housing attractive and profitable, usually through tax breaks or subsidies. Unfortunately, Manchester isn’t exactly swimming in cash and neither is the state. And good luck proposing subsidies for affordable home housing with the diehard Live Free or Die-ers here. I’ve never seen a state try so hard to stay poor and starve its government.