Biden administration announces plan to convert vacant office space into affordable housing

[choiceone]

Nor should you be. This is NOT the job of the FEDERAL government. More social engineering.

Lead the way to more crony capitalism.

Where is this enumerated power in the constitution? Does it matter?

If the states and private sector are incapable of providing genuinely affordable housing for workers, the federal government has an aim of general social welfare as well as defense and has to do it.

For years, states let the market do what it wanted. Investing in high end real estate development allows quicker, larger profits, so US capital of course has refused to supply anyone's demand that won't serve that venial end. And GOP states certainly don't want to provide any part of the general social welfare.

But without this, how can workers stop being a social problem, become or remain healthy, and work effectively at their jobs, etc.? It's therefore part of defense against domestic enemies so as to be better able to defend against foreign enemies. I have no doubt that the military will approve.

If the GOP had wanted to do this at the state level, they would have done it over twenty or thirty years ago, and if the market had wanted to supply this demand, we would not have this affordable housing shortage.

 

[Iceberg Slim]

I think you meant to say, 'this is why democrats suck at government'. This isn't a new idea. The only thing it's certain to do is add $10 billion dollars - possibly more - to the deficit. It's a lot of money that will barely move the needle. If you want government to have a real impact, they need to do things that are economically sound.

Why is this not economically sound?

 

[TobyOne]

I appreciate your non sequitur post because its funny and doesn't mean anything.

If it one thing MAGAts don't have trouble finding, it's ass...

But how does this explain why GOP administrations have performed so poorly for nearly 50 years now?

 

[dcsports]

Please stop with the Bold Assertions.

lol. You mean, reality? They have an idea to form a plan to pass out money - and the federal government handing out grants is almost always an inefficient way to approach a problem.. All they've done so far is make an announcement.

 

[TobyOne]

Everyone sucks at government. Its a necessary evil. Not a glorious phallic symbol to circle jerk over. You leftists need to pull up your panties.

[CTRL + C]
[CTRL + V]

This is why conservatives suck at government. Even the remote possibility of something not working is the same as being certain it can't work.

 

[Iceberg Slim]

I appreciate your non sequitur post because its funny and doesn't mean anything.

Do you know what the avg annual GDP of the 3 most recent GOP administrations is?

 

[Iceberg Slim]

lol. You mean, reality? They have an idea to form a plan to pass out money - and the federal government handing out grants is almost always an inefficient way to approach a problem.. All they've done so far is make an announcement.

The fact that reactionary media bleats this jive doesn't make it true.

 

[choiceone]

This will get the NIMBYs good and riled.

And we'll get to see just how much Liberals walk the walk when it comes to their "concerns" for the poor.

The Liberals have always done better than Conservatives on that score, because the latter have never cared if the poor drop dead in the street - let's remember Hoovervilles.

 

[RaleBulgarian]

Office space is designed for office workers not for people living there. It may cost more to retrofit the buildings than to just build new apartments somewhere else.

Where do you get this idea from?

 

[Plasmaball]

Nor should you be. This is NOT the job of the FEDERAL government. More social engineering.

Lead the way to more crony capitalism.

Where is this enumerated power in the constitution? Does it matter?

Bootstraps!
Your plan has worked out so well..so

 

[dcsports]

Why is this not economically sound?

Again, government handing out grants to 'address' a vague problem is always ineffective. It's not providing any real incentive beyond finding ways to get and spend the money. It does zero to provide long term incentive to increase housing. And it's really not the federal government's lane to begin with.

 

[Peter]

If they are empty, use them for SOMETHING.

Loads of Laser Quest places?
I used to love that stuff.

 

[dcsports]

The fact that reactionary media bleats this jive doesn't make it true.

What are you talking about??

This isn't the first time this approach has been taken - and it's what happens.

 

[BlueTex]

Well, I guess you don’t follow commercial real estate.

Because recycling office space into residential apartments is a big thing right now.

Lack of knowledge rarely stops the MAGA fans from opining on just about any subject. Dallas county is leaning in to this conversion of commercial to residential at all price points.

Office-to-Multifamily Conversions Are Reshaping Downtown Dallas

By Ryan Kimura, senior vice president of strategic partnerships, Premier The changing landscape of work and the future of the office remains in flux, leading to a reduced demand for office space in major metropolitan areas throughout the country. This shift has rendered many office buildings...

rebusinessonline.com

 

[TobyOne]

At best, government can **** things up and skew markets. It optimizes beauracracy not value. The only rational thing to do is minimize it. Only bad things happen when government has primacy. Statism is the worst evil the world has ever seen.

Again, government handing out grants to 'address' a vague problem is always ineffective. It's not providing any real incentive beyond finding ways to get and spend the money. It does zero to provide long term incentive to increase housing. And it's really not the federal government's lane to begin with.

 

[RaleBulgarian]

Nothing is happening.

The article indicates otherwise.

 

[Checkerboard Strangler]

Office space is designed for office workers not for people living there. It may cost more to retrofit the buildings than to just build new apartments somewhere else.

It depends on the type of housing.
Single Room Occupancy bachelor pads were common all the way up until the early Seventies when NIMBY's in urban areas began to complain about them.
SRO?
Yes, SRO...what used to be called "flophouse apartments" or "traveling salesman crash pads"....the kinds of apartments featured in popular films like "The Blues Brothers"...the kind of bachelor pad I lived in back in 1978 when I first began in college in Minneapolis...only MINE was luxurious because it had a kitchenette built into one wall and a corner bathroom on the other end.
Pretty good deal for $110 a month in 1978, about $400-something today.
A lot of SRO pads are known for communal bathrooms and kitchens.

 

[choiceone]

Commercial spaces are becoming vacant due to remote work etc. Space could be given to the homeless. The problem is the federal government. They will spend too much, it will be corrupt and fail. The government, especially the federal government, especially the federal government run by liberals cant find their ass with both hands and a map.

We could have the states do it separately? Then, NY, which gives more money in taxes to the federal government than it receives in federal aid, could use its own money for NY needs instead, and Alabama, which gives less money in taxes to the federal government than it receives in federal aid, could use its own lack of money for Alabama needs. That way, NY will become increasingly adequate and Alabama can become increasingly horrid. That's what states' rights will do for the conservatives.

 

[dcsports]

The article indicates otherwise.

No. It said they announced an intent to create a plan to give out money. Nothing is happening now. Eventually, they'll give out money, and a portion of it may even convert a few buildings into apartments.

 

[Checkerboard Strangler]

That's what states' rights will do for the conservatives.

If red states are ever actually FORCED to LIVE what they preach that IS when we WILL see the civil war in earnest.

 

[Lord Tammerlain]

Sounds fantastic!

I just have 1 question...

What cuts are they willing to make to current spending to raise the $10B they are asking for?

If they are proposing more borrowing it should be DOA

10 billion is a rounding error for the federal government

 

[choiceone]

At best, government can **** things up and skew markets. It optimizes beauracracy not value. The only rational thing to do is minimize it. Only bad things happen when government has primacy. Statism is the worst evil the world has ever seen.

The only reason the problem exists is that our government has protected the economic rights of the rich at the expense of the poor. Call it redistribution if you want - I don't care. That protection turned out to be as much of a racket as gangster protection. Trump is nothing but a gang leader. The GOP is a bunch of thugs.

Back in the 1960s, I used to say "democracy." Back in the 1990s, I came to say "social democracy." But now, the behavior of the right wing all by itself has led me to say, "democratic socialism it is."

I have tremendous respect for the Millenials and Gen Z, and that's where the young are in quite a few serious surveys of the last several years. They weren't indoctrinated by leftists. They listened carefully to the far right and learned just what to say in response based on the human values they learned from decent parents and the Western historical tradition.

 

[Checkerboard Strangler]

We could have the states do it separately? Then, NY, which gives more money in taxes to the federal government than it receives in federal aid, could use its own money for NY needs instead, and Alabama, which gives less money in taxes to the federal government than it receives in federal aid, could use its own lack of money for Alabama needs. That way, NY will become increasingly adequate and Alabama can become increasingly horrid. That's what states' rights will do for the conservatives.

"Find a man...live proper!"



That's the red state solution.

 

[Iceberg Slim]

What are you talking about??

This isn't the first time this approach has been taken - and it's what happens.

Medicare runs with appreciably lower overhead than private insurance.

 

[Iceberg Slim]

Sounds fantastic!

I just have 1 question...

What cuts are they willing to make to current spending to raise the $10B they are asking for?

If they are proposing more borrowing it should be DOA

Did you pay for your home in cash?