Posted on 02/16/2024 4:57:39 AM PST by MtnClimber
My neighborhood is changing. In just the six years that we have lived in our suburb after fleeing St. Louis, Missouri for a more conservative area that supports our conservative values, towering apartment buildings are being built everywhere. There have been dozens of new car washes, chain restaurants, and big businesses put in or approved.
During 2020, panhandlers started appearing in the area. This has grown so common that the local government had to recently pass a bill outlawing it for the safety of pedestrians and drivers because the panhandlers were obstructing traffic.
While conservative Americans have continuously expressed outrage at political movements that seek to urbanize suburban areas, uni-party elitists in Washington have pressed to globalize every aspect of our lives.
Now, I believe that these officials do deserve plenty of blame, but unfortunately, local officials are a driving force behind this modern crusade to turn every area into a city — complete with liquor stores on every corner.
I report for my local paper. It is run by a former writer for the St. Louis Post Dispatch. She left that “prestigious” paper when they went corporate years ago.
Writing for a locally owned paper and reporting on my local beats was supposed to be a nice change of pace from my other political writing job, but after months of attending Board of Aldermen meetings, I’ve learned that, just like everything else, all of this starts closer to home.
I have three beats. One is my municipality, which I love. The mayor and board all get along and pass pretty much everything that is proposed with little to no opposition. It seems very kosher, but that is because virtually none of our 60,000 residents in my suburb attend the meetings.
(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...
What I don't understand is the economic argument for all of these apartments. Most of the employment in town is barely above minimum wage. The rents are out of reach for most people with local employment. There is adequate housing around Idaho State University for the transient populations of students present from September to June each year. I see a similar pattern up in Idaho Falls. New apartments everywhere. There simply isn't adequate employment to support all of this capacity.
Perhaps to house illegals at government expense (Section 8). There are not enough employers with satisfactory pay scales to support the kind of rent demanded with all the new apartments.
These properties are meant to be investment vehicles, like China's 'Ghost Cities', and not actually occupied by anyone, even illegal alien invaders.
Properties left vacant become targets of vandalism. They represent a liability for taxes, loan interest, insurance and maintenance while generating no revenue. Are these crap investments intended to generate an offsetting loss for billionaires with profitable investments?
That’s exactly where I’ve seen it. The lower floor of the apartments on Manassas Drive have been empty since they were built, was that in 2008? I think it was.
Liability issues...No business wants to be responsible if in running their business, fires or other catastrophes cause death to the tenants and families above their businesses. Local taxes are high and the property owners are sort of pie in the sky in terms of what they think they should be getting from businesses leasing these spaces. So these places are empty and the local strip malls and small graasy plots(think taco bell out in front of a strip mall in its own unique spot) are still sought out. Huge risk for businesses that have tenants in apartments above them.
Yes, they usually make those buildings 4 stories or less so they can use wood frame construction because it’s cheaper.
I worked in a 6-story office building and the floors were concrete. Obviously a bit more fireproof than a wood-frame building.
Here in my state if everyday citizens run for office they get attacked by both parties.
See Joe Blystone.
Ran for governor and the Republicans put a mole in his campaign to ruin him.
Ballet box is gone.
Have your cartridge box ready.
And have a nice week!
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