The housing shortage and public lands

[antlerradar]

Any politician is too leaky a vessel to put much hope in. If you're looking for DC to solve this problem, they won't. There's no money or political advantage to be made in solving problems.

You forgot something so I fixed it for you Ben.

 

[Gerald Martin]

Road hazards….

 

[Otto Matic]

Ben Lamb
"... The problem exists across the US in areas where the service economy driven by tourism ..."

Small town in Texas began to fill with the "artsy-fartsy" types who bought up adobe shacks and turned them into million dollar studio/showcase homes.
"THEY" didn't live there, it was their "creative desert retreat"!
Due to the monstrous new homes (it didn't take but 2 or 3 in a town of 1500), the tax revenue began to rise as the property taxes ballooned in Nowhere, America and city coffers grew.
Twenty years down the road, with the novelty worn off and the inconvenience more evident, the monstrosities won't sell*.
The locals can't replace the property tax revenues the homes produced. City projects fall apart and even the locals move off because they can no longer afford to stay due to increased taxes.

* - who the hell in their right mind would buy a $2 milion home in a desert where the nearest WalMart is 150 miles away, the local grocery store is about 1500 sq/ft and any semblance of a REAL grocery store is 26 miles away?

I'm reminded of the song:
"God is great, beer is good and people are crazy!"

 

[rtraverdavis]

My house jumped $15k in estimated value in the last month. Houses that are considered “starter homes” are now around $450k and rising. And this is in a much-maligned, major metropolitan area. Who the hell can do that unless they already have significant cash on hand? Rent is also astronomical. Meanwhile, homeless camps scattered with great mounds of rubbish are within easy walking distance of my rapidly-rising-in-value home. The disparities are pretty uncomfortable.

I don’t know where this ends, or if it does. It’s worrisome. When a guy pulling down $60k a year can’t find a modest place to live, we’ve got a real problem.

 

[Gerald Martin]

After spending 17 years in construction in a county with one of the lowest income bracket in the state, my experience is that the income/cost of living ratio is easier here in Bozeman than it was in NW MT.

Winners and losers in every economic climate. Life is always changing. Every generation has to adjust to the challenges unique to their experience and those who sit on their laurels and wait for the world to hand them their dreams can expect to be disappointed.

Although, I do have to laugh at the crowds of tourists enjoying the man made beach at the man made lake as they take their vacations in sight of some of the most amazing wild lands in the lower 48.

I hope they stay there and are happy with their “wilderness” experience. Better to be there than off the beaten path.

 

[BigHornRam]

My house jumped $15k in estimated value in the last month. Houses that are considered “starter homes” are now around $450k and rising. And this is in a much-maligned, major metropolitan area. Who the hell can do that unless they already have significant cash on hand? Rent is also astronomical. Meanwhile, homeless camps scattered with great mounds of rubbish are within easy walking distance of my rapidly-rising-in-value home. The disparities are pretty uncomfortable.

I don’t know where this ends, or if it does. It’s worrisome. When a guy pulling down $60k a year can’t find a modest place to live, we’ve got a real problem.

A correction will come. It always does. Sometimes it takes longer than common sense dictates, but it will come.

 

[geetar]

Perfect, problem solved.

Nope too simple. We need to go full Montana and create a points system where some of it is preference and some of it is bonus

 

[geetar]

View attachment 187702
Road hazards….

Yep gotta get rid of those. Send in the domestic herds.

 

[Gerald Martin]

A correction will come. It always does. Sometimes it takes longer than common sense dictates, but it will come.

I agree.

 

[SaskHunter]

I agree on both counts

as long as I have your attention: Do you know whether or not I can get a tax break if I buy a house that was previously used to take the edge off, after a man had a very stressful day. Improving the image of the community and all that type of argument. Harley do you have any first hand knowledge of the current status of the home in Texas, that Dolly and Burt made famous ? Well, I guess it was famous before them. BTW, what college did you attend in Texas

I look for an increase in population and possibly a sharp one in The Yukon and Northwest Territories, but not Nunavit, after Covid. At least we are investing in that direction.

I've heard of a famous house of debauchery in the Territories before, maybe you're on to something!!!

 

[Ben Lamb]

After spending 17 years in construction in a county with one of the lowest income bracket in the state, my experience is that the income/cost of living ratio is easier here in Bozeman than it was in NW MT.

Winners and losers in every economic climate. Life is always changing. Every generation has to adjust to the challenges unique to their experience and those who sit on their laurels and wait for the world to hand them their dreams can expect to be disappointed.

I'm old enough to remember when you could buy a house close to downtown in Bozo when you were making $40K a year.

I don't think generations previous to this one were ever in such an upside down situation relative to wages & the ability to own a home.

 

[Elkmagnet]

Hal herring had a great observation the other day: America has added 40 million people in the last 20 years. Where do we expect them to go?

Overcrowding on public lands is going to keep happening whether you live in Wyoming or California. We can manage that for the benefit of the resource, or we can throw shit wide open and deal with the fallout.

Every time I hear a local complain about the recent overcrowding I ask them how many children they have.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Every time I hear a local complain about the recent overcrowding I ask them how many children they have.

There's a guy I know who has a cabin on a few acres outside a fancy mountain town. He got there a few years ago and is now demanding everyone change how the west works. He's well meaning, but he's also sitting on subdivided elk winter ground, complaining that there's not enough wildlife.

 

[Gerald Martin]

I'm old enough to remember when you could buy a house close to downtown in Bozo when you were making $40K a year.

I don't think generations previous to this one were ever in such an upside down situation relative to wages & the ability to own a home.

I agree with you.

 

[Ben Lamb]

I agree with you.

Well, we're both pretty danged smart, so of course you do.

 

[Gerald Martin]

There's a guy I know who has a cabin on a few acres outside a fancy mountain town. He got there a few years ago and is now demanding everyone change how the west works. He's well meaning, but he's also sitting on subdivided elk winter ground, complaining that there's not enough wildlife.

*#%%Wolves and Californians.

 

[Elkmagnet]

There's a guy I know who has a cabin on a few acres outside a fancy mountain town. He got there a few years ago and is now demanding everyone change how the west works. He's well meaning, but he's also sitting on subdivided elk winter ground, complaining that there's not enough wildlife.

Im with ya although I definitely feel that is two different discussions.
We call this place
kraft Hidden valley ranch. Now with less wildlife!

"Hidden Springs is a 1,844-acre master-planned community built around a 130-year old working farm in the Dry Creek Valley, just north of Boise and east of Eagle. The community encompasses more than 1,000 homes in the hills north of Boise, Idaho,"

Hidden Springs Subdivision Boise ID 83714

Hidden Springs is a rural community developed in the tradition of Idaho's small towns, while carefully preserving the natural surroundings of Dry Creek Valley.

www.buildidaho.com

 

[Ben Lamb]

Im with ya although I definitely feel that is two different discussions.
We call this place
kraft Hidden valley ranch. Now with less wildlife!

Hidden Springs Subdivision Boise ID 83714

Hidden Springs is a rural community developed in the tradition of Idaho's small towns, while carefully preserving the natural surroundings of Dry Creek Valley.

www.buildidaho.com

The rule is: You have to name the subdivision after the natural features you destroyed to make the sub-d.

 

[Gerald Martin]

The obvious answer is to elect Ammon Bundy as President and get rid of public lands.

I don’t know why everyone has to make it so difficult to solve simple problems.

 

[Gerald Martin]

The rule is: You have to name the subdivision after the natural features you destroyed to make the sub-d.

And hang expensive abstract wildlife art to celebrate what wild places and wildlife means to you.