NYC's not so affordable housing

[kangofu]

When ‘Affordable’ Is Just a Word
Source - NYTimes
By GINIA BELLAFANTE
Published: April 12, 2013The spring has the real-estate press enthusiastically reporting on the construction of 432 Park Avenue, an apartment tower that its developers claim will be the tallest residential building in the Western Hemisphere. Apartments in the tower, designed by

Comments

[layweed]

Pretty much echoing what I already knew about living in the NYC area. I would really want to live there some day but I don't think there's a snowball's chance in hell that it'll ever be "affordable" or even comfortable, especially given the ridonkulous rental prices that I've seen when I browse Craigslist. I'm guessing you either have to buy a house (if you can get one "cheap") or get a roommate or something. Or rent control, Idk.

ETA: also, what the heck is up with the comment/layout on ontd_p? some posts it's the old (new) fashion layout and then on other posts it's the new one with the expand on every thread and what not. Idgi.

[mollywobbles867]

Is the comments on your journal set as the LJ default style? I think LJ is making it look like yours. Mine's doing it too, but only on _p. Maybe it's just the comm?

[palebluedot09]

i think it's just the community. it is doing it for me too and no where else on livejournal

[shoujokakumei]

Most folks I know here either split the rent with a significant other or a roommate. The costs of living alone are brutal. The only time I ever lived alone here was when I scored an illegal basement apartment with all utilities included for $550/mo - the toilet spit up sewage on a regular basis and the heat only worked sporadically. I stayed there for over a year. :x

I think my current building is technically rent-controlled, there's a clause about it in the lease, but our rent's still $1600/mo for a 2-bedroom.

[roseofjuly]

Purchasing a house in the metro area is not affordable. I remember passing by some brownstones in Carroll Gardens that were on sale for $2 million and thinking that that was a really good price for brownstones in that neighborhood (Carroll Gardens is a nice residential neighborhood in Brooklyn, just over the bridge from Manhattan). Most people who buy something here buy apartments. I have a friend who's on the market for a one-bedroom or large studio apartment and she's looking in the $500,000 range. For a fucking one-bedroom

[layweed]

I don't blame you. I really don't know how anyone can afford to live there at the rates that they charge. Idek how people can afford to live there but be unemployed or whatever. Hell, even with a professional wall st job it would still be ridic money per year on rent alone.

[roseofjuly]

Especially given that luxury apartments even in Brooklyn are astronomical. I work with senior undergraduates, most of whom are planning to go into the workforce next year. Most of them already have offers and I'm assuming that they're probably starting around $50,000, the majority of them, so some of them are on the hunt for an apartment now. But they're looking for apartments where their share will be around $1600-2000 a month. Even before taxes that's close to 40% of their income on the low end, but after taxes and health insurance it'll probably be around 50% of their income or more. And they're not looking to live in luxury buildings - most of them - they really just want to have their own bedrooms and perhaps their own bathrooms, and be on a subway line that will get them to work in a reasonable amount of time. Understandably, they don't want to live in upper Manhattan or way out in Queens where rents will be cheaper, but they'll have long commutes in the mornings and evenings.

[chaya]

Ontd_p's paid account failed to autorenew. I'm trying to figure out who to contact...

[layweed]

Oh that makes sense. Okay I was wondering why one day fine the next its all funky.