Originally Posted by mtbtim

California for the last couple years has experienced a net loss of people. For the first time in the history of the state, more people are leaving than coming. That says something. The liberal policies are ruining this beautiful state. There's no plan to deal with the homeless in big cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco. It might not bother you, but it's bothering a whole host of people that are fed up and want out. I don't know if i'm leaving the state, but I'm certainly moving to an area with less homelessness, crime and filth.

The thing is, it doesn't need to be this way. It's the way the state is managed. It's the decriminalization of drug crimes, being drunk in public, and enabling this life style by letting them set up camps wherever the hell they want. Back in the 70's when I was growing up, the cops had the authority to kick people out. People high on drugs were sent to jail and did time. It's basically a free for all and we all suffer as a society.

So, don't get your feelings too hurt about what I said about LA. I'm not a fan of where I live in San Jose either. I use to like visiting San Francisco, but I have no desire anymore. I don't want to see the filth or take a chance of one of my truck windows getting smashed. The property crimes in S.F. are off the charts bad. My neighbor across the street just got their catalytic converter stolen. I'm not going to be surprised if I'm next.

Anyway, you have a nice life Frank.

Originally Posted by gamefreakgc

Come bring your $1.5m of equity and buy a nice home in Folsom in cash and enjoy world class hiking, skiiing and off-roading right on your doorstep!

Originally Posted by phattyduck

My Dad grew up in the Bay Area (Woodside, then Livermore), Mom was born there (Berkeley) but grew up in Portland. I'm a SoCal kid, but the rest of my family (Mom, Dad, Sister) are just up the hill from Folsom (El Dorado Hills) and have been since 1994...

There's still a lot of 'regular' places in California once you get out of the Bay Area, Los Angeles area and the San Diego area.

My wife and I live in Pasadena because it is the closest we could get to LA without it feeling like and being LA.

-Charlie

Originally Posted by gamefreakgc

Man, it's the whole west coast. I was up in Seattle in the used-to-be nice downtown area near Pike's Place. Half the shops were boarded up around and people were drunk and high all over the place. Apparently Portland is so bad that major retailers are leaving the city citing too much crime and their employees are put at risk just by doing their job.

Washington state home prices are down -7% year over year while the rest of the country is going up. It's only a matter of time until other larger coast cities like Portland, San Francisco and then eventually all the way down to LA and the surrounding cities start to drop too. Salesforce tower, the largest skyscraper and office building in SF, is at 20% occupancy. 80% of businesses have already moved out. Crazy to think that in perhaps 10 more years SF will be in decline and downtown not like it is today.

These cities won't collapse in some sort of apocalyptical fashion, they will just be tourist traps and full of memories of 'the good 'ol days' with no plan on bringing them back. On the flipside, Sacramento is growing faster that it ever has before. Come bring your $1.5m of equity and buy a nice home in Folsom in cash and enjoy world class hiking, skiiing and off-roading right on your doorstep!

Originally Posted by wongiwordsdavid

Your reflections on the social dynamics in urban areas like the Bay Area and LA offer an insightful take on the complexities of societal issues. It's evident that addressing these challenges requires a multifaceted approach, one that considers both individual responsibility and systemic change. Your reference to Thomas Sowell's perspective adds depth to the conversation, highlighting the importance of accountability and the unintended consequences of well-intentioned policies.