Krugman ignores other reasons to flee cities.

Reader comment on: Krugman Makes a Good Point

Submitted by Lyle (United States), Apr 4, 2016 20:14

In particular unless one is rich enough to afford private schools most big city school districts are disaster areas at best. Move to a suburb pay the extra price for a good school and your children will do better in life. Second a yard is better for kids to play in, high density is great for adults before or after kids if they like that kind of life. If an introvert cities are extreme turnoffs.

Now the other point in general is that locals generally don't want higher densities anywhere. Government bodies that try to impose the higher densities will get new membership at the next election or shortly thereafter. This is of course local democracy, at work. The only way the imposition works if done from far enough above to make the election route unrealistic.

The larger question is a collision of rights the right to develop property as one might please, against the neighbor's right to enjoy their property as it is.

Perhaps moving to deed restrictions as in Houston or unincorporated other areas of Tx might work, i.e. at one time the property owner or owners put restrictions on the properties (with an 80% super majority in the district) and these last forever. (or until one can get an 80% super majority to change them)

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