In America's Big Tech Cities, More People Are Now Living In Their Vehicles (cbsnews.com)

An anonymous reader quotes CBS MoneyWatch: The number of people residing in campers and other vehicles surged 46 percent over the past year, a recent homeless census in Seattle's King County, Washington found. The problem is "exploding" in cities with expensive housing markets, including Los Angeles, Portland and San Francisco, according to Governing magazine. The problem of vehicle residency is national in scope, although its impact may be more "acutely felt in urban areas where space is more limited," said Sara Rankin, an assistant professor law at Seattle University and the director of Homeless Rights Advocacy Project, in an email to CBS MoneyWatch.
"Amazon, Microsoft and other big tech companies are in the Seattle area," notes Zero Hedge, adding "It is a region that is supposedly 'prospering', and yet this is going on."

Back in Silicon Valley, one Google employee slept in a truck in Google's parking lot for two years -- allowing him to save at least $48,000 that he would've paid in rent -- though many vehicle-dwellers apparently have non-technical jobs as plumbers, janitors, and even teachers. "A fair number of the 'vehicular homeless' in Silicon Valley are employed but are unable to find affordable housing," reports CBS, citing an AP article last November about "Silicon Valley's car people".

"Lines of RVs can be found near the headquarters of tech heavyweights such as Apple, Google and Hewlett-Packard."

Comments

This isn't Monopoly

[rsilvergun]

it's oligarchy. Occupy Wall Street was shut down by a coordinated effort between the FBI and local law enforcement made possible by the Patriot Act (something they pinkie swore would never happen).

I think folks have figured this out, but after 50 years of gerrymandering, voter suppression and the anti-Democratic effects of our Senate and Electoral College I'm not sure what can be done. The Unions being allowed to die with the manufacturing base hurt too. The working class is completely disorganized. The ruling class doesn't have that problem.

Re:This isn't Monopoly

[ShanghaiBill]

Occupy Wall Street was shut down by a coordinated effort between the FBI and local law enforcement

Nope. OWS faded away because they had no organization or leadership, no coherent goals or objectives, and were completely ineffective at catalyzing change or allying with existing politicians or electing new politicians.

Contrast OWS with another organization formed around the same time: The Tea Party. Both were created in reaction to the financial crisis and the bank bailout. But the Tea Party didn't fade away. They were organized. They had coherent, specific, and realistic goals. They formed alliances and endorsed politicians. The ejected incumbents, and elected a tidal wave of new representatives.

OWS has faded away, and may someday merit a small footnote in a history book.

The Tea Party has revolutionized American politics, and is now running the country.

Company town and a company store

[sinij]

More things change, more they stay the same. We need strong unions back or everyone's quality of life will keep going down.

Re:Feed the Cats

[b0s0z0ku]

Also: organized sports? Let the teams pay for their stadiums themselves or go piss off. Seattle can live without a baseball team. Better to spend the money on people who actually need it, not fat cat sports managers.

Actually, the NFL is the worst offender -- teams threatening to leave unless a city builds them a lavish athletic palace. San Diego did the right thing in telling the Chargers where to stuff it -- let them move to L.A..

Re: Seize Apple's trillion dollars for housing

[mikael]

Building campuses, offices and business parks brings in tax revenue. Building family homes costs tax revenue for schools, community hospitals and police departments. Thus the existing residents don't want further growth especially when they have a fixed income and property tax.