When you argue for housing reform to legalize denser development in our cities, you quickly learn that some people hate density. Like, really hate density, with visceral disgust and contempt for any development pattern that involves buildings being tall or close together.
It’s the neighbors; the people who hate density just don’t enjoy neighbors. They don’t want to turn their music down, or have to stop doing laundry at 9pm, etc.
Edit: I guess I made it sound like I’m judging these people. I’m not. Just saying, density also means neighbors, some people would rather not deal with that. I’d certainly rather live out in the country without neighbors.
Some people just like space. That doesn’t make them bad or inconsiderate people, they just like space.
It does make them bad if they are placing their needs over the needs of others. If they want that space, they should move to a rural town and let cities develop as they should.
If enough people move to that rural town and it suddenly becomes a suburban city does that make them all bad people? At what population should people start building skyscrapers?
There’s a vast middle ground between only single family dwellings and only skyscrapers. Duplexes, fourplexes, rowhouses, small apartment buildings are all a good option, and where you’d start in your example town, if there was demand to build them. You currently can’t do that in many places, even in cities, because of absurdly restrictive zoning laws.
Yup. That fits under the “etc” I wrote.
Better housing design can help here. In a properly designed apartment building, you won’t be able to hear people’s loud music, their laundry, or much of anything else really.
Yup. I’d be nice to walk around your apartment without worrying about making a lot of noise for the downstairs neighbors, for example.
Or here is another perspective for you. Maybe some of these people who hate density are quiet and respectful people, but they are TIRED of listening to other people blasting their music and doing laundry at 9pm.
I know crazy thought huh?
The “etc” is where your perspective fits. I wasn’t gonna sit here & write a dissertation for y’all. But yeah, that’s fair too.
You literally called out people who don’t like density as the root problem because they are the ones being loud.
Ya you might want to work on your writing skills.
Yes. Being exhausted with having to be considerate, which is what your perspective falls under, falls under that “etc.”
Ah yes “etc” explains everything. So helpful, etc.
Happy to educate you ☺️
Sorry you’re not smart enough for that. What you missed was sarcasm.
☺️