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Originally Posted by TempleGuy1000
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I was laughing because you apparently don't think Philadelphia's Chinatown is vibrant, presumably because you're too afraid to go there because you're worried about getting caught in machine gun crossfire?
Anyway, I invite you to actually read the article you posted and learn about how rent control is actually incredibly effective at keeping people from being priced out of neighborhoods they live in... which is after all the entire point of rent control.
I already acknowledged that while rent control is effective at preventing current residents from being displaced, it can have negative consequences if nothing else is done. That's why I suggested rent control in conjunction with up zoning and deregulation. Passing rent control in conjunction with development friendly re-zoning should combat the negative effect rent control has on the market and encourage continued and denser development. You protect the housing of those who already live here and ensure enough new housing is built to house those moving in.
A number of people have raised the point that the people who are always pushing to downzone everything and fight against development don't really care about gentrification and care a lot more about parking and maintaining the ever growing value of their homes. I can concede that's probably true. But again, I don't think it matters. Regardless of whatever the true intention is, whenever City Council downzones a neighborhood, look at what they're saying. Look at what Clarke said when he downzoned Callowhill. It's all about gentrification. He mentions density and parking. But it's gentrification, gentrification, gentrification when he's truly trying to justify his actions. It's a legitimate fear of many Philadelphians and a ton of terrible stuff is done in the name of preventing it.
Philadelphia needs to be rezoned. Philadelphia needs to encourage denser housing with fewer parking requirements. How do we get there? How do we make it happen? I maintain that the best way is to do zoning reform and rent control in one package. It's the best way to alleviate the most pressing and activating concerns of the people who fight against needed development in this city. And those who don't really care about people being displaced from their homes and are just using the boogeyman of gentrification to pass restrictive zoning laws for their own benefit will be stripped of their cover.