Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Density Issues




Behind our house is rising a huge plywood structure that will soon be a multi-family apartment building in our neighbor's backyard. We can already see where the doors and windows are going to be and they look down right into our backyard. Soon we'll have new noises and have to listen to conversations of strangers when we barbeque. It's one more reason to leave LA for somewhere with a bit of space ( wherever that might be! ).

The point is that this is typical of what's happening in our neighborhood, as each small space is filled with a money-making
structure and crammed with new residents. The legendary flatness of LA is quickly beginning to go vertical, with deluxe condo units replacing gas stations and vacant lots. The idea was to build them near buses and subway lines, so that residents would use mass transit, making the traffic impact minimal. This isn't happening, of course. People in LA want to have their cars, no matter how sucky and ridiculous the traffic and parking situation. And who can blame them...with the mess that the bus lines are and the stunning lack of logic as to the destinations of the subway lines. The only people who consistantly use mass transit in LA are people who can't afford a car and who dream of having one. Meanwhile developers here are getting tax breaks and are allowed to exceed density standards- all in the name of reducing traffic. It's clearly a corrupt and cynical system that is funding developers and remaking our town into something from Fritz Lang's Metropolis.

Me? I'm planning and scheming to move to New Mexico. Before the flood of refugees from LA show up there, fleeing a town
whose infrastructure has broken down under the weight of so many people looking for the California Dream.

1 comment:

jj said...

I use to live in a small basement flat in London, and one day found myself living in the countryside, without any pop culture or 24/7 anything. But no regrets, I live in a space that is quiet as quiet can be. Bliss.