Much Ado About Mansionization?
Experts say the building of over-sized homes on small lots is likely to be a long-term trend. What should we do, if anything, about mansionization?
| Comments on article "Much Ado About Mansionization?" |
| Name |
Views and Comments | Date |
| D. Lynn |
I grew up in California and still live there. The folks I knew who began to build mansions in our 1950s-era track home neighborhood were doing so to house extended members of the family. Homes in small neighborhoods were cheaper, and in some cases knocking them down or building large ad-ons was too. Now, however, I have begun to note this trend in older cities where property lots are very large. Homes may be large, but not mansion sized. The families who are using these lots to build "McMansions" are mostly people who are in the building trade who come from Mexico and parts of Latin America with skills that enable them to build large mult-family homes. So it is my perspective that those who are attempting to remain in or aspire to the middle class are behind a portion of the mansionization phenomena. In many other areas of the world, living with one's extended family is a cultural value. Here we are seeing it because it may be of economic necessity. Similarly, I knew someone who owned a McMansion that burned down during last fall's fires. Hers was a single-family home housing an 8-member family (not including grandparents). It is rare that someone in Southern California chooses a large home in an outlying area only to face multi-hour commutes to and from work without reason. Though the homes are large, during the 1980s they were sold very cheaply because they were not located near existing communities with active job markets. Gasoline prices were cheap, however, so homeowners rationalized that they could obtain more for the money. Now I fear what will happen to SoCal's economy when selling off the SUV and buying a fuel efficient car for that 50+mile one-way commute doesn't save enough money to justify living so far away. Perhaps our political leaders should offer tax incentives for home buyers who purchase within a reasonable distance of their workplace? This might help offset the temptation to seek housing in outlying areas, which often necessitate commutes that involve 2 or more hours stuck in rush-hour traffic on a daily basis. Of course, the rising price of gas may have the same effect. Meanwhile, it would be wise for employers to begin offering flexible telecommuting arrangements. There isn't a whole lot that must be done at the office that cannot be done, in part, at home. If we are to survive the credit crisis without further harm due to rising gas prices, I believe that workers should be offered an option to spend at least half the week working from home. |
6/30/2008 |
| Plannin4Future |
The "I have property rights!" cry is wearing thin! America is a fantastic place as it affords us the right to pursue the lifestyles we want to live, but I think we owe it to each other to balance rights with a universal obligation to the environment and the people around us. Not that I dont think we all need houses with at least 2,000 square feet per occupant, but monster home owners have to realize the effects of their homes go far beyond their lot lines. |
3/26/2008 | |
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