tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11906042.post3866705644442774886..comments2024-03-22T11:55:50.335+13:00Comments on Not PC: Why Houston housing has avoided boom and bustPeter Cresswellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10699845031503699181noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11906042.post-37293523503117105642008-05-23T19:42:00.000+12:002008-05-23T19:42:00.000+12:00Stupidity of the people. Greed of the insiders. ...Stupidity of the people. Greed of the insiders. Perfect combination.<BR/><BR/>LGMAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11906042.post-2272881106768200782008-05-23T17:08:00.000+12:002008-05-23T17:08:00.000+12:00Flat land in Houston.You mean like in Christchurch...Flat land in Houston.<BR/>You mean like in Christchurch?<BR/><BR/>I do find it amazing that the planners have persuaded the people of Christchurch that they have run out of land. Almost as great an achievement as persuading the Australians that they are short of land too.<BR/>I do not know whether this is a tribute to the brilliance of the planners of the stupidity of the people.Owen McShanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10130002581563595646noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11906042.post-14542895773324331832008-05-23T13:52:00.000+12:002008-05-23T13:52:00.000+12:00Eh? Is hilly land more expensive than flat land?Th...Eh? Is hilly land more expensive than flat land?<BR/>The boundries that NZ cities face are the zones, not the hills or the sea.Clunking Fisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18020166717482531977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11906042.post-33558812301204896352008-05-23T12:43:00.000+12:002008-05-23T12:43:00.000+12:00I gather Houston is on flat land. How would it pan...I gather Houston is on flat land. How would it pan out in NZ cities where there are geographic boundaries to a lot of cities?<BR/>[genuine question]Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11906042.post-14285825622020657782008-05-23T11:51:00.000+12:002008-05-23T11:51:00.000+12:00Hear hear Owen.I've visited family in Houston 4 ti...Hear hear Owen.<BR/><BR/>I've visited family in Houston 4 times in the last couple of years and it is a vibrant beautiful city with all of the amenities you'd expect of a major metro area.<BR/><BR/>The main drawback is that damn summer heat and humidity.<BR/><BR/>I find that most of the people who whine about the Mid West USA never bloody been there.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11906042.post-46526300252043702772008-05-23T11:42:00.000+12:002008-05-23T11:42:00.000+12:00I have just returned from giving a paper to a conf...I have just returned from giving a paper to a conference in Houston focusing on affordable housing and why Houston is so successful.<BR/>I was astonished to find Houston one of the most attractive cities I have visited and certainly one of the Greenest. <BR/>The idea that Houston is unattractive is peddled by planners who have to maintain something to complain about.<BR/>The food was great, the museum district has forty museums, there is no graffiti, and the school kids are smartly dressed and not a hoodie in sight.<BR/>The evidence of prosperity is everywhere but the new elite immigrants are pressing for zoning and smart growth because they cannot stand the idea of freedom. And the council is peddling light rail because they cannot look the Feds Gift Horse in the mouth. Their recipe is simple. Affordable housing, freedom and mobility.<BR/>The motorway system is wonderful.Owen McShanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10130002581563595646noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11906042.post-67838459645293520692008-05-23T08:47:00.000+12:002008-05-23T08:47:00.000+12:00Yep, I agree with you Callum.Yep, I agree with you Callum.Peter Cresswellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10699845031503699181noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11906042.post-15928863923533061012008-05-23T08:19:00.000+12:002008-05-23T08:19:00.000+12:00I think a large part of Houston's economic growth ...I think a large part of Houston's economic growth in the first place was the released capital that would have otherwise gone into buying and building homes. Since housing is so cheap, more money is spent on other things. The house prices have also attracted a lot of people from other parts of the US to live there.<BR/><BR/>That being said, I don't think Houston is an attractive city when it comes to esthetics, but Houston's laissez-faire zoning has certainly helped the city, economically speaking.Callumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11029093534159739006noreply@blogger.com