George Lucas Does Something Likeable For a Change: Revenge on Rich Neighbors

[Berkut]

But it isn't like Robin Hood at all - Robin Hood was supposedly motivated by his desire to help the poor, not a desire to screw over some people because he could not get his way in a scheme to make himself even richer than he was already.

If Lucas wants to actually help poor people, building affordable housing is a good idea - but I bet there are much, much better places to do so than Marin County. Or rather, there are parts of Marin County that can use it, but it isn't his backyard.

[alfred russel]

It is most certainly a douchebag move, and I don't see how it makes Lucas more likable.

The poor people are going to end up in a place they struggle to find jobs, the homeowners won't be able to sell their homes, and George Lucas lives on to create a new digitally remastered version of Star Wars where Luke wakes up at Uncle Owen's farm and realizes it was all a dream. There is no justice in this story.

[grumbler]

But it isn't like Robin Hood at all - Robin Hood was supposedly motivated by his desire to help the poor, not a desire to screw over some people because he could not get his way in a scheme to make himself even richer than he was already.

If Lucas wants to actually help poor people, building affordable housing is a good idea - but I bet there are much, much better places to do so than Marin County. Or rather, there are parts of Marin County that can use it, but it isn't his backyard.

+1

[CountDeMoney]

Low income in Marin County - what is that, less than $120,000 a year?

Right?

That's why it's such a great idea to do it:  bring that average down to appropriate national levels.

[Barrister]

High income areas need low income housing more than low income areas though.

In a poor area everything is low-income housing.  But in a rich area the average or median income may be high, but you still have low-income people.  Except nowthey are trapped with nowhere to live because housing prices are so high.

[garbon]

It is most certainly a douchebag move, and I don't see how it makes Lucas more likable.

The poor people are going to end up in a place they struggle to find jobs, the homeowners won't be able to sell their homes, and George Lucas lives on to create a new digitally remastered version of Star Wars where Luke wakes up at Uncle Owen's farm and realizes it was all a dream. There is no justice in this story.

[Josquius]

High income areas need low income housing more than low income areas though.

In a poor area everything is low-income housing.  But in a rich area the average or median income may be high, but you still have low-income people.  Except nowthey are trapped with nowhere to live because housing prices are so high.

Indeed.
Its a big problem in the UK that there is a shortage of lower income housing in much of London for instance- yet they still have need of all the same lower income jobs as elsewhere in the country.

[Ideologue]

It is most certainly a douchebag move, and I don't see how it makes Lucas more likable.

The poor people are going to end up in a place they struggle to find jobs, the homeowners won't be able to sell their homes, and George Lucas lives on to create a new digitally remastered version of Star Wars where Luke wakes up at Uncle Owen's farm and realizes it was all a dream. There is no justice in this story.

Looks like 33% justice to me, which is higher than usual.

[Berkut]

High income areas need low income housing more than low income areas though.

In a poor area everything is low-income housing.  But in a rich area the average or median income may be high, but you still have low-income people.  Except nowthey are trapped with nowhere to live because housing prices are so high.

Indeed.
Its a big problem in the UK that there is a shortage of lower income housing in much of London for instance- yet they still have need of all the same lower income jobs as elsewhere in the country.

Marin County is not London. Far, far, FAR from it.
50
Marin county is mostly just little high priced bedroom communities. There is one "large" town (Novato) that has all of 50,000 people in it.

I am sure there is some need for low income workers in Marin (hell, I lived there before I got my degree, and worked as a waiter in a restaurant) but it's nothing like London where you need a lot of them.

The idea that there is any *need* for more low income housing in Marin County is completely unsupported. Perhaps there is, I don't know - but Lucas wanting to screw over his neighbors is certainly not evidence that such a need exists.

[PDH]

I wouldn't mind living in a 250/month rent controlled in Marin County.

[Valmy]

The poor people are going to end up in a place they struggle to find jobs,

How is it possible that an area with lots of money also has few jobs?  Don't the rich people need services and don't they buy things and go out to eat and the like?

Wealth does not create jobs?  All the jobs are, in fact, in impoverished areas?

[garbon]

I told my aunt about this and she said right on. She'd love to move to Marin on the cheap.

[Malthus]

Heh, would it not burn Lucas' ass most royally if his rich neighbours all welcome the new development with open arms (and get their staff to live in it)? 

[Richard Hakluyt]

The poor people are going to end up in a place they struggle to find jobs,

How is it possible that an area with lots of money also has few jobs?  Don't the rich people need services and don't they buy things and go out to eat and the like?

Wealth does not create jobs?  All the jobs are, in fact, in impoverished areas?

They are here in the UK. If you want a job you go to the towns and cities, which have high unemployment, and get your job there. In the rural areas, with low unemployment, there are rather fewer jobs. Doesn't mean that you can't make a lot of money in agribusiness or opening a boutique restaurant out in the country, but for your bog-standard broke employee places like London, Manchester and Birmingham is where its at.

[PDH]

There are jobs.  Not all of Marin is Tiburon.  Along Hwy 1/101 there is the normal California type light highway parasitic economy.

Hell, I bet Lucas would pony up for bus service.