Living in one of the largest cities globally is a welcoming experience for any person despite their age and occupation. The houses within such regions are not only spacious and well organized, but they also located near all amenities necessary for a good life. New York City is one of these comfortable places offering good housing experience to the inhabitants. I have lived in NYC for the longest time I can remember, and despite shifting from one house to another, my bounds still remain within NYC. I have had a good housing experience in this city owing to the excellent support from the housing agencies, relatively affordable and well-organized means of payment, good security within the area, and convenience with traveling. However, despite my liking of the city, my primary concern revolves around congestion within the town, hence increased chances of contracting various diseases.
Housing is a crucial issue within America, and it is one of the challenges that has seen the continued growth in poverty for the people. Being a resident in NYC, I can attest to the fact that renting a house within the region requires a stable flow of income to sustain the monthly expenses. The rent within the area for an apartment is relatively higher as compared to other cities across America. There have been new arguments on whether there should be an increase in rent for the apartments in NYC, with the consideration that the majority of the people would not afford the same. Williams, (2019) presents the issue of a man who has lived within Portland for about three decades and is 53 years old whose rent was being increased by nearly 113%. This is as a result of inflation occurring within the country that has raised the overall rental expenses for the individual. The NY Times states that NYC has faced a legislature by examining the growing crisis in which the rising rents have outstripped wages received by employees. The presented issue in the article represents what I have faced in my time living within NYC. The rent is relatively high compared to housing in other places across the United States. Majority of the houses, due to the high demand from people, are rented at high prices to ensure the owners obtain high levels of profits.
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My stay within NY has also been tarnished by the high population within the town. Currently, according to Vale (2013), the city has about eight million people which represents an increase of about 6% from 2010. The town is very congested primarily due to the high number of houses coupled with the rising population within the city. Housing, therefore, has had a rise in prices, with the expenses to purchase a given home rising by over 7%. Moreover, due to the increased population, a rise in the chances of contracting communicable healthcare diseases increases. This means that living in the region raises the chances of increased healthcare expenses. Therefore, housing in NYC, with high pricing, also causes the possibilities of healthcare challenges for the people.
Despite the dislikes, I have had an exciting time living within the city. To begin with, the housing agencies within NYC provide excellent services. In search of a house, these agencies offer an individual that will guide you among the various free homes that one can rent or buy, depending on their options. The agency also includes vital information about the history of the selected property, any cases related to it and the number of persons who have shortlisted the item as one of their likings. These services are essential as they have helped me to decide on the type of house that I am comfortable with, the location and relevant amenities that I need to access. The information that these housing agencies provide about the history of the house is also crucial as it guides a person to understanding its structural rigidity, history of repairs and relevant data on any catastrophic occurrences within the area.
Housing in NYC is essential due to the convenience of traveling within the area. The city is surrounded by roads that have access to all the necessary amenities that an individual needs, which means that living in the region presents the benefit of more comfortable traveling. However, due to the many roads and high population, the city is quite noisy. Furthermore, during peak hours, traffic is relatively high, and it is challenging to arrive home early. This makes the town to be in operation for most of the time because there are people who are moving around at all times. The convenience of traveling even at night is thus assured.
Affordability is an issue of debate when selecting a house in NYC. Despite the rising costs of homes in the area, the region offers affordable apartments for small families who may not need luxurious space. This is because of the relatively more modest houses are not easy to obtain as people who already occupy them pay less rent, and hence vacating from the same is not easy (Williams, 2019). Furthermore, a high population of people affects the demand for the houses, accordingly increased prices to raise the profits received by the owners. Also, no more houses are newly built in the city because of lack of space, which means that people looking for homes in the region are more than the available apartments. In my experience, I have had the opportunity to secure a relatively affordable home which means I do not face the challenge in paying for the same.
Security in NYC is assured due to the many businesses surrounding the region and industries that employ officers to guard the properties. Additionally, apartments are fitted with security cameras to help in the identification of people within the building, hence improved the security of the houses. Furthermore, according to Bellafante, (2019), there have been developments presented towards using facial recognition technologies in New York City; as a result, to improve the security of the area. This means that to obtain a key to the house, the tenants must be subjected to a photograph session whereby a 3D image is taken to verify their identity when entering in these apartments. Due to such developments in the city, its security remains at par with other large towns and hence offering good housing practices.
Theories from various scholars can help to develop a deeper understanding of the housing practice in NYC. Homes within the city are fitted with technological aspects as argued by the Neoliberal State theory presented by David Harvey. According to Harvey, (2005), “the neoliberal theory of technological change relies upon the coercive powers of competition to drive the search for new products, new production methods, and new organizational forms.” Based on this theory, it is clear that the integration of technology in NYC has increased the demand for these houses. The theory of capitalism, developed by Marx, which is a system that is based on the private ownership of labor and resources that can help in the generation of profits that is characterized by capital accumulation, competition in the market and a good price system (Maher, and Aquanno, 2018). In NYC, housing is managed by the price system whereby the competition among the potential residents of a house demand for the same product, hence increasing the chances of profitability within the region. Therefore, houses rents in the area, while affordable, can be regarded as expensive due to the readily available market.
In summary, having lived in NYC for more than five years, I can attest that it is among the regions with good housing practices and affordable rates within a town setting. Access to significant facilities is a bonus especially with the availability of good road infrastructure within the city. Furthermore, security, which is a significant concern in the United States, is useful in NYC and hence offering good housing experience. However, the high population increases chances of contracting diseases, and coupled with many vehicles on the roads, increases the noise rates in the town. Despite these setbacks, the NYC housing experience is good.
References
Bellafante, G. (2019). The Landlord Wants Facial Recognition in Its Rent-Stabilized Buildings. Why?. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/28/nyregion/rent-stabilized-buildings-facial-recognition.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FAffordable%20Housing
Harvey, D., (2005). The Neoliberal State.
Maher, S., & Aquanno, S. M. (2018). Conceptualizing neoliberalism: foundations for an institutional marxist theory of capitalism. New Political Science , 40 (1), 33-50.
Vale, L. J. (2013). Public Housing in the United States: Neighborhood Renewal and the Poor. Policy, Planning and People, Promoting Justice in Urban Development. Philadelphia .
Williams, T. (2019). Is Your Rent Through the Roof? Oregon Wants to Fix That. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/25/us/oregon-rent-control-bill.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FAffordable%20Housing&action=click&contentCollection=timestopics®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=8&pgtype=collection
