I was born shortly after the end of World War II in a Los Angeles suburb. My parents decided to relocate our family to Northern California when I was two years old. By birth city is now one of the densest in the nation and almost totally Hispanic. I grew up in a Northern California agricultural community and lived there until graduating from college and going into the military. Residents in my area had low regard for Southern California. It was like another state as far as economy and philosophy.

Gentrification is an issue for virtually all urban areas in the nation. City officials focus on increasing tax revenue instead of long range planning. High tech employees desire a convenient diversity of dining and entertainment experiences and can afford the associated housing cost. Cities often offer tax breaks and site improvements to potential employers. City officials don’t seem to realize there will always be a need for low wage service employees in the city. They don’t plan for low cost housing or low cost, reliable transportation for short trip commuters.