Thursday, December 20, 2007

No City For Old Men (and Women and Children)


Much is being said over at the LA Times' LA Land blog about the report released today that shows more people leaving Los Angeles county and the state than moving in. Due to immigration and child birth, though, the state and local population continues to grow, but in terms of "domestic migration" we're losing more than we're gaining. The culprits appear to be cost and quality of living, but the comments on the blog also point towards xenophobia. If the increasing Latino population is the reason some people are moving out then I'm glad to lose those people.

I've grown up in southern California, so I'm a bit biased, but I love the place. Still, I think it's a difficult place to live in, and I'm always impressed by those who move here not knowing anyone. It's a tough road. New York City isn't the only city "where if you can make it there you can make it anywhere." If anything, Los Angeles may be even more of a make-or-break kind of city. It's certainly a difficult place to navigate, but once you've succeeded and conquered it, you know you can live just about anywhere. Whether you'd want to is another question.

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