When I was a child my father was upwardly mobile in the Pacific Bell company and we moved frequently. Then divorce upended my family and we moved again. So when I had my own children I had a strong desire to provide them with more stability. I know how disruptive it is to a child's school career to change schools and neighborhoods. Frequent moves can also make it difficult for children to form healthy friendships. Fortunately when we did choose a home, we selected a lovely 1300 square foot house that we've been able to afford through good and bad economic times. We lived there for more than 20 years and we know our neighbors and are part of the community. Whether you rent or buy, the cost of a home should not bankrupt your life in other ways - either through the constant disruption of trying to find a more affordable place to live or the stress of making the monthly rent or mortgage and having to make hard choices in the family budget. When I look at the market and what they are building in my suburban neighborhood - I don't see affordable options like my home available to families today for rent or purchase. This is having a direct impact on the schools as fewer school age children are living in the neighborhood. It also makes it less likely that my children - who are almost independent adults - are less likely to live near me.
