California demographic shift: More people leaving than moving in

[alp227]

Source: LA Times

The proportion of Californians who had moved here from out of state reached a 100-year low of about 20% in 2010, and the decade measured by the most recent census was the first in a century in which the majority of Californians were native-born.

The demographics of California today more closely resemble those of 1900 than of 1950: It is a mostly home-grown population, whose future depends on the children of immigrants and their children, said William Frey, a demographer and senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.

(...)

Experts point to various causes of the turnaround, most of them rooted in a flagging economy. But exorbitant housing prices — too high for many struggling Californians despite a burst housing bubble — still play a role.

"There's a lot of concern about driving out working-class families," said Hans Johnson of the Public Policy Institute of California.

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-california-move-20111127,0,4330158,full.story

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And just look at the vitriol in the comments, including "...non-English speaking immigratation so prevalent, that I can say I am the "only white guy" in my community, and its NOT a joke!" (yes the commenter really spelled "immigration" wrong when complaining about immigrants...hahaha way to screw up your own argument like that) and "...people vote with their feet. Why do you think the Dems are giving illegals special perks? To keep them here." (Apparently that "vote with feet" idea came from this Thomas Sowell column in which he called the state in which he's worked as a professor and scholar since the '70s, "the poster state for the liberal, welfare-state and nanny-state philosophy.")

A more reality-based view of why migration to this state is declining of course is because of the economy; migration here was greater during times of economic booms like the dot-com bubble and Gold Rush.

[Journeyman]

1. I thought it felt a little roomier lately. . .

[ellisonz]

2. Can't wait until we go into population decline...

...and traffic on the 405 thins. :-)

[RandySF]

3. I actually think it's a good thing.

Everyone measures success of a state or city based on growing population, but we CAN have too many people.

[bloomington-lib]

4. Never understood why there aren't more buildings to bring housing down.

Far too many single family homes compared to most of the well populated world.

[harmonicon]

5. That was going to be a main platform in my run for LA Mayor.

I would draw a line around downtown, and mechanically place buildings on top of one another, until all buildings in LA were at least 3 stories high. Then there would be a green-belt between the city and the suburbs. I would eliminate parking meters, but also close all freeway exits within city limits. I would also impose an SUV-toll. Anyone could drive one into the city, but there would be a toll of 100% the blue book value of the vehicle. Ok, I never actually ran, but I should have. My platform is solid!!

[XemaSab]

6. You can get houses for CHEAP in Fresno and Merced

:(

[pinboy3niner]

7. And don't forget Hinkley

Prices there are very, very low. :(

[itsrobert]

15. And Hemet

LOL

[Odin2005]

8. What's going to happen when they run out of water?

[NickB79]

14. Then we just pipe water out of the Great Lakes, silly!

We've got 10,000 lakes, surely we can spare a few, right?

[itsrobert]

16. Technology will come through

I don't doubt that. We Californians will survive. Just go back to your frozen and/or toxic wasteland/Texas/Florida where ever you live.

[Odin2005]

21. I live in Minnesota, we have more than enough water. BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

:evilgrin:

[Kolesar]

22. Tone Down the Rhetoric. eom

[ShockediSay]

19. Well, the ocean is rising nt

[LeftyMom]

23. California has plenty of water.

The problem is that we have too many Southern Californians.

[KeepItReal]

9. "burst housing bubble"? Not in LA or SF proper.

Rents are sky high here and home prices are still up there in the stratosphere. I guess it's supply and demand.

If you wanna live way out, that's another story of course.

[Islandlife]

10. Fewer tax payers will mean higher taxes or spending cuts. It's gonna be tough.

Is there any other solution to restore solvency? Jerry Brown needs a plan that will work with quick results.

[KamaAina]

13. Repukes are holding taxes hostage

it takes a two-thirds supermajority to raise taxes here (thanks, Prop 13! :sarcasm: ) and the repukes won't budge; most have signed Grover Norquist's extremely evil "No Tax Pledge". :puke:

[Tempest]

20. Fewer taxpayers also means less stress on the infrastructure

And according to the GOP, most of the country doesn't pay taxes anyway.

[SoapBox]

11. You certainly cannot tell it from the freeways...or when out shopping...

Sheesh...traffic is HELL, every place...and then even going to the grocery store is a pushing and shoving match.

[xxqqqzme]

12. I think the crush is over.

I was in Target & Babies R Us yesterday afternoon and both were extremely empty.

[Gormy Cuss]

17. Please don't credit Sowell with the phrase "vote with your feet." It's been around for much longer

than that. Sowell has no original ideas. He's a wind-up toy for conservatives.

[alp227]

18. To be more clear, that wingnut comment was SIMILAR to one of Sowell's columns