[jedberg]

That's the economists answer, but not the human answer. In the case of an emergency, especially one involving the sudden loss of housing in one area, economics doesn't cover the answer. If we simply "let the market do it's thing", you'd end up with only the richest people getting housing, even though they are the ones that can afford to leave the area, while leaving even the middle class and poor completely homeless.

The real answer here is to figure out a way for the people who need it most to get it, and the people who need it most aren't always the richest.

[eviks]

Besides dehumanizing economists, your "real answer" doesn't provide an answer, though that's also human...

[jedberg]

I'm not dehumanizing economists, I'm dehumanizing the particular theory I was replying to, which is "let the market do its thing". Which is a very rational and uncaring way to look at things.

And I'm aware I didn't provide an answer. I specifically said there is no answer.

[gsf_emergency_2]

You provided a partial answer.. the general idea to work out how need vs ability to pay can be reliably signalled. Don't give up! Or at least keep the idea around, until something shoes up. The general theory of auctions provides other sorts of partial answers, and it doesn't look like there are any mathematical or physical laws that forbid the kind of answer some of us would like to see. I reckon I'm not dehumanizing anybody here :) this is more interesting than imo problems, you might not even want to ask LLMs because that'd make it boring-er. Uber and Airbnb would have peeps on this if they do care*!

Edit: the same basic problem appears everywhere, e.g.

-*the need to make money exceeds the ability to solve general problems

-your need to understand exceeds my ability to explain

-my ability to focus exceeds your need to continue this thread

-healthcare insurance ie try to get tptacek on your side

[eviks]

But you're the only one doing dehumanization! The theory is "let people freely do their thing", why do you speak like an economist and replace humans with markets? Where does the lack of care appear?

[guelo]

That's capitalism in general, the moneyd get the cream of all crops while the rest of us fight for the scraps. The only respected virtue is unadulterated greed.