Pennsylvania
Lee Epstein, “I grew up in Pennsylvania coal country. It wasn’t pretty and it’s time to move on,” Philadelphia Inquirer, April 26, 2021, https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/commentary/coal-mining-pennsylvania-environment-united-mine-workers-20210426.html
Pittsburgh
The story in aggregate is that average rent in Pittsburgh is $1,256, apparently down one percent from last year, with an average size of 812 square feet.[1] But the story in particular includes neighborhoods like Mexican War Streets (yes, really) and Lawrenceville where developers have bought old properties to upgrade them and attract well off folks, often from elsewhere, displacing people who have lived here all their lives.[2] My own answer is to move farther out, where lower rents can still be had, but for those inclined, that means a long Uber/Lyft ride to places like the South Side, where young people like to go do stupid stuff.
Kimberly Rooney, “How rising rents and renovations have displaced Pittsburghers and added to the city’s ongoing issues with gentrification,” Pittsburgh City Paper, April 28, 2021, https://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/how-rising-rents-and-renovations-have-displaced-pittsburghers-and-added-to-the-citys-ongoing-issues-with-gentrification/Content?oid=19360553
Pandemic
Nathan Jeffay, “The only real herd immunity is global: Why India’s COVID crisis threatens us all,” Times of Israel, April 29, 2021, https://www.timesofisrael.com/why-indias-covid-rampage-should-worry-israel-and-all-aiming-for-herd-immunity/
Ridesharing
Timothy B. Lee, “Uber, Lyft stocks plunge after Biden official says drivers are employees,” Ars Technica, April 29, 2021, https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2021/04/uber-lyft-stocks-plunge-after-biden-official-says-drivers-are-employees/
- [1]RentCafé, “Pittsburgh, PA Rental Market Trends,” March 2021, https://www.rentcafe.com/average-rent-market-trends/us/pa/pittsburgh/↩
- [2]Kimberly Rooney, “How rising rents and renovations have displaced Pittsburghers and added to the city’s ongoing issues with gentrification,” Pittsburgh City Paper, April 28, 2021, https://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/how-rising-rents-and-renovations-have-displaced-pittsburghers-and-added-to-the-citys-ongoing-issues-with-gentrification/Content?oid=19360553↩