Miles From Everywhere

I knew in 1997 when I bought this Elk Grovian house there’d be consequences of living here. I knew I’d never work in one of those 34,000 jobs. I’d bet the lion’s share of those jobs are retail sales associates – all hardly sufficient to support the median home price. So I’d commute. And I did and I still do. But even if I don’t drive to work anymore, there’s still the original issue of the city having spent a fantastic amount of infrastructure to support a home miles away from everything.

When we visit relatives, it’s a 40-mile trip on average. Doctors visits, 30 miles. Grocery shopping, 3 miles. My current desire to live a more sustainable life is in stark contrast to the psychology of mis-investment of having bough a home here. But my house has already been built. Miles from everywhere. And look at my options:

I pay less than $1800 a year in property taxes. My neighbor across the street in the same house with no children pays over twice that. Moving anywhere, even to a smaller home or condo, will cost me thousands more in the long term because of increased home values.

Where are all the properly built, mixed use, human-scaled neighborhoods within a fifty mile radius? Only in pre-WWII Sacramento. Only. Any home there, any home, will cost at least twice as much as this one because they are among the most desired places to live. Hmmm…I wonder why. Moving anywhere else would just be re-arranging the deck chairs.

This house is two years away from being paid off. So, to be ‘greener’, I’ll be paying three times as much in property taxes coupled with starting another mortgage all over again.

But consider where that property and state tax money goes. A large chunk supports regional infrastructure projects that only encourage more sprawl. New interchanges. Watt Avenue bridge widening from four lanes to six. They build them to take advantage of federal matching funds…my federal taxes! On top of that, gas prices are heavily subsidized through our federal taxes and other charges as it is – through new highways, wars to keep oil flowing, health care costs for the thousands of injured and lost economic gains of the thousands of dead motorists, and insurance premiums.

What about staying put, accepting the stupid decision, and spending that money I’d be spending on interest & taxes on things that can have a more meaningful impact? How about triple paned windows? Dual zoned air conditioning? Reflective barriers in the attic? Solar water heating? New bicycle tyres? Reflective paint on the roof? A hybrid car or scooter for the wife? A south-facing garden in the side front yard? Things that the next owner or I would have to replace over the next 5-7 years anyway.