Federal funding for affordable housing

[danbrotherston]

Why would a reduced tax rate devalue property? In fact, it should make the property more attractive -- just like lower condo fees make a condo building more attractive, and high condo fees tend to make it less attractive (and thus reduce the selling prices).

Except inasmuch as high price is perceived as high value, which is an important part of human psychology. Not sure it applies to high taxes though. We seem to have decoupled the selling price from the assessment price everywhere.

Once you strip out the hotel fixtures you are pretty much left with an empty apartment shell. Assuming you keep the bathroom as is, you need to add a kitchen(ette), rework electricals, do flooring, paint and ceiling. A double unit could be made, window configuration permitting, into a 2BR apartment but would be more complex. Oh, yes, electrical meters would need to be added. Still, it's all interior work.

It's also interesting how a lot of NZ motel rooms have kitchens (efficiencies is what they were called when I was travelling in North America with my parents as a kid). Haven't seen them as often in the North American hotels I stay in more recently. Well, not this year, but generally. Bonus tidbit: NZ hotel rooms often come with fresh milk for your tea. Like a carton of it.

If you say "oh look, if you buy a house near affordable housing, the taxes are lower" that seems to reinforce that pre-existing belief in devaluation. Again, this is different because the tax benefit is not arriving as a result of BUILDING the affordable housing, merely being near it.

As for condo fees, I do find it funny that people are so up tight about them, ultimately, the money being spent is to maintain the building you live in, I would rather live in a well maintained building than a building that is poorly maintained but cheap. That being said there are obviously differences in ammenities, as well, my experience shows there is certainly differences in efficiency...some of the nonsense we've shut down in our building is frustrating...

I've had a few hotels here with milk for tea, not a carton, but the little containers.
Ironically, I find you get more of these niceities at hotels like Best Western, rather than expensive hotels.