30% of U.S. office buildings, valued at $1.1T, are obsolete

[mhays]

I imagine some neighborhoods in Hong Kong are far denser than the UES in terms of residents. They also have much smaller unit sizes. In the past I've heard numbers like 400,000 per square mile for significant areas, and they've kept growing.

As for affordable housing, I'd much rather fill the buildings. At the 50-80% level, you're talking admin assistants and waiters, and they'll spend on retail. At the 30-50% level it's more about retail workers, the elderly, and the partially employed, but they have economic value too. If it's the truly indigent at least you're getting them off the sidewalks. The first two groups are assets. The third are about managing a problem. It's better to spread their housing all over town, but it's important to do it, and do it near transit and services.