<story><title>You can’t judge housing affordability without knowing transportation costs</title><url>http://cityobservatory.org/transportation_housing_affordability/</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>dsfyu404ed</author><text>The fact that this article does not break down the various transportation costs sets off massive red flags.&lt;p&gt;The $3k&amp;#x2F;yr number mentioned for the cost of transportation via car in Houston is on the same order as an MBTA rail pass in the Boston area.  Driving everywhere in Houston results in a hell of a lot higher quality of life than riding public transit everywhere in Boston.&lt;p&gt;Yes of course transit is not free but that&amp;#x27;s true whether regardless of your mode of transit.  The premise is solid.  The analysis is lacking.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>impendia</author><text>&amp;gt; Driving everywhere in Houston results in a hell of a lot higher quality of life than riding public transit everywhere in Boston.&lt;p&gt;Having lived in both places, and currently living in metro Boston without a car, I&amp;#x27;m of the opposite opinion. To each their own.</text></comment>
<story><title>You can’t judge housing affordability without knowing transportation costs</title><url>http://cityobservatory.org/transportation_housing_affordability/</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>dsfyu404ed</author><text>The fact that this article does not break down the various transportation costs sets off massive red flags.&lt;p&gt;The $3k&amp;#x2F;yr number mentioned for the cost of transportation via car in Houston is on the same order as an MBTA rail pass in the Boston area.  Driving everywhere in Houston results in a hell of a lot higher quality of life than riding public transit everywhere in Boston.&lt;p&gt;Yes of course transit is not free but that&amp;#x27;s true whether regardless of your mode of transit.  The premise is solid.  The analysis is lacking.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>aqme28</author><text>The $3k&amp;#x2F;yr number mentioned is not the cost of transportation via car in Houston, but the premium you pay for Houston&amp;#x27;s sprawl. In other words, commuting in a low-sprawl city is $3k&amp;#x2F;yr cheaper than it would be in Houston.&lt;p&gt;Car ownership is significantly more expensive than $3k&amp;#x2F;year.</text></comment>