Not to mention, smaller towns have much lower investment capacity in revitalizing century old infrastructure. There's not enough appeal or added convenience for most to live in the middle of a 20-60k population center opposed to the privacy and space offered by smaller neighboring municipalities or outskirts. Footing the bill for renovation and raising rent to compensate, because almighty profit, eliminates their only clients. Housing's fucked here all the way around.
P.s. any one got silly little 20k to pull me out of debt and give me a down payment on a starter home? 🙃
"We humans do not understand compassion. In each moment of our lives, we betray it. Aye, we know of its worth, yet in knowing we then attach to it a value, we guard the giving of it, believing it must be earned. Compassion is priceless in the truest sense of the word. It must be given freely. In abundance." -Steven Erikson