# Wisdom of DC living wage ($12.50/h) bill for big box stores **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [July 20, 2013, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisdom-of-dc-living-wage-12-50-h-bill-for-big-box-stores/664007 "2013-07-20T03:55:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Caffeine.addict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f475e1/32.png) [@Caffeine.addict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caffeine.addict)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2013, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisdom-of-dc-living-wage-12-50-h-bill-for-big-box-stores/664007/61 "2013-07-23T04:11:26Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > Because I am a yuppie looking for a 2 bedroom home with metro access in an urban area within the $250-$350k range? Young families who desire are prices out of progressively sketchier and sketchier areas, and the days of moving to NOMA or Petworth or Eckington are long gone. > > If there is metro or even a decent bus the yuppies will come. What areas are you looking at? We’ve been looking at single family houses informally to get a sense of whats out there, here and frankly I’m shocked at the prices. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2013, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisdom-of-dc-living-wage-12-50-h-bill-for-big-box-stores/664007/62 "2013-07-23T13:32:17Z")
I can tell you that a mid-block rowhouse in Petworth off of Grant Circle recently went for $650. This was a recently flipped house with central air, though. I think for something that needs a lot of work you could get around $500ish. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2013, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisdom-of-dc-living-wage-12-50-h-bill-for-big-box-stores/664007/63 "2013-07-23T13:43:33Z")
> [@Caffeine.addict](#): > > What areas are you looking at? We’ve been looking at single family houses informally to get a sense of whats out there, here and frankly I’m shocked at the prices. In all likelihood we’ll end up around Silver Spring. One of us commutes north on the beltway, the other needs reasonable metro/bus access to Bethesda, Crystal City and Columbia Heights. We’d consider an affordable condo, but really don’t want to spend above our means. A not horrifying elementary school would be nice, though if we found a great deal, we could consider alternatives. A fixer upper would be great, as long as it could be made somewhat habitable. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2013, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisdom-of-dc-living-wage-12-50-h-bill-for-big-box-stores/664007/64 "2013-07-23T14:32:05Z")
I know what the real reason is, but what is the public reason that the DC council believes people who don’t work at Wal-Mart don’t deserve a living wage? Presumably all the other people who make $9.50 an hour in DC are equally likely to be on the dole in various ways, as well as driving down wages in the area. Have they come up with a rationalization for this? Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Caffeine.addict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f475e1/32.png) [@Caffeine.addict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caffeine.addict)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2013, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisdom-of-dc-living-wage-12-50-h-bill-for-big-box-stores/664007/65 "2013-07-23T14:39:22Z")
I understand the move to the suburbs. We are in the same process. We’d like to stay, but if my son’s charter school doesn’t work out, we’ll probably look at the suburbs as well. We’ll miss our neighborhood which is very walkable, and we’d be moving just as the streetcar starts running, but we need more room, and the schools can be an issue. Some of the DCPS elementary schools are good for preschoolers and kindergarden, but the test scores are awful once the kids get older. The advantage DC has is that preschool and pre-k are free so you don’t have to stress child care when they turn three. You pay for aftercare but that is less expensive then daycare is. If you get into a good charter you can be set, and siblings get preference in admissions. \*\*Ravenman, \*\*, :smack:, I missed that. I agree that Langdon will be a while before gentrification hits. ---
**Author:** ![Caffeine.addict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f475e1/32.png) [@Caffeine.addict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caffeine.addict)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2013, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisdom-of-dc-living-wage-12-50-h-bill-for-big-box-stores/664007/66 "2013-07-23T14:44:55Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > I can tell you that a mid-block rowhouse in Petworth off of Grant Circle recently went for $650. This was a recently flipped house with central air, though. I think for something that needs a lot of work you could get around $500ish. I saw that listing. It looked kind of small for what we want at that price. We went to an open house on 7th St near Grant Circle for a small detached house. I love how the definition for recently renovated means something else entirely in listings than it does in real life. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2013, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisdom-of-dc-living-wage-12-50-h-bill-for-big-box-stores/664007/67 "2013-07-23T16:09:31Z")
Yeah, listings are a fantasy land. PM me if you are ever interested in a listing around Grant Circle, I can give you the skinny on the good, bad and ugly. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisdom-of-dc-living-wage-12-50-h-bill-for-big-box-stores/664007.md?page=3)