Prices are indeed flexible.

Prices are mostly driven by market forces. That leaves little room for flexibility.

The flexibility is in what you buy. Rent is flexible in the sense that you can choose what to rent, and whether you have people paying with you (roommates). And so on with other expenses; a new Tesla or a 8-year-old used sedan? etc.

SV's problem is that even the minimum rent is pretty high, but that's a local problem, not a universal.

Ahh, so I have the flexibility to choose to be homeless to save on rent. Great.

> SV's problem is that even the minimum rent is pretty high, but that's a local problem, not a universal.

In my experience almost all of people's problems are local.

To be clear, I have an excellent job. I'm just trying my hand at putting the 'ol empathy hat on.

"Ahh, so I have the flexibility to choose to be homeless to save on rent. Great."

That's hostile misinterpretation. I gave you real-world examples, like roommates.

Hostile? I was quite polite. You’re the person expressing denying the validity of market effects that literally kill people, and you’re pimping it as freedom. That’s hostile.

Everything in that list involves choice: where you want to live is a choice. (based on family size, crime rates, school quality, access to transportation, whether you have pets, etc, but still a choice) Even the things that have static prices involve consumption choices (ie, how much gas you consume)

Living wage covers the floor of these things. Even that is not being offered.

This really only makes sense if you can choose your wage, too.