Reason reports that in Arlington, VA, the county housing division is reaching out to a tragically neglected, underserved population: Hipsters. Indeed, they’re holding a (doubtless tax-funded) happy hour publicity party called (shudder) “Housing 4 Hipsters.”
Doug Myrick, an official with the Housing Division, tells Arlnow.com that the county is holding the event because, “We want people to understand there is housing assistance available across a wide range of incomes.” Is it possible to take advantage of rent restrictions and/or housing subsidies ironically? Myrick also says that “when people see government assistance, they often think it must be for low income or they won’t qualify.” I can’t imagine why anyone would assume that housing assistance would be limited to those with low-incomes. But at this point, I guess it’s for everyone. Will hipsters still like housing assistance now that it’s gone mainstream?
While I can understand the urge to draw members of Richard Florida’s “creative class”, I can’t imagine that it requires government funding, and I have to ask: Doesn’t anyone know the consequence of this sort of thing? Goatees, horn-rims, and high-water pants everywhere. I think there’s a term for it:
Urbane blight.
Heh.
Groucho Marx Houses: If you want to live here, we don’t want you.
Will anyone actually look at that program and think, “Hey, I’m a hipster! Finally, a program for me”? My sense is that almost nobody positively identifies as a “hipster.” It’s something people get called, not something people say that they themselves are.
My sister lives around that area–I’m dying for her to attend the event and report back!