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Post by Teja on May 6, 2019 20:26:44 GMT -5
"A pity that more people struggling to make rent can't simply have Adrian Veidt buy them houses," said Teja with a glacial good cheer.
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Post by Megan on May 6, 2019 20:28:48 GMT -5
Megan flushed pink with humiliation.
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Post by Adrian Veidt on May 6, 2019 20:32:31 GMT -5
"Actually," Veidt said, clearing his throat, "that's the big project for '86."
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Post by Teja on May 6, 2019 20:37:22 GMT -5
Teja had her own opinions of this kind of top-down, condescending charity, but she had torn into Adrian Veidt enough tonight; she refrained from giving him another withering look, but she sipped her water and radiated disgust.
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Post by Adrian Veidt on May 6, 2019 20:57:09 GMT -5
"Real estate prices have plummeted since New Year's," Veidt said with a shrug. "The city's subsidized housing program is a disaster, but I feel confident that a significant percentage of the city's housing crisis could be solved simply by making it properly accessible to the lower-income population."
He took a sip of his water.
"If the families that can afford it paid, say, $150 a month for building maintenance, that and the company's contributions alone could easily put up the ones who can't. Mind you, I'm speaking of apartments and not full houses, but one has to start somewhere."
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Post by Teja on May 6, 2019 20:58:50 GMT -5
She relented.
"It is a start," she said, giving him a look which, while not smiling, was grudgingly gentle.
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Post by Loki Odinsson on May 6, 2019 21:27:22 GMT -5
"And none of that, I suppose, is politics," Ashton said brightly.
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Post by Adrian Veidt on May 6, 2019 21:49:24 GMT -5
"I'd certainly hope, Mr. Ashton, that you have some plans to do something about it yourself," Veidt said, smiling.
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Post by Teja on May 6, 2019 21:54:07 GMT -5
Teja turned her eyes to his too quickly, with too much interest.
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Post by Loki Odinsson on May 6, 2019 21:56:23 GMT -5
"Of course," said Ashton. “You know, where I’m from, we don't even have a housing crisis."
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Post by Megan on May 6, 2019 21:57:38 GMT -5
"In the UK?" Megan asked, one eyebrow lifting skeptically.
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Post by Loki Odinsson on May 6, 2019 21:59:03 GMT -5
"...South Dakota," said Ashton. "Very small town."
There was a beat.
"I was adopted," he said quickly.
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Post by Teja on May 6, 2019 22:02:25 GMT -5
"Wow, what brings you to New York?" asked Teja in interest. She was from a small town, too, but that town happened to also be in New York.
Then again, everyone wanted to come to New York, which was probably why the subways were so awful.
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Post by Loki Odinsson on May 6, 2019 22:10:35 GMT -5
"Well, it is the center of the world, from the way everyone speaks of it," said Ashton, "so it seemed the ideal starting point."
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Post by Adrian Veidt on May 6, 2019 22:11:22 GMT -5
"Where in South Dakota?" Veidt asked, frowning.
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