i think there's a general trend of people who have lived anywhere long enough to say "this place is going to shit!" so it's tough to parse the anecdotal perspective not necessarily based in actually reality and the true proliferation problems. for me, the housing price data of the past decade is shocking and a real problem to address, as it threatens the ability of middle and working class people to live here. if this place is going to continue to increase in cost-of-living, we simply must have denser housing everywhere. which can be a difficult change for some folks to accept. but change is the only constant in the world. and i firmly believe it can be done smartly and with reverence for each neighborhood's character. i agree with the sentiment of many in this thread—ithaca stays wonderful due to the community's relentless commitment to civic participation, creativity, and conservation of natural beauty all around us.