Read this for a public choice interpretation, and here are some real Dutch facts. Here goes:
The real point is real estate. The red light district is in the
oldest, most beautiful area of Amsterdam. In the last 20 years, it has
changed from a mixed neighborhood to one almost exclusively peopled by
the very well to do. They pay a fortune for those apartments and homes.
The talk of cleaning up the neighborhood for the sake of the
prostitutes and to lessen criminal behavior is simply a smokescreen.
What they wish to do is to create a more up-scale neighborhood – it is
gentrification pure and simple.What is offensive in all this is that anyone who bought a home in
that area knew what they were getting into – large crowds every night
and all night long. It is to lessen this that the district is being
“shrunk”. Less windows for the prostitutes – a more compact area for
the tourists – less annoyance for the wealthy.It is not about anything more than that.
Jim is also right on the mark. Nick talks about Australia. HP cites Nevada.
Jim’s comment is dead on. When the Province of Ontario introduced casino gaming in Windsor, the City of Windsor knew that prostitution would follow. Instead of fighting the inevitable, Windsor legalized escort services.
This allowed Windsor to license escorts and those providing escort services, to require police background checks, and most importantly, to regulate escort services as a land use. We don’t have a red light district, but we have plenty of older motels that promote “Short Stays”. The police do not waste limited resources on combating prostitution. Instead of walking the street, the escorts advertise in the Yellow Pages (there section is just as thick as the Lawyer section).
Prostitution has not been a problem since the casino opened.
What’s the matter? Prostitution doesn’t pay enough anymore?
What is offensive in all this is that anyone who bought a home in that area knew what they were getting into
I don’t see why this is so offensive, people try to change laws and regulations to their benefit all the time. Didn’t the market price the probability that the gentrification would occur, especially for the late comers?
PS I love the architecture in Amsterdam.
The idea that people have paid top market prices in the center of the red light district and are now trying to change the nature of the area is interesting.
But it seems very illogical.
Is there any other information to support this thsis?
Normally, one would expect this type of development do emerge around the fringes and with below market prices to offset the negatives of living in or near an undesirable area. One would not expect real estate prices near a red light district to be top dollar prices.
Fof us to prevent prostitutes, we better start controlling our own self!!..
what a pity these women.
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