-image-Can The Return Of Commoditization Threaten Tampa’s Future
People who live in Tampa enjoy all the benefits of living in Florida. They stay away from the harsher Winters of the North. They may go through the occasional hurricane. Long-term Floridians have learned to live with the hurricanes. They have also learned to live with the Snowbirds coming down the North. The tourist industry has given the state of Florida a much different character than the rest of the south.
Commodization in Tampa often means the buying and selling of land. Retirees often look for places to spend their golden years that allow them to enjoy pleasant weather. This does little for the lifelong residents of Tampa. Lifelong residents know that the snow birds can create problems at the same time they bolster the economy. The major problem with commodization of Tampa is that real estate is a limited resource. There are only so many places a person can build a new home. Selling land as a commodity encourages the land mass and encourages a condition known as suburban sprawl.
Many people want the suburban lifestyles. It is away from the hustle and bustle of the big city as well as being fairly close to nature. Many people desire to be close to nature. When people build as close as they can to it, they tend to tame the wilds and force out local wildlife. Wildlife will start moving back into the areas if they are pressed hard enough.
Environmental concerns are only one problem with commodization. Selling land in Tampa as a commodity eventually raises the price. The raised prices make it harder for natives to find real estate and reasonable accommodations. Poorer people eventually get forced out of the marketplace. Commodization may end up hurting the poor and working class individuals in the city. It will also drive the prices of goods up.