&quot;1. Build really tall. Hasn&#x27;t worked out all that great in Hong Kong, though.&quot;<p>What do you mean when you say it hasn&#x27;t worked out great in Hong Kong? Is it because prices are still high in a lot of neighborhoods there?  I&#x27;d say the build-really-tall strategy has worked out quite well in HK. There is a range of affordability in close proximity with good transit, and lots of parks and open space. It&#x27;s a remarkably livable city.<p>The fundamental problem is that real estate in major cities has become a scarce luxury good covered by the wealthy. Restrictions on building - rent control and aggressive property taxes basically fall into this category - only make things worse.<p>The only way to make Vancouver, SF, and anywhere else affordable is to radically increase supply relative to demand. In practice things aren&#x27;t that simple.<p>The best bet for someone looking to live and raise a family is probably your fourth option.  There are a lot of really nice cities out there.