> Expensive homes bring in more property taxes, building permits, and other fees than so-called "affordable housing", thus helping to pay for parks, schools, welfare, HUD, ADC, fire, and police protection.

A modest house in this neighborhood goes for $700 to $800K. Yet the schools are going (further) down the toilet, park budgets are being slashed, welfare is being slashed, and the other services you list are being curtailed.

So who do expensive homes help? Real estate agent parasites and old crusty right-wing people who have lived here for 30 years and want to retire in Iowa.