The residents of a south Texas city are upset that real estate agents are trying to lure the workers of a company that builds rockets.
In March of 2021, Musk asked workers to move to South Padre Island or the city of Brownsville, close to the company's Star base facility.
The properties in the area that had been on the market for a long time have sold in a matter of months.
If it's good for the company's employees, most agents will put a copy of the listing in the listing.
There is an online listing that says "only minutes away from SpaceX!" There are other listings that state a 15- or 20-minute drive from Star Base.
The houses recently listed on Facebook have the same description. One property for rent is said to be perfect for SpaceX workers and others are close to the beach.
David Prchal, a real estate agent at GRT, told Insider that his company has dealt with many people who have worked at the rocket company. He set up a subsidiary of GRT called "Starbase Realty" to cater for workers from the space company.
According to Insider, the housing market in Brownsville has been impacted by SpaceX. He said that the average property that employees tend to rent or buy is a brand new building with three to four bedrooms and a two-car garage.
Bruno Zavaleta, a broker who owns Zavaleta Realty, said that the presence of SpaceX is having an impact on residents.
"We have seen the price of homes and rentals gradually increase so some residents feel they have been out priced," he said.
The residents of Brownsville, one of the most impoverished cities in the US, are concerned about rising house prices, even though they have criticized SpaceX for destroying the environment.
The organizers of the Sierra Club told Insider that locals in the area can't afford the increase in house prices after the company came to town. She said that the issue was getting worse due to inflation.
The landlords are kissingMusk's ass and they can't understand why we're so mad about it. It's a great time for them, but it's taking a toll on the rest of us.
She said that other locals have told her about their struggles with being able to afford homes.
Josette Hinojosa, a clerk and long-time resident of Brownsville, told Insider that she finds it "utterly disgusting and disturbing" that real estate agents are using specific wording in listings to lure employees to their companies. She said that her rent will go up in July.
Californians who have made their way to Texas can afford to buy multiple properties throughout the state.
The local who is a member of the South Texas Environmental Justice Network told Insider that he and other residents were upset about how much land was being occupied by the company.
"We're little Davids against a big man, the richest man in the world," he said. He said that the situation made him angry.
The company didn't reply to the request for comment.
Although locals were upset by the increase in property prices, it wasn't the only reason. The market has been affected by the nationwide housing shortage.
"I don't want the people who have been affected to feel bad about themselves." Nothing you do is going to be good for everyone.
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