I have a similar intuition as Stefan. The networks effects, governance advantages, etc. seem more important to do effective good fast than how expensive rent is. I think cheap housing might win out for some orgs, e.g. if you can work mostly remote, have a very limited budget and don’t require much real-world contact with non-EA institutions. But it feels like this applies to the vast minority of orgs in the status quo.
I have a similar intuition as Stefan. The networks effects, governance advantages, etc. seem more important to do effective good fast than how expensive rent is. I think cheap housing might win out for some orgs, e.g. if you can work mostly remote, have a very limited budget and don’t require much real-world contact with non-EA institutions. But it feels like this applies to the vast minority of orgs in the status quo.