Maybe "stable" was the wrong word. Perhaps "proven stable" would be better. It's not that "new and shiny" can't be stable, it's just that it hasn't proven itself stable yet. It hasn't been around long enough to prove it. So it's more using technology that has over a decade of proven dependability, over something that may or may not be.
People like him equate cost with quality of life. "SF is more expensive, therefore it must be a better place to live". It's a sad and naive outlook that a lot of consumers grow up with.