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Here is Part 2 about our Portland, Oregon real estate market for Q3 2009:
OREGON HOUSING PRICES
OregonLive recently reported that Oregon will see 5th worst housing market in the next year:
Oregon’s single-family home prices will fall another 1.8 percent between September 2009 and 2010, the fifth biggest decline projected in the First American CoreLogic Home Price Index. The states expected to do worse than Oregon: Michigan (-6.8 percent), Arizona (-4.8 percent), Washington (-4.2 percent) and Wyoming (-3.3 percent). Looking back, Oregon had the sixth-biggest price decline between September 2008 and September 2009 at 12.6 percent. Ahead of Oregon: Nevada (-25.5 percent), Arizona (-20.3 percent), Florida (-17.7 percent), Michigan (-15.1 percent) and Idaho (-14.9 percent). In both cases, Oregon is doing worse than the national average. First American’s national forecast projects housing prices will bottom out in most markets by March 2010, then turn positive. That obviously won’t be true for Oregon or Portland. First American’s forecast for the Portland market calls for prices to fall 1 percent between September 2009 and September 2010. Here’s a spreadsheet with First American’s forecast for the 50 states.
DISTRESSED PROPERTIES IN PORTLAND
21.9% of listings distressed in PDX
The AP reports that homeowners’ inability to keep up with payments is now more due to unemployment, rather than the sub-prime loans that contributed to the initial increase in foreclosures.
The latest report from the Mortgage Bankers Association indicates that the rate of foreclosure for people with fixed rate loans and good credit is on the rise.
A quick search on RMLSweb reveals that in the Portland Metro area, distressed properties currently make up 21.9% of active residential listings (this number takes into account listings that require third-party approval, as this typically indicates a short sale and those that are marked as bank-owned).
During the third quarter, Oregon had the nation’s 44th-highest rate of homeowners who were late on their payments, and the 21st-highest rate of homeowners in foreclosure, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.
Oregon has a lower-than-average number of homeowners with sub-prime loans, but a higher-than-average number of homeowners with alternative or “Alt A” loans. Those include interest-only loans, Option ARM loans, or “stated income” loans, where there was no required documentation of their ability to pay.
Alt A loans, like sub-prime loans, are falling disproportionately into foreclosure. However, the Mortgage Bankers report does not track Alt A loans as a separate category.
ALL ABOUT…..Portland.Oregon.Real Estate, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No 
Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License. © Copyright 2008-2009 Betty Jung. All Rights Reserved. Use of this article, photos and images without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws. Based on a Blog at WordPress.
(For more local and national real estate information, go to www.bettyjung.com).
Portland
Here’s Part 1 about the housing market in Portland, Oregon for Q3 2009. Part 2 will appear on Sunday.
HOUSING APPRECIATION
Portland State University issued their Third Quarter 2009 Real Estate Report indicating which areas showed appreciation during the most recent quarter of 2009 – Q3:
- Courtesy Portland State University. Click on Image for Better View
SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL
The National Association of Realtors® reports that 80% of the housing markets across the U.S. had falling prices in the single-family residential housing sector.
Portland, Oregon was not immune to those falling prices, and NAR® reports that Portland for the third quarter of 2009, had prices dropping by -12.2%.
“During the third quarter, 123 out of 153 metropolitan statistical areas reported lower median existing single-family home prices in comparison with the third quarter of 2008, while 30 areas had price gains.
The national median existing single-family price was $177,900, which is 11.2 percent below the third quarter of 2008; the median is where half sold for more and half sold for less. Distressed sales – foreclosures and short sales – accounted for 30 percent of transactions in the third quarter, which continued to weigh down median home prices because they sell at a discount relative to traditional homes. (Portland’s median sales price dropped by -10.7% from $280,000 to $250,000 in October 2009).
“The decline in the national median price has moderated recently, and a shrinking supply of unsold inventory suggests we are getting closer to price stabilization in many areas, but we need a steady stream of financially qualified buyers to further reduce inventory and get us to a self-sustaining market,” Yun said. “Foreclosures will continue to come on the market, but rising sales from the expanded tax credit should stabilize home prices by next spring and help to stem future foreclosures.”
In another recent report, across the entire Portland metro area, the market as measured by inventory, is the strongest in the $150,000 to $299,999 price range. That market segment has seen a robust sales pace over the previous 12 months (a 58% share) which has been propped up by the government’s $8,000 First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit. Homes price in the $350,000-$499,000 range have seen significant inventory increase in recent years, up to roughly 9-10 months of inventory in the Third Quarter of 2009 from only 7-9 months during the 2007 peak. However, it is a marginal improvement over 2008 at the same time. The most significant change in the market has been the houses over the $500,000 price. Inventory at the peak of our housing market for that price point was at 12.6 months to over 20 months for Q3 2009.
CNN recently reported that we still have too many houses on the market for sale. According to their recent report based on numbers from the Census Bureau:
“…a full-fledged housing recovery will remain elusive until the market can absorb all the houses and apartments that were built during the housing boom. And on that front, progress has been slow.
About one in seven housing units was vacant in the third quarter, according to the Census Department. This year has registered the highest reading since the government began collecting such data in 1965.
Part of the glut comes from a rash of foreclosures as strapped borrowers fall behind on their mortgages.
But rental apartments are emptying out at a record clip as well, as a spike in the jobless rate and a decade of subpar wage growth have sent many Americans back home to live with Mom and Dad.”
ALL ABOUT…..Portland.Oregon.Real Estate, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License. © Copyright 2008-2009 Betty Jung. All Rights Reserved. Use of this article, photos and images without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws. Based on a Blog at WordPress.
(For more local and national real estate information, go to www.bettyjung.com).
Portland
Check out my Lake Oswego Living.A Photo Blog later today, there will be a new photo posted. Every Monday a new one will be added.
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This Fall must have been the prettiest we’ve had in a very long time. At least, I don’t remember having one this nice where all the leaves
were in their finest colors.
were in their finest colors.Here’s a list of some places you can drop off your leaves. By now, hopefully with the rain all the leaves have fallen off the trees. I had already loaded up 15 trash cans of leaves and the other day had around 7 more. I think I’m done raking now. However, I have a compost pile and it will love my leaves! If you don’t have a compost pile, here are some sites locally for you to take your leaves:
2009 Leaf Depot Locations
- Lents Park – SE 92nd and SE Holgate, in the eastside parking lot
- Stanton Yard – 2929 N Kerby, west of Emanuel Hospital
- Westmoreland Park – SE 22nd and SE Nehalem, in parking lot next to the baseball field
- Gabriel Park – SW 42nd and Vermont, in the upper parking lot
Only leaves will be accepted. No other yard debris will be allowed. Please contact Metro Recycling at 503-234-3000 or use your curbside yard debris container for this material.
2009 Leaf Depot Fees
- $5.00 per car load
- $10.00 per truck, SUV, or trailer load
- $20.00 per truck and trailer (5 cubic yard maximum)
- No commercial loads – these individuals will be referred to small local businesses, commercial recycling centers, or Metro.
SOME ADDITIONAL SITES
Metro South Transfer Station, Oregon City (503) 234-3000
Pacific Land Clearing & Recycling Center, Oregon City (503-656-7793)
S&H Landscaping Supplies, Tualatin (503-638-1011)
LAKE OSWEGO
The City of Lake Oswego does not have a leaf drop off program. Residents should use compost bins, take leaves to a drop off site designated by METRO or use the yard-debris containers provided by Rossman Sanitary Service. Rossman customers who require additional collection can also use “Kraft” bags available at most home improvement stores.
WEST LINN
Leaves may be disposed of in your yard debris container provided by your garbage hauler or you may take leaves and other yard debris to the Dan Davis Recycling Center located at 4001 Willamette Falls Drive. Call Dan Davis Recycling for hours, rates, and information (503) 655-1928 or visit their website http://www.plcrecycling.com/dan-davis.html Call West Linn Refuse & Recycling for curbside recycling information (503) 557-3900.
TIGARD
ALL ABOUT…..Portland.Oregon.Real Estate, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License. © Copyright 2008-2009 Betty Jung. All Rights Reserved. Use of this article, photos and images without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws. Based on a Blog at WordPress.
(For more local and national real estate information, go to www.bettyjung.com).
CNN just reported that Oregon in comparison to the rest of the U.S., is doing better than most:
Street Sign
“Portland is the shining example of smart growth. In 1973, Oregon passed an urban growth boundary law, which required that each of the state’s municipalities set a line in the sand on which open land could be developed.
The policy is credited with fostering Portland’s excellent reputation as an attractive, livable city — but it may have been too successful. Population growth has been so robust that some residents have complained about too much congestion in its core. And some building has been pushed out into nearby areas, such as in adjacent Washington, that have less strict policies. Meanwhile, home prices in Portland recorded a more than 86% gain from 2000 through the middle of 2007. The median, at $255,000 during the second quarter of 2009, is well above the national average of $174,000.”
PORTLAND NEIGHBORHOOD “BEST NEIGHBORHOOD” IN 2009
Ladd’s Addition in SE Portland has been named one of the “Great Neighborhoods in America for 2009″. The American Planning Association (APA) announced the country’s 10 Great Neighborhoods, 10 Great Streets, and 10 Great Public Spaces for 2009 through the organization’s Great Places in America national program. Ladd’s Addition ranked #6 out of the 10 Great Neighborhoods.
BANK-OWNED vs. SHORT-SALE STATS
The chart below shows activity from 9-1 to 9-30-09 from RMLS™ for the three areas my blog covers – RMLS™# 147 Lake Oswego, RMLS™#147 Lake Oswego, RMLS™#148 West Portland and RMLS™#151 Tigard. I wanted to see the comparison of bank-owned properties vs. short sales in those three areas. There were fewer active foreclosure listings than short sale listings in all three areas. However, there were more than twice as many foreclosures that sold and closed than short sales here locally. Bottom line, it’s the bank-owned properties that represented the better deals that buyers wanted to purchase.
According to the Oregon.live blog, the (National Association of Realtors®) NAR said that early signs from an consumer survey yet to be released indicate that first-time home buyers accounted for more than 45 percent of home sales during the past year. A separate survey shows that distressed homes accounted for 29 percent of transactions in September. (via Calculated Risk)
SHORT SALES
West Portland led the group with the highest number of short sales listed at 31 and 6 sold, Lake Oswego followed in second place with 22 short sales listed but only 1 sold, then Tigard with 20 short sales listed and 6 having sold. West Linn had the fewest number of short sales listed at 18 and 0 sold.
FORECLOSURES
West Portland again led the group and had 15 foreclosures that sold and Tigard was in second place with 12 bank owned properties that sold, West Linn had 5 foreclosures that sold whereas Lake Oswego had only 2 that closed. According to a REALTrends Report, it states that foreclosures will drop off next year due to national and local economic conditions-including a reviving economy, slowing house price depreciation, and tighter underwriting of recent loans-will lead to a decline in foreclosures in 2010.
(c) Betty Jung 2009
ALL ABOUT…..Portland.Oregon.Real Estate, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License. © Copyright 2008-2009 Betty Jung. All Rights Reserved. Use of this article, photos and images without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws. Based on a Blog at WordPress.
(For more local and national real estate information, go to www.bettyjung.com).
Courtesy chromaonline.com
The other day I wrote a post Fall Leaf Lovers…I don’t recall as beautiful a season as we’ve been having this Fall around Portland. Almost any road you go down, there are leaves in every color imaginable. At this time of year, you also hear a lot about the pumpkin patches on Sauvie Island. During the summer months, the Sauvie Island farmers offer their homegrown fruit and produce in open-air stands all summer into the early autumn. Perhaps what you didn’t know is that Sauvie Island also offers bicycling around its quiet byways, canoeing on tiny Sturgeon Lake or quiet Multnomah Channel, or birdwatching of those that migrate on the island making pit stops twice a year to rest and refuel.
Courtesy rootsweb.ancestry.com
Meriwether Lewis and William Clark on their trek through the Northwest in the early 1800s, somewhat disgruntled wrote about the fact that they and their party couldn’t sleep “for the noise kept up during the whole of the night by the swans, geese, white and grey Brant, ducks on a small Sand Island….They were immensely numerous and their noise horrid”.
You can hear them too, because on October 24, from 8 to 11 a.m., the Audubon Society will be on the Wapato Greenway, on Sauvie Island listening for the song birds and early waterfowl.
About Sauvie Island
Multnomah Indians
The original inhabitants of Sauvie Island were the Multnomah Indians. Numbering about 800 in population when first recorded by Lewis and Clark in 1805, the Multnomah Indians enjoyed the island as a luscious hunting, fishing, and plant-gathering ground in the summer and fall. The island referred to as Wapato Island in the Lewis and Clark journals because of the large beds of wild potatoes, or wappato as named by the native Multnomahs. Unfortunately, the Multnomah Indians were decimated by smallpox and malaria introduced with European exploration to the region. Today, the county in which Portland and much of Sauvie Island lie, together with the channel running along the western side of the island, named for the Multnomah Indians.
Laurent Sauvie
Laurent Sauvie, for whom the island is named, was a French Canadian employee of the Hudson Bay Company. Sauvie oversaw dairy farms on the island for the Hudson Bay Company and supplied goods for Fort Vancouver.
The Oregon Trail
By 1856, most of Sauvie Island was staked out by settlers who had crossed the continent via the Oregon Trail. The settlers were attracted to the fertile soil enriched by seasonal flooding in the winter time, superb hunting, and excellent fishing. During this time, the Bybee-Howell House was built on the western side of the island, where it still stands today.
Sauvie Island Courtesy Department of Oregon Fish and Wildlife
In the 1930’s the Army Corps of Engineers implemented a system to control the annual flooding of the island, and by 1950 the Sauvie Island bridge was constructed to connect the island to mainland. Both of these feats removed the last obstacles to full settlement of the island. To preserve the natural wonder of the area, Oregon Parks and Wildlife set aside 12,000 acres as the Sauvie Island Wildlife Area. This has ensured public access to the lakes, beaches, wildlife, and plants that make the island a unique natural experience.
Today
Courtesy of blog @ oregonlive.com
Sauvie Island is still agriculturally vibrant. The island continues to provide local farmers with the most fertile soil and best growing conditions. The vast farms are a visible reminder that Sauvie Island is still a land apart. In recent years the island has become known for its U-pick options and farm stands along Sauvie Island Road and Gillihan Road. From peaches to pumpkins, there are fruits and vegetables to be enjoyed all season long. The island has also become a recreational get-away for Portlanders offering some of the best hiking, beach access, hunting, and street cycling around.
This Fall take a drive over to Sauvie Island and experience all that it offers!
Sources and Links:
National Geographic: Lewis and Clark Journal Logs
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/lewisandclark/journals_maps_13.html
National Geographic: Multnomah Indians
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/lewisandclark/record_tribes_095_13_25.html
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife: Sauvie Island Wildlife Area
http://www.dfw.state.or.us/
Sauvie Island Research Group
http://sauvieisland.org/about-sauvie-island/
Source: Information researched and compiled by Katrina Lorne
ALL ABOUT…..Portland.Oregon.Real Estate, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License.
© Copyright 2008-2009 Betty Jung. All Rights Reserved. Use of this article, photos and images without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.
Based on a Blog at WordPress.
(For more local and national real estate information, go to www.bettyjung.com).
Tired of the usual tourist traps or the same places you keep visiting with your children? Here are some out of the ordinary local farms to go to instead. Your trips will be educational, I guarantee.
Rossee Possee Acres Elk Farm. Working elk farm, petting zoo located in Molalla. 32690 South Mathias Road, Molalla, OR. 97038. Check on hours before heading out.
The Willamette Egg Farm. One of the leading producers of shell eggs and processed egg products in the Pacific Northwest. Open
to the public on Tuesdays and Thursdays @ 10 a.m. Located between Canby, Molalla and Woodburn. Egg processing plant. 31348 S. Hwy 170, Canby, Oregon. (503-651-0000). Did the chicken come before the egg? Or..?
Magness Tree Farm. An internationally recognized 80-acre demonstration forest and outdoor education site. Includes a large natural area, stream, 9 forest management zones, 2.5 miles of hiking trails, the historic “Clatskanie” fire tower, recreation field, picnic shelter and rustic log cabins for youth group camping, outdoor schools, and retreats. Open daily. Free to the public, a charge for group tours. Guided tours every Sunday at 2:00.
Alpenrose Dairy. Portland’s popular kids’ attraction and working dairy since the nineteenth century. Florian Cadonau, who in 1891, owned a dairy farm near what is now Southwest Thirty-fifth and Vermont in the heart of West Portland.
Southern Oregon Souay Sheep Farm. British Soay sheep are being kept in the US as part of a global conservation effort to preserve this historical archive, with all of its diversity, as an undiluted genetic reservoir for the future. Southern Oregon Soay Farms, P.O. Box 1382, Merlin, Oregon 97532 kathiem@soayfarms.com (541) 955-8171.
Oregon Oyster Farm. Since 1907, the oldest oyster farm at the Oregon coast at Yaquina Bay. Oysters in the Shell, Oyster Meat, Oyster Cocktails, Smoked Oysters, Steamer Clams, and More! 6878 Yaquina Bay Rd., Newport, Oregon 97365 (541) 265-5078.
Zenger Farm. A working urban farm promoting sustainable food practices, youth education, environmental stewardship, and community and economic development. 11741 S.E. Foster Road, Portland, Oregon (503) 282-4245.
Pholia Goat Farm. Farmstead handmade raw milk aged goat cheese. Wine tasting, hay rides, baby goats, milking for the kids and cheese tasting. Classes on cheesemaking too. 9115 W. Evans Creek Rd., Rogue River, Oreon 97537 (541) 582-2883).
© Copyright 2008-2009 Betty Jung. All Rights Reserved. Use of this article, photos and images without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.
ALL ABOUT…..Portland.Oregon.Real Estate by Betty Jung is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.
Based on a Blog at WordPress.
(For more local and national real estate information, go to www.bettyjung.com).
Regular readers know that I dislike graffiti and have written a couple of posts about it. I think it makes a community look dirty, unkept. Now from Los Angeles comes word that a tagger received a 3 year 3 month jail sentence.
‘…..Sheriff’s officials said they had evidence that Yazdani had marked hundreds of freeway overpasses, concrete walls and
transit buses across the state and southern Nevada. Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies and officials with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers identified at least 20 “Buket” scrawlings along a stretch of the river spanning a couple of miles, causing an estimated $60,000 in damage.”
Here’s some more information on what Los Angeles is doing to deal with those pesky graffiti artists.
In addition to the other jurisdictions and their abatement programs I have written about, the City of Portland also has a graffiti abatement program and on October 17, 2009 a Portland southwest neighborhood will be cleaned of their graffiti.
© Copyright 2008-2009 Betty Jung. All Rights Reserved. Use of this article, photos and images without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.
ALL ABOUT…..Portland.Oregon.Real Estate by Betty Jung is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.
Based on a Blog at WordPress.
(For more local and national real estate information, go to www.bettyjung.com).
The other day I received an email requesting further information on a blog post I wrote about radon back in January in N.E. Portland that has been called “Radon Ridge” by the media.
Her question to me was where in Northeast specifically were those areas. Attached is a map showing those zip codes reported by Portland State University to show high concentrates of radon in our area.
Radon is a natural gas that causes lung cancer and is this nation’s second leading cause of death. There are high levels of radon in an area that stretches from the St. John’s neighborhood in North Portland to the Rocky Butte area. You will see from the map below that most of Clark County and Vancouver, Washington are also included in the study and report.
When buying a house in Oregon it is essential, particularly in those areas, to have an inspection and radon testing done to determine the levels of radon present.
© Copyright 2008-2009 Betty Jung. All Rights Reserved. Use of this article, photos and images without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.
ALL ABOUT…..Portland.Oregon.Real Estate by Betty Jung is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.
Based on a Blog at WordPress.
(For more local and national real estate information, go to www.bettyjung.com).
100% Financing – USDA Loan
If you thought the no money down, 100% financing was a thing of the past, there is still the USDA 100% loan here in Oregon that you
might qualify for. There are income restrictions and limits as to the location of the property.
The USDA Home Loan program is a great program offering 100% financing with no down payment or mortgage insurance for those who qualify. Below are the general eligibility requirements.
- Applicants must not have an adequate down payment to secure conventional credit without the USDA guarantee.
- To intend to live in the dwelling as a primary residence. Non-occupant and co-borrowers are not allowed.
- Must be selling existing home, if applicable.
- To be a citizen of the United States or not restricted from permanent residency.
- Have income less than the maximum allowed by the USDA Home Loan Program.
- Purchase a property in an Oregon USDA Approved Area
Most people living in rural areas qualify for USDA Home Loans. Also, many people living in medium sized cities as well as those living on the outskirts of major metropolitan areas may also qualify. Check this page to see whether your income qualifies you.
- A 100% No Money Down Loan
The USDA home loan program requires no down payment and you may finance up to 102% of the appraised value. Since the end of down payment assistance programs in 2008, the USDA home loan program is one of the only remaining 100% loan programs.
- There are no Limits as to the Amount You Can Borrow
The USDA Home Loan program will finance what you can afford to pay. Unlike conventional loans which are insured by Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae, there are no official loan limits. The amount of the loan will be directly related to your ability to repay the loan.
- No Mortgage Insurance
The USDA home loan program requires no up front or monthly mortgage insurance; saving you hundreds of dollars each month. With FHA loans, you have both an up front mortgage insurance premium and a monthly mortgage insurance payment.
- No Credit Score Required
Unlike most home loans, the USDA Home Loan does not require a credit score. Instead, borrowers can use things such as rental history, insurance payments or utility bills to verify their credit worthiness. Check the USDA Home Loan credit guidelines to learn more
- Seller Concessions Allowed
The USDA Home Loan program, there are no rules regarding closing costs and who pays what portions. Some loans limit the seller concessions, but under this program the negotiations are not controlled.
- Rural Areas Are Not Necessarily That Rural
The USDA Home Loan is guaranteed by the United States Department of Agriculture. People may wrongly assume that this loan is meant for farmers or ranchers. Many homes in smaller cities as well as those in outlying suburbs of metropolitan areas are also eligible. Check this link to see if the area you are wanting to purchase qualifies or input the address of a house here in Oregon.
Federal V.A. and State of Oregon G.I. Loans
If you’re a qualifying veteran, there’s still the 100% Federal V. A. Loan program. Here’s the information to see if you are eligible.
The maximum Federal VA loan eligibility in OREGON for a veteran is $104,250 and the maximum loan amount with no down payment is $417,000. U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) home loan guarantees are made to servicemembers, veterans, reservists and unmarried surviving spouses for the purchase of homes. VA guaranteed home loans offer several important advantages over most conventional loans including a guarantee that protects the lender against loss due to nonpayment by the borrower. A VA Certificate of Eligibility is required. To ask about home loan guaranty information, call the U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs (USDVA) toll free, 1-888-349-7541 www.homeloans.va.gov or call the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs (Toll Free within Oregon) 1-800-692-9666 or from outside of Oregon 503-373-2085 www.oregon.gov/ODVA
For more than 60 years, the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs (ODVA) has made home loans to veterans at favorable interest rates. More than 330,000 home loans have been made to veterans in Oregon. The ODVA’s State Veteran’s Home Loan program offers favorable interest rates and enables honorably-discharged veterans to purchase a single-family owner-occupied home. Eligibility for the program can be established prior to making actual application for a home loan. A veteran’s eligibility for the program expires 30 years after discharge from qualifying active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces. For program qualifications, contact the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs. Toll-Free within Oregon, 1-888-673-8387. From outside of Oregon 503-373-2070.
Portland Development Commission
The PDC has quite a few financing options that you may not know about. You can contact them at the following for further information:
Portland Development Commission | 222 NW Fifth Ave | Portland, OR 97209-3859
Phone: 503-823-3200 | Fax: 503-823-3368
Mortgage Credit Certificate Program
The Portland Development Commission’s Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC) Program works to provide first-time homebuyers with a federal tax credit. This program is a dollar-for-dollar tax credit on the amount of income tax you owe instead of a deduction to your taxable income. Better yet, this program is good for the life of your home loan!
You do not have to pay back the MCC if you remain in your residence for the life of your mortgage loan. The MCC’s credit totals 20% of the interest paid on your mortgage annually, so an MCC awarded to a $250,000 mortgage could save you about $3,000, or $250 each month.
If you become a homeowner this year or next year, you could save more or get more money back at tax time! For more information on how the Mortgage Credit Certificate can work for you, visit www.pdc.us/mcc or give PDC a call at 503.823.3400.
Buying A Fixer
The Portland Development Commission has monies available within the City of Portland for renovation work on houses that needs repairs or if you just want to make some improvements. With the right renovations, you may be able to add immediate value to your home or put your personal touch on a previously-owned home. Moreover, in situations where repairs are required before a loan can be closed, the PDC’s Purchase and Renovation Loan is the perfect solution. That’s because the appraisal is performed based on the work to be done, and the work is completed after the loan closes.
Buying a Foreclosure in Portland
There’s a new program from PDC that offers assistance to purchase a foreclosed/bank-owned homes in certain neighborhoods in the Portland metro area. These areas include parts of North, Northeast, and Southeast Portland, and parts of Gresham, Fairview, and Troutdale. It is a silent second loan up to 20% of the purchase price plus closing costs or up to $50,000. This amount varies depending on whether the home requires repairs. It is not a 100% loan, a down payment of $1,000 from a buyer is required.
If you sell within the first 5 years, you need to pay back a portion of the profit. The percentage of the profit to be paid back varies depending on how many years you live in the house. You do not need to be a first-time homebuyer to qualify but the home does need to be owner occupied. Income restrictions apply (no more than 120% of median family income) as well as debt-to-income ratio (45% or less) and liquid assets of no more than $15,000. Not only is there a location restriction as stated above, but the home must be a foreclosure in one of those areas.
Home Repair, Weatherization Help
Home Repair Loans – City of Beaverton, City of Portland
There’s also a Hope-4-Homes program in Beaverton to assist low-income homeowners with help in making home repairs. And, the City of Portland home repair loan information is also here.
Weatherization Project – Clackamas County
Clackamas County offers free services if you meet certain income and resident requirements for insulation, weatherstripping and more depending upon the condition of your home. If you have questions regarding this project or to see if you qualify contact:
Clackamas County Weatherization. (503) 650-3338
© Copyright 2008-2009 Betty Jung. All Rights Reserved. Use of this article, photos and images without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.
ALL ABOUT…..Portland.Oregon.Real Estate by Betty Jung is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.
Based on a Blog at WordPress.
(For more local and national real estate information, go to www.bettyjung.com).
Picture of Autumn in Lake Oswego (City-data Website)
Autumn declares its arrival with leaves turning bright crimson, vibrant orange and vivid yellow and it’s one of my favorite times of year. We here in Oregon are fortunate to experience all four seasons and Fall is now in full swing. With schools in session, there is a brief lull before the holidays. Take a trip on some of Oregon’s winding roads that loop and twist through shades of dark green evergreen trees, amid the colored leaves of big leaf maples, alder and mountain ash sometime this week as it’s supposed to be sunny pretty much for the next seven days.
There are some great sites throughout all of Oregon to view the fall leaves. I have a Fall video link on my side bar under my new videos category for viewing. Pretty much anywhere in Oregon you’ll see the changing of colors, however, here are some places of particular interest:
- A drive thru Oregon’s Coast Range
- Forest Park (southwest Portland)
- University of Oregon (Eugene)
- Oregon State University (Corvallis)
- Lewis and Clark College (southwest Portland)
- Marylhurst University (Lake Oswego-West Linn-southwest Portland)
- Reed College (southeast Portland)
- Tryon Creek State Park (southwest Portland)
- Mary S. Young State Park (West Linn)
- Highway 242 – the old McKenzie River Highway from McKenzie Bridge to the top of McKenzie Pass
- Hoyt Arboretum (southwest Portland)
- Japanese Garden (southwest Portland)
- The western section of the Columbia River Gorge (between Portland and Hood River).
- Cook Park (Tigard)
If you want to bring the fall into your own yard, here are some trees recommended for planting:
- Autumn Blaze Maple
- Autumn Flame Maple
- Autumn Purple Ash
- Cascade Snow Cherry
- Chantileer Pear
- Dawn Redwood
- Emerald Queen Norway Maple
- Frontier Elm
- Japanese Stewartia
- Milky Way Kousa Dogwood
- Red Sunset Maple
- Scarlet Oak
- Seiryu Japanese Maple
- Tamarack or Larch
- Vine Maple
As they say on a popular TV show – “Take some time to enjoy the view!”.
Source: In part – Off the Beaten Path – Myrna Oakley
© Copyright 2008-2009 Betty Jung. All Rights Reserved. Use of this article, photos and images without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.
ALL ABOUT…..Portland.Oregon.Real Estate by Betty Jung is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.
Based on a Blog at WordPress.
(For more local and national real estate information, go to www.bettyjung.com).
I’ve been cleaning up some of my posts from the past 16 months since I’ve been blogging. Over that time, I have written many posts about unemployment and obviously housing. It amazed me to see how many posts I had written where I indicated Oregon’s economy was strong, growth was good and that our employment situation was far from being as bad as the rest of the U.S. Things have changed dramatically and quickly.
I went on line to see exactly when the unemployment rate started trending up as well as the inventory of houses started increasing because I wanted to see the correlation between the two.
According to the charts it looks as if the unemployment rate started increasing rapidly by Q3 2008 and was low during the peak housing market from 2004 right through that mid-2008 point.
On the other hand, the RMLS™ chart shows our housing inventory started to increase a year earlier in September 2007 when our housing crisis started. Frankly, I was prepared to see the inventory levels increase around the same time as the unemployment numbers started increasing, but that wasn’t the case. Our housing market started declining 12 months before the unemployment rate started skyrocketing.
Our unemployment numbers are horrendous and Portland’s August unemployment was at 11.6% while Oregon is at 12.2%.
In Oregon, we are at the beginning stages of a new Governor’s race. I hope new leadership will focus on bringing jobs and new industry to Oregon.
© Copyright 2008-2009 Betty Jung. All Rights Reserved. Use of this article, photos and images without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.
ALL ABOUT…..Portland.Oregon.Real Estate by Betty Jung is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.
Based on a Blog at WordPress.
(For more local and national real estate information, go to www.bettyjung.com).
There’s a question I’ve been asking myself for years and have never found or seen the answer. Why do college books cost so much?
Having had a small book-seller business, I have sold new books and college books. The cost of those books to the public is horrendous yet no one seems to question the high cost of those books. Yet the wholesale cost isn’t nearly as high and in fact, only a fraction of what students and their parents are being charged.
Many college classes will be starting either this week or, in other parts of the country, have already started. Over the Labor Day weekend I saw this post in the NY Times discussing the high cost of a college education. It still doesn’t specifically mention books, however.
Tuition costs have gone in only one direction — up — during Mr. Weiss’s career. “I genuinely believe that we are at a crossroads here in higher education,” he said. “I think we have reached a ceiling that we’re beginning to bump into.”
In a recent report, Portland had a ranking of #9 for a mid-sized town and Corvallis ranked #7 as a small-town for being the best places to attend college. Oregon has many fine colleges and universities and, as a parent, you might consider buying a home for those college kids to live in and use as a real estate investment while they are in attendance here.
© Copyright 2008-2009 Betty Jung. All Rights Reserved. Use of this article, photos and images without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.
ALL ABOUT…..Portland.Oregon.Real Estate by Betty Jung is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.
Based on a Blog at WordPress.
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This past May, I wrote a post “The Line Drawn Around Portland” discussing the process that will define how the Portland metro region will grow and change in the next 50 years to accommodate more residents and commerce. Those changes are being studied for Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties (including 20 cities). METRO will be making those final decisions by the end of this year. The outcome of those decisions will affect everyone in Oregon and future generations.
This has been an on-going battle for years and remains one today. Now is your chance to speak up at public hearings this next week for those who wish to have a voice in this planning and our future. The following is a list of what is proposed in each county and when public hearings are scheduled:
MULTNOMAH COUNTY:
- Urban Reserves Proposed:
County Planners – 140 acres near East Laidlaw Rd, West of Forest Park. Citizens Advisory Committee – No urban reserves. The Orient area near Gresham would not be listed, though county planners say it is a viable option for urbanization at some point.
- Rual Reserves Proposed:
Sauvie Island and much of undeveloped areas near the Sandy River and the West Hills. County Staff – 31,000 acres. Citizens’ group – 49,000 acres
Public Hearing:
- County Commissioners meeting - A vote will follow on the reserve lists. September 10 @ 11 a.m. — Here’s the info: http://www2.co.multnomah.or.us/Public/EntryPoint?ch=247aff3ba4699110VgnVCM1000003bc614acRCRD
CLACKAMAS COUNTY:
- Urban Reserves Proposed:
Roughly 11,000 acres, including parts of Stafford, Beavercreek area south of Oregon City and the Clackamas area near Boring.
- Rural Reserves Proposed:
Still under consideration.
Public Hearing:
WASHINGTON COUNTY:
- Urban Reserves Proposed:
33,800 acres, including areas north of Forest Grove and Cornelius; Helvetia; area between Hillsboro and Cornelius; and west of Beaverton, including the St. Mary’s property; lands near Sherwood and Tualatin.
- Rural Reserves Proposed:
108,800 acres, generally west and south of Hillsboro.
Public Hearing:
- None scheduled, however, the public is invited to two committee meetings. Here’s that information: http://www.co.washington.or.us/LUT/PlanningProjects/reserves/public-involvement-and-events.cfm
Challenges and Opportunities Oregonians Are Facing:
We’re growing faster than anyone expected. New forecasts show that within the next 25 years, about a million more people will live in the five-county Portland metropolitan region. That’s a lot of people – all of whom will need homes, jobs, stores to shop in, roads to travel on and outdoor spaces to enjoy.
In addition, time has exposed some of the shortcomings in the implementation of the region’s long-range plan, as well as tensions and trade-offs between different objectives. We must make difficult choices if we want our neighborhoods and communities to continue to thrive.
A New Approach:
In 2007, the Oregon Legislature approved Senate Bill 1011. This bill enables Metro and the counties of the region to establish urban reserves – areas outside the urban growth boundary that, based on a number of factors, may be better suited to accommodate population and job growth over 40 to 50 years – as well as rural reserves, which are areas outside the urban growth boundary needed to protect valuable farm and forestland for a similar period. Many elements exist to support Senate Bill 1011 including a House Bill, Oregon Statutes and recent studies through partnerships with Metro, the three counties, Oregon Department of Agriculture and the State of Oregon Land Conservation and Development Commission.
© Copyright 2008-2009 Betty Jung. All Rights Reserved. Use of this article, photos and images without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.
ALL ABOUT…..Portland.Oregon.Real Estate by Betty Jung is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.
Based on a Blog at WordPress.
(For more local and national real estate information, go to www.bettyjung.com).
Farmers Markets are extremely popular not only in Oregon but throughout the United States. Fall’s just around the corner and if you thought you’d only be able to pick up fresh produce in the spring and summer months in Oregon, think again!
I’ve written past posts (one last year in May and this year for Mother’s Day), on the spring and summer farmers market but with Oregon’s mild climate, there are plenty of local farmers that can provide you with the freshest and best throughout the year. In addition, some of the farmers markets are open year-round so you can stock up whenever you want.
The Oregon Farmer’s Market Association provides listings of those farmers markets throughout Oregon and the Portland Farmers Market website provides Portland information. Here’s a list of farmers markets around Portland that continue beyond September:
- Hillsdale Farmer’s Market - open thru November
- People’s Farmers Market - open year-round
- PSU Portland Farmers Market - open through December 19
- Downtown Market - open through October 28
- Ecotrust Market - open until September 24
- Eastbank Market - open until September 24
- King Market - open until October 25
- Beaverton Farmers Market - open until October 3
- Cedar Mills Farmers Market - open until October 24
- Hillsboro Winter Market - open until December 12
- Lake Oswego Farmers Market - open until October 10
- Wilsonville Villebois Farmers Market - open until October 18
- Gorge Grown in Hood River - open until October 3
- Gresham Farmers Market - open until October 31
- Hollywood Farmers Market - open until November 21
- Montavilla Farmers Market - open until October 25 and on November 8 and 22
- Parkrose Farmers Market - open until October 31
- Hood River Harvest Festival - October 16-18
- Canby Farmers Market - open until mid-October
- Clackamas Farmers and Artists Market - open through October 28
- West Linn Farmers Market – open until September 29 503-550-7133
- Sunnyside Grange Farmers & Artists Market - open until October 25
- Milwaukie Farmers Market - open until October 25
- Oregon City Farmers Market - open until October 31
Updated 9-25-09
© Copyright 2008-2009 Betty Jung. All Rights Reserved. Use of this article, photos and images without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.
ALL ABOUT…..Portland.Oregon.Real Estate by Betty Jung is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.
Based on a Blog at WordPress.
(For more local and national real estate information, go to www.bettyjung.com).
Oregonians love their dogs. There are many local parks around Portland that welcome dogs. As summer is winding down and the “dog days of summer” are coming to an end, many people are staying closer to home this year for vacations and holidays. Labor Day’s just around the corner, so you might want to take your dog out for his/her day in the park. If you have friends visiting who have dogs over the upcoming holiday weekend, or if you’re new to our area and aren’t familiar with all the local dog parks, here’s a list of places to take your pooch.
PORTLAND
The City of Portland’s website has their off-leash areas, dog parks, maps, and the rules for their parks. Here’s their list of “dog friendly” parks:
- Alberta Park - Portland
- Arbor Lodge Park - Portland
- Argay Park - Portland
- Brentwood Park - Portland
- Cathedral Park - Portland
- Cherry Park - Portland
- Chimney Park - Portland
- Couch Park - Portland
- Council Crest Park - Portland
- Creston Park - Portland
- Dakota Memorial Dog Park - Portland
- East Delta Park - Portland
- Fernhill Park - Portland
- Frazer Park - Portland
- Gabriel Park - Portland
- Grant Park - Portland
- Hazeldale Park - Portland
- Hillsdale Park - Portland
- Hondo Dog Park - Portland
- Irving Park - Portland
- Laurelhurst Park - Portland
- Lents Park - Portland
- Lynchwood Park
- Memorial Park - Portland
- Mt. Tabor Park - Portland
- Normandale Park - Portland
- Overlook Park - Portland
- Sacajawea Park - Portland
- Sellwood Riverfront Park - Portland
- Sewallcrest Park - Portland
- Wallace Park - Portland
- West Delta Park - Portland
- Willamette Park - Portland
- Wilshire Park – Portland
- Woodstock Park – Portland
TIGARD
The City of Tigard has their dog parks as well:
- Ash Street - Tigard
- Potso Dog Park - Tigard
- Summerlake Park - Tigard
LAKE OSWEGO
The City of Lake Oswego’s recent Hazelia Field Dog park has won a national award in 2008.
- Hazelia Field Dog Park – Lake Oswego
WEST LINN
West Linn’s Parks and Recreation site have their dog parks/rules listed as well.
- Mary S. Young State Park - West Linn
Many of the parks have special “doggie” events such as Woofstock in West Linn that is held in the summer.
© Copyright 2008-2009 Betty Jung. All Rights Reserved. Use of this article, photos and images without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.
ALL ABOUT…..Portland.Oregon.Real Estate by Betty Jung is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.
Based on a Blog at WordPress.
(For more local and national real estate information, go to www.bettyjung.com).
The Oregon Department of Education is required to post an Oregon Statewide Report Card. It is an annual publication required by law (ORS 
329.115), which reports on the state of public schools and their progress towards the goals of the Oregon Educational Act for the 21st Century. The purpose of the Report Card is to monitor the trends in Oregon schools concerning achievement, special program offerings, student and staff characteristics, funding, and other significant information.
School Report cards are available for every district and every school throughout Oregon. Click here for a sample for the Lake Oswego School District. In addition, you can check on each individual school and here is the latest report for Lake Oswego High School. You can check further for stats as to: total population, gender, ethnicity, special ed., economically disadvantaged, migrant, TAG, CLRAS, and extended assessment.
If you’re thinking of moving anytime soon, it’s not too early to be thinking of schools and how they rate. The website has lots of information to see if a particular school would meet your child’s needs. I know it’s only mid-July, but the start of school is just around the corner. The most recent report card is for 2007-2008. The Portland Monthly Magazine did an article on that most recent Oregon Statewide Report Card. Here’s that article.
© Copyright 2008-2009 Betty Jung. All Rights Reserved. Use of this article, photos and images without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.
ALL ABOUT…..Portland.Oregon.Real Estate by Betty Jung is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at WordPress.
(For more local and national real estate news, click on my monthly newsletter – JUNG’S JOURNAL – on my website www.bettyjung.com).
Here are some local family-fun celebrations you can attend around July 4:
Waterfront Blues Festival at the Tom McCall Waterfront Park, downtown Portland.
July 2nd – 5th live music everyday and on Friday the 4th watch the spectacular, “Feel-the-Thunder” display of fireworks, twice as large as any display in Oregon, at 10:05 pm.
More info at: http://www.waterfrontbluesfest.com
Fireworks at Blue Lake at Blue Lake Regional Park in Fairview, along the river.
Spend the 4th at the park with entertainment starting at 6 pm and fireworks at dusk.
Get details at: http://www.oregonmetro.gov/index.cfm/go/by.web/id=149
Fireworks Spectacular at Oaks Park in Portland – Sellwood. Annual 4th of July Celebration.
Rides start at noon and you can stay and play to midnight! Live entertainment throughout the day and fireworks begin at 9:55 pm.
More info at: http://www.oakspark.com/upcoming3.html
The Big Bang July 4th Celebration in Estacada.
This is an all day event with music, food, and fun, then fireworks starting at 10 pm.
Get more details at: http://www.estacada4thofjuly.com
St. Paul Rodeo in St. Paul.
Experience the exhilaration of rodeo with the world’s greatest professional cowboys and cowgirls. In addition to rodeo there will be barbecues, dancing, parade, carnival, and fireworks.
See all the info at: http://www.stpaulrodeo.com
Parade and Fireworks – Lake Oswego.
July 4th Star Spangled Parade @ 10 a.m. at “A” Avenue and 10th Street and ends at Evergreen Road and 3rd Street around 10:45 a.m. Fireworks display at the Lake Grove Swim Park. starting at 7 p.m. and fireworks start at 9:45 p.m. Here’s the info:
http://www.ci.oswego.or.us/cal/wc07042009.htm#2491
Fourth of July Celebration – Tigard.
On July 4th at Tigard High School Soccer Field, Corner of Hall and Durham Roads, Tigard. Gates open at 6 p.m. with fireworks at dusk. Clowns, live music, kids’ games, police and fire vehicles + concession stands w/light snacks. Info:
http://www.tigard-or.gov/community/fourth_of_july/default.asp
Mollala Buckeroo – Molalla
July 2-5. Fireworks July 2-4. For more information here’s their website;
http://www.molallabuckeroo.com/2009Rodeo.aspx
General Canby Days – Canby
July 4th includes music, parade, fireworks and more. Check it out here:
http://www.generalcanbyday.org/
© Copyright 2008-2009 Betty Jung. All Rights Reserved. Use of this article, photos and images without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.
ALL ABOUT…..Portland.Oregon.Real Estate by Betty Jung is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at WordPress.
(For more local and national real estate news, click on my monthly newsletter – JUNG’S JOURNAL – on my website www.bettyjung.com).
Our Rose Festival is here in Portland. Not only are there many fun and exciting events throughout our area, there’s 
a special place that shouldn’t be left off your list to visit.
The International Rose Test Garden in Washington Park is one of my favorite spots to not only see a spectacular view of downtown Portland along with Mt. Hood, but to wander throughout the 6,800 rose bushes with 557 varieties. Whenever I get out-of-town visitors or clients, I always take a break with them at the rose garden.
Many of the best, new rose varieties are planted in the garden every year so visitors can see what is new in the hybridizing world. The garden is supported by a strong group of volunteers including the Portland Rose Society and the Oregon State University Master Gardeners. Within the International Rose Test Garden is obviously the test garden, The Gold Medal Rose Garden, The Royal Rosarian Garden, Miniature Rose Test Garden and the Shakespearean Garden. Portland’s International Rose Test Garden is the oldest of 24 public rose test gardens in the United States for the All-American Rose Selection (A.A.R.S.). The 5+ acres has a panoramic view of our “City of Roses” (Portland) along with a framed view of Mt. Hood. It was established in 1917 and has always been maintained and operated by the Portland Parks Bureau.
One of my favorite spots in the garden is The Rose Garden Store. Everything in the store either looks like a rose, smells like a rose, tastes like a rose, hol
ds a rose in it or is for or about growing roses! If you love roses like I do, one trip to the garden is never enough. Whenever I’m thinking of buying a rose for my yard, I go to the International Rose Test Garden first to see what I might want to purchase for my garden. Included are a fountain, paved paths, public garden, rose garden, statue and public art, guided tours, vista point, and wedding site – by reservation. Besides, the admission is FREE. Can’t get much better than that. The Garden hours are from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. (All photos from Portland Parks & Recreation website).
© Copyright 2008-2009 Betty Jung. All Rights Reserved. Use of this article, photos and images without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.
ALL ABOUT…..Portland.Oregon.Real Estate by Betty Jung is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.
Based on a Blog at WordPress.
(For more local and national real estate information, go to www.bettyjung.com).
Last weekend on OPB I watched the “Making of Portland”. It’s the story of how Portland was transformed from farmland into a thriving metropolis. If you haven’t seen it, it’s an interesting documentary on the history of Metro, Propositions 37 and 49, and Senate Bill 100.
During the ’50s and ’60s urban sprawl started here in Portland. Metro was formed in 1978 by then-Governor Tom McCall to establish an elected regional government body to adopt an urban growth boundary within the 24 towns surrounding Portland (Beaverton, Cornelius, Damascus, Durham, Fairview, Forest Grove, Gladstone, Gresham, Happy Valley, Hillsboro, Johnson City, King City, Lake Oswego, Maywood Park, Milwaukie, Oregon City, Portland, Rivergrove, Sherwood, Tigard, Troutdale, Tualatin, West Linn, Wilsonville, Wood Village) and its 3 counties – Clackamas, Washington and Multnomah. Prior to that in 1973, Oregon became the first state in the nation to pass land use legislation and to draw a line around Portland, Oregon to contain urban growth and protect rural areas. Governor McCall at that time said “subdivisions were spoiling our land”.
In the 1960s, we purchased 2 2-acre parcels on Parrett Mtn. on the hillside of Sherwood. At that time both parcels were zoned 1-acre minimum. We were out-of-state owners and by the time we moved to Oregon – only 10 years later, our property was rezoned to 2-acre minimums which meant we couldn’t divide our property into 4 1-acre parcels like we had hope to do, but could build 1 house per 2 acre parcel. By the early 1980s, the zoning changed yet again to 5, 10 or 20 acre minimums in our area. Many homeowners within our region had done the same thing – purchased acreage to subdivide but wound up being unable to do so.
According to Metro, their goal is to protect 800,000 acres from sprawl and to keep farms and houses separate from one another. Since the legislation was adopted it has stirred heated and passionate debates pitting one side against the other. Landowners feel they should have the right to sell their property for the highest amount and best use. Metro feels the urban growth boundary (UGB) should prohibit sprawl and the line around the city will decide where development grows and investments should occur. All growth is to be decided by Metro meanwhile maintaining the city’s close connection to nature, eclectic city and remarkable landscape. Deciding to keep our quality of life and shape Portland and Oregon’s future sounds simple, it has been contentious.
From time-to-time the Metro Council measures the region’s performance in achieving those shared goals of livability and sustainability. Last year from July to December, the Big Look group held community forums and analyzed population, land-use and transportation trends to develop their 2040 Growth Concept plan for our region and the projected increase of 1 million new Oregonians.
By the end of 2009, it will coordinate and prioritize state, regional and local land-use, transportation and investment strategies for the next 1/2 century and will dictate were Oregonians will shop, travel, where food will be grown, where our population will live all to effect a lasting legacy for generations to come. Metro says they have adjusted and increased the UGB boundary by 12% and adjusted it 30xs. On May 8, 2009, the Oregon House of Representatives passed HB 229-A, with a vote of 53-1 approval by the Senate to significantly improve Oregon’s land use system. It requires LCDC (Land Conservation and Development Commission) to consider the variations in conditions and needs in different regions of the state in administering the land use system and to update the designation of farmland and forestland subject to LCDC review.
Many want the line drawn to change, expand and grow. Nationally it’s been written that our housing prices are high along with our property taxes because there’s been too much controlled growth. There are those who have argued that inner city housing had become less affordable pushing more families into the suburbs further away from the city. Housing values had nearly doubled in Portland from 1998-2008. However, now comes the financial crisis and that argument no longer carries weight. Portland State University’s Urban Development Journal for Q2 2009 states that Multnomah County has the highest foreclosure numbers and short sales followed by Washington County and then Clackamas. Some of the closer-in neighborhoods are becoming the most affordable especially for first-time home buyers. Property owners of rural acreage wanted the boundaries expanded. The developers and builders constructing those big “McMansions” on those hoped-for sub-dividable acreages owners had hoped to sell to, have left and/or are bankrupt. They are no longer here to sell their acreage to and have all but disappeared from Oregon’s landscape.
Will the line drawn move and change? Which side is correct? When do the laws cease to be fair and who should decide? Who will win this tug-of-war? This debate will never end. The 2040 plan from Metro will be decided upon by the end of 2009 and those decisions will be implemented in 2010-2011.
© Copyright 2008-2009 Betty Jung. All Rights Reserved. Use of this article, photos and images without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.
ALL ABOUT…..Portland.Oregon.Real Estate by Betty Jung is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.
Based on a Blog at WordPress.
(For more local and national real estate information, go to www.bettyjung.com).
We’re not anywhere close to a depression according to economists. But, what did Portland, Oregon look like during the depression era?
Recently, I read an article in the Oregon Historical Quarterly that spoke about just that:
Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal was a visible symbol for social innovation and an experiment that had very disorderly planning strategies to seek a way out of the nation’s economic and social crisis of the day. Triggered by the demoralized economic conditions and wrenching poverty of the Great Depression, the 1930s witnessed the emergence of an activist federal government, an effort at centralized planning to advance the public good.
The top 14 states in per capita expenditures were all in the west. The general public welcomed the new agencies the New Deal brought such as the Civilian Conservation Corps (which among other things built parks and maintained forests in Oregon), the National Youth Administration and later, the Works Progress Administration. The state of Oregon was very similar to other states with its bank failures, bankruptcies, business foreclosures and high unemployment. Throughout the U.S., 4,004 small local banks failed. Herbert Hoover, the first President from the west, insisted that charities and local communities take care of the destitute. Portland’s political leaders were in agreement with the President and opposed direct government relief.
However, with that economic collapse, the local relief agencies were completely overwhelmed. County and local taxes went delinquent, making it difficult to pay public employees including teachers. “Desperation protests” became common-place events. There were people “hunkered down” along the Willamette River, 100 people were living under the Ross Island Bridge, more than 300 were at Sullivan’s Gulch, while another large group lived at the old Guild’s Lake site. When Franklin Roosevelt was inaugurated in March 1933, 40,000 Portlanders were on welfare, 24,000 had registered with the local employment bureau. In Portland, labor progressives organized an Unemployed Citizens’ League, residents at the coast formed Workers’ Alliances to speak for the unemployed, and the Portland League and others like it organized the unemployed into urban cooperatives while making major appeals for public works projects. Franklin Roosevelt told Oregon’s local business leaders that the government wouldn’t be giving them any charity. The most popular program of the New Deal, the Civilian Conservation Corps, only employed “boys” and no women were allowed. The most significant and largest program was the WPA (Works Progress Administration) and wound up hiring 8.5 million people nationwide and 25,000 in Portland alone. The WPA also built Oregon’s bridges, along with other projects throughout Oregon, such as Timberline Lodge at Mt. Hood, Rocky Butte’s Scenic Drive, Portland’s Municipal Airport, the Bonneville Power project, the rock wall along Johnson Creek, and the Wolf Creek and Wilson River Highways to mention a few.
|
Depression Era Unemployment Statistics–United States of America
|
||||
|
Year
|
Population
|
Labor
Force |
Unemployed
|
Percentage of
Labor Force |
|
1929
|
88,010,000
|
49,440,000
|
1,550,000
|
3.14
|
|
1930
|
89,550,000
|
50,080,000
|
4,340,000
|
8.67
|
|
1931
|
90,710,000
|
50,680,000
|
8,020,000
|
15.82
|
|
1932
|
91,810,000
|
51,250,000
|
12,060,000
|
23.53
|
|
1933
|
92,950,000
|
51,840,000
|
12,830,000
|
24.75
|
|
1934
|
94,190,000
|
52,490,000
|
11,340,000
|
21.60
|
|
1935
|
95,460,000
|
53,140,000
|
10,610,000
|
19.97
|
|
1936
|
96,700,000
|
53,740,000
|
9,030,000
|
16.80
|
|
1937
|
97,870,000
|
54,320,000
|
7,700,000
|
14.18
|
|
1938
|
99,120,000
|
54,950,000
|
10,390,000
|
18.91
|
|
1939
|
100,360,000
|
55,600,000
|
9,480,000
|
17.05
|
|
1940
|
101,560,000
|
56,180,000
|
8,120,000
|
14.45
|
|
1941
|
102,700,000
|
57,530,000
|
5,560,000
|
9.66
|
Oregonians survived this time period with fewer children being born, living in multiple-family households, surviving on sporadic and part-time employment. They bartered, exchanged labor for food and farm-grown products. Along Oregon there was a plentiful supply of wood for cooking and heating and they picked the wild fruits and berries, made do with canning, poaching of fish, and preserving food.
The other evening on The Charlie Rose Show I listened to the interview with Felix Rohatyn author of “Bold Endeavors: How the Government Built America & Why It Must Rebuild Now” . Mr. Rohatyn spoke about how the New Deal rebuilt the U.S. and mentioned all the good programs and projects that came from the depression-era and how many still exist today. One of them is the Oregon State G.I. program that has funded and educated millions of American soldiers here in Oregon and afforded them the opportunity to buy a house. We still use that program today.
Some economists argue that although the New Deal did not end the depression, it helped to prevent the economy from decaying further by increasing the regulatory functions of the federal government in ways that helped stabilize previous troubled areas of the economy: the stock market, the banking system, and others
The great depression remained a fact of life in Oregon for a full decade and only eased when war orders slowly began to energize the American economy. One historian described Portland as “a city that had ceased to grow”.
© Copyright 2008-2009 Betty Jung. All Rights Reserved. Use of this article, photos and images without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.
ALL ABOUT…..Portland.Oregon.Real Estate by Betty Jung is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.
Based on a Blog at WordPress.
(For more local and national real estate information, go to www.bettyjung.com).
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