Why do Portlanders do for a living? (West Linn: apartment, rent)

[Familyman6]

Just curious what Portlanders are doing for work that they always complain about the cost of living, specifically rent.

am I way off here that some of the complainers are long time residents that are stuck in "the good ol days"?

It's a rapidly growing city and is getting more expensive every year. In order for a city to grow and restore, the COL must rise.

[BLAZER PROPHET]

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The primary issue is that we have limited housing and the urban growth boundaries make it prohibitive to have enough new housing to make it affordable. Low and the lower end of the middle class have been priced out of the market. It's basically messed up leadership inherited from California. The affordable housing is now in Vancouver.

[Familyman6]

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The days of $500, and in most nice areas $1000/mo rent are gone, which I why I ask the question: what are people doing for a living that complain about rent increases?

I remember when I moved here 8 years ago I thought it was expensive when I was renting a 3 br apartment for $900/mo. Then I saved and bought a home for just a bit more per month and have continued to build off of that and we are in our "forever" home on a half acre with plenty of privacy and sq footage for less than we could rent this place for.


I get it. No one wants a rent increase, just like I don't like property tax increases.

[KJoe11]

Originally Posted by BLAZER PROPHET

Moderator cut: snip

The primary issue is that we have limited housing and the urban growth boundaries make it prohibitive to have enough new housing to make it affordable. Low and the lower end of the middle class have been priced out of the market. It's basically messed up leadership inherited from California. The affordable housing is now in Vancouver.

Affordable housing WAS in Vancouver. I was shocked when I went to Zillow.


Portland may have a housing bubble with possible 10-20% overinflated prices. But Vancouver has a very dangerous one.

[NWGirl74]

Originally Posted by BLAZER PROPHET

The affordable housing is now in Vancouver.

I don't know that I agree with that. I rent out two of my rooms and periodically check to see where my rents are compared to market. I looked earlier today and my two rooms are currently a steal. Six months ago, they were inline with similar rooms.

OP, despite what the official stats show, there are still a lot of under and unemployed people in this area. Keep in mind that will rent is increasing, it's currently an employer's market and wages are not increasing with rents. There are also a lot of "blue collar" jobs in this area which tend to pay lower wages as it is.

[urbanlife78]

Originally Posted by BLAZER PROPHET

Moderator cut: snip

The primary issue is that we have limited housing and the urban growth boundaries make it prohibitive to have enough new housing to make it affordable. Low and the lower end of the middle class have been priced out of the market. It's basically messed up leadership inherited from California. The affordable housing is now in Vancouver.

The urban growth boundary has very little to do with the cost in Portland. A cheap house on the outskirts of the metro doesn't make inner neighborhoods cheaper. The issues is we have more people moving here faster than we can build, and the cost of building already comes with a steep price tag.

[AndyAMG]

Originally Posted by BLAZER PROPHET

Moderator cut: snip

The primary issue is that we have limited housing and the urban growth boundaries make it prohibitive to have enough new housing to make it affordable. Low and the lower end of the middle class have been priced out of the market. It's basically messed up leadership inherited from California. The affordable housing is now in Vancouver.

Not entirely true. In 2005 they were building houses at a rate of 30 a day in Tucson, and prices were still going up until the crash. In 2006 Tucson had built 11000 homes (entire cities like Sahuarita) and they were selling at ridiculous inflated prices.

When a place is in a crazy bubble, it's in crazy bubble and there is nothing anyone can do until it pops. DR Horton, Lennar, and KB understand supply and demand. If they opened up all the land near Damascus, West Linn and Battle Ground it would have little to no effect on the house prices in Irvington or Sellwood.

Same with when they were building massive housing tracts in the desert. Houses in the Sam Hughes district near U of A or Catalina Foothills were still going for 500-1.5 million dollars and increasing in price regardless of them finishing 30 homes a day.

[SETabor]

It's because as incomes rise 3-5%/year on average, rent is increasing 10-20% or more. You can't keep up with those kind of inflation disparities.

[AnotherPDXGuy]

More than half of Portlanders rent their homes. What jobs do they have? They keep your grocery store shelves stocked and serve you in restaurants. They clean the streets and pump your gas and empty garbage cans in your favorite park. They serve as clerks in every office you enter. Some never finished school or have other disadvantages.

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[Familyman6]

Originally Posted by AnotherPDXGuy

More than half of Portlanders rent their homes. What jobs do they have? They keep your grocery store shelves stocked and serve you in restaurants. They clean the streets and pump your gas and empty garbage cans in your favorite park. They serve as clerks in every office you enter. Some never finished school or have other disadvantages.

Moderator cut: snip

Moderator cut: snip I was just curious to see what people do for a living. if they are happy with those jobs you mention above, great! But you can't expect a growing city to accommodate those salaries or hourly wages.

We all create our own accomplishments, issues, struggles,etc....If you want to continue to live your lifestyle and are fearful of getting pushed out beccause you can't afford it, find a way to make it work or readjust your lifestyle. That's called the game of life!