Is it true that most Oregonians don't want any more Californians to move in? (Portland: real estate, rental)

[maximusa]

I'm not quite sure why there is such a perceived animosity for Californians (specifically middle to upper-middle class Caucasian folks) relocating to Oregon. I don't see it as coming to steal jobs and inflate real estate values. California is an abusive state and you cannot make a good living there, even with higher paying jobs, and raise children in good quality schools unless your part of the 1%. I originally grew up in Northern California and always loved travelling to Pac Northwest

[urbanlife78]

Care to expand on this interest between Oregon and California? Are you a Californian who is looking to move north or are you an Oregonian who has never experienced local animosity towards Californians? It isn't really much of an issue for most people here, though everyone always worries that more people moving to their local area is going to increase costs and traffic.

My biggest issue is when someone from LA comes up here and keeps trying to compare LA to Portland and why Portland isn't more like LA. That tends to get on my nerves.

edit: Nevermind, I just saw your other thread, you live in LA and are looking to move to Portland. I wouldn't be too worried about moving up here from LA, though you should definitely visit first before making that choice.

[maximusa]

Well about 90% of people who actually live in LA aren't from LA, or even California. There is a large incoming/outgoing population. The consensus is that most love the weather, but come to realize that everything is too expensive and it's not a place to raise a family and then they leave. Yes there are some douchebags that live here, but they aren't the type that would ever want to move to a place like Portland.

[patches403]

The bad feelings against Californians isn't only from Oregonians, it's pretty much a Western thing. It isn't that we dislike Californians specifically, it's that we dislike what they represent and what happens when a growing number of them move into a place.

I'll give the example of the town I went to college in. This town is located in a rural state with a mostly rural economy so the jobs that exist, don't pay that well. Even the jobs at the college don't pay as well as in other places because people are so desperate to move to this lovely rural area that they're willing to take a pay cut. As more and more people desire to come to this place, it drives up the prices of real estate and other items. The locals who have been there their entire lives are screwed because they're working for local wages that haven't increased while the local housing market has doubled, tripled, quadrupled, you get the idea. The outsiders (many of whom are retired so don't have to work for crappy local wages) moving in are coming from places where the wages are higher so the outsiders tend to arrive with more available funds than locals have. Many of these folks cashed out huge equity when they sold their house where they used to live (this is where the California hate comes in bigtime) so they can afford to pay the inflated housing prices in the new location. Rinse, cycle, repeat until the housing costs so much the local folks working for local wages can only afford to buy any kind of house by moving 30 miles from town and their jobs or they can't ever afford to buy a house at all.

My example is happening in a lot of places, including Portland, so that's why we tend to dislike seeing Californians move in. Californians are just the poster child representative of the group of outsiders that are making life harder for folks in a lot of places.

[ccjarider]

Originally Posted by patches403

The bad feelings against Californians isn't only from Oregonians, it's pretty much a Western thing. It isn't that we dislike Californians specifically, it's that we dislike what they represent and what happens when a growing number of them move into a place.

I'll give the example of the town I went to college in. This town is located in a rural state with a mostly rural economy so the jobs that exist, don't pay that well. Even the jobs at the college don't pay as well as in other places because people are so desperate to move to this lovely rural area that they're willing to take a pay cut. As more and more people desire to come to this place, it drives up the prices of real estate and other items. The locals who have been there their entire lives are screwed because they're working for local wages that haven't increased while the local housing market has doubled, tripled, quadrupled, you get the idea. The outsiders (many of whom are retired so don't have to work for crappy local wages) moving in are coming from places where the wages are higher so the outsiders tend to arrive with more available funds than locals have. Many of these folks cashed out huge equity when they sold their house where they used to live (this is where the California hate comes in bigtime) so they can afford to pay the inflated housing prices in the new location. Rinse, cycle, repeat until the housing costs so much the local folks working for local wages can only afford to buy any kind of house by moving 30 miles from town and their jobs or they can't ever afford to buy a house at all.

My example is happening in a lot of places, including Portland, so that's why we tend to dislike seeing Californians move in. Californians are just the poster child representative of the group of outsiders that are making life harder for folks in a lot of places.

Here is the thing about this story though. People who can see trends and are willing to act on their observations can get rich. If one can see the trend, why not start buying rental property or vacant land or open a business that caters to wealthy retirees? Instead of playing a victim card, why don't more folks look at the opportunities that change brings?

[Rubi3]

Many years ago there was a campaign by the governor of Oregon promoting people to visit Oregon, then go back to their home. Visit, but don't move to Oregon. There was lots of publicity about it at the time. I can't guess how long ago it was, but at least 25 years, I think. It wasn't directed to Californians, but to everyone who didn't already live there.

So far as watching trends and cashing in... that takes hard work, often long hours and hard physical labor, at least for awhile. It's easier to be a victim.

[mwruckman]

Originally Posted by Rubi3

Many years ago there was a campaign by the governor of Oregon promoting people to visit Oregon, then go back to their home. Visit, but don't move to Oregon. There was lots of publicity about it at the time. I can't guess how long ago it was, but at least 25 years, I think. It wasn't directed to Californians, but to everyone who didn't already live there.

So far as watching trends and cashing in... that takes hard work, often long hours and hard physical labor, at least for awhile. It's easier to be a victim.

Do you remember Governor Tom McCall? A popular bumper sticker of the time read "Don't Californicate Us!"

[vacuumbed]

I'm from Utah. Would it be better if I move to Oregon instead?

[j_k_k]

Originally Posted by mwruckman

Do you remember Governor Tom McCall? A popular bumper sticker of the time read "Don't Californicate Us!"

I've never lived in Oregon (that'll change in about six weeks, all goes well), but I did live half my half-century of life within half an hour of Oregon. Where I was in my JH and HS years, we got channels 2, 6, 8, that was it, and shopped in The Dalles. I remember those times well, especially the Blitz Weinhard Schludwiller commercials. That was just genius marketing. "Just remember the corporate motto, Vern. What they don't know...won't hurt 'em.

On topic, I think the Californihate has existed on some level in WA, OR and ID since the 1970s, rising and falling depending on events. Part of it is what happens to real estate prices (Bozeman and Seattle are good examples); people resent not being able to afford to own a home where they're from. Part of it, though, is when people from California (especially southern) live up to stereotypes. Like all stereotypes, they're overblown and prejudicial, but also like all stereotypes, they have some basis in somebody's experience.

The key, then, is not to live up to a stereotype. If one already does not live up to one to begin with, one will probably be accepted more easily.

[Nell Plotts]

Another factor is the way CA handled urban growth, paving over prime agricultural land. That gave rise to OR urban growth management. Often those who complain about urban growth boundaries are from elsewhere. Urban growth boundary - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia