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Oregon Smart Growth &
New Urbanist Policies
Make Housing Less Affordable

Data released by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) indicates that Portland (Oregon) has become the second least affordable housing market among metropolitan areas of more than one million population (after San Francisco). Portland had been comparatively affordable in 1990, according to the US Census Bureau.

Each of Oregon's four metropolitan areas ranked within the 14 least affordable housing markets in the nation in the fourth quarter of 1998. Three of the six least affordable markets were in Oregon --- Eugene-Springfield at #2, Medford-Ashland at #5 and Portland-Vancouver at #6. Salem ranked 14^th. Oregon has the nation's most comprehensive "smart growth" ("new urbanist") land use policies, which have driven up developable land prices, and in consequence house prices.

The NAHB index measures the percentage of homes sold that could be afforded by a median household family in each metropolitan area. The NAHB survey covers 186 metropolitan areas.

National Association of Home Builders Affordability Index: 4th Quarter 1998 Metropolitan Area NAHB Housing Affordability Index Rank (In Order by Most Affordable) Variation from National Average Akron, OH PMSA+ 69.1% 111 4.4% Albuquerque, NM MSA+ 63.9% 135 -3.5% Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA MSA+ 78.4% 44 18.4% Amarillo, TX MSA* 73.5% 80 11.0% Anchorage, AK MSA+ 88.1% 6 33.1% Ann Arbor, MI PMSA+ 59.3% 150 -10.4% Asheville, NC MSA* 67.1% 120 1.4% ATLANTA, GA MSA 78.8% 42 19.0% Atlantic-Cape May, NJ PMSA+ 75.6% 63 14.2% AUSTIN-SAN MARCOS, TX MSA 60.2% 146 -9.1% Bakersfield, CA MSA+ 78.4% 44 18.4% BALTIMORE, MD PMSA 76.6% 58 15.7% Barnstable-Yarmouth, MA MSA* 56.2% 157 -15.1% Baton Rouge, LA MSA+ 89.5% 3 35.2% Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX MSA+ 81.8% 25 23.6% Benton Harbor, MI MSA* 66.9% 122 1.1% BERGEN-PASSAIC, NJ PMSA 70.0% 106 5.7% Biloxi-Gulfport-Pascagoula, MS MSA+ 75.2% 67 13.6% Binghamton, NY MSA+ 88.0% 7 32.9% Birmingham, AL MSA+ 70.6% 100 6.6% BOSTON, MA-NH PMSA 66.0% 126 -0.3% Boulder-Longmont, CO PMSA+ 63.4% 138 -4.2% Brazoria, TX PMSA* 71.9% 91 8.6% Bremerton, WA PMSA* 65.9% 127 -0.5% Brownsville-Harlingen-San Benito, TX MSA+ 44.2% 174 -33.2% BUFFALO-NIAGARA FALLS, NY MSA 80.0% 32 20.8% Burlington, VT MSA* 79.0% 39 19.3% Canton-Massillon, OH MSA+ 83.1% 19 25.5% Champaign-Urbana, IL MSA* 82.0% 24 23.9% Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA+ 61.4% 145 -7.3% CHARLOTTE-GASTONIA-ROCK HILL, NC-SC MSA 61.9% 141 -6.5% CHICAGO, IL PMSA 68.3% 114 3.2% CINCINNATI, OH-KY-IN PMSA 77.0% 54 16.3% CLEVELAND-LORAIN-ELYRIA, OH PMSA 76.5% 60 15.6% Colorado Springs, CO MSA+ 61.7% 144 -6.8% Columbia, SC MSA+ 76.8% 56 16.0% Columbus, GA-AL MSA+ 66.9% 122 1.1% COLUMBUS, OH MSA 75.4% 65 13.9% DALLAS, TX PMSA 64.0% 133 -3.3% Danbury, CT PMSA* 60.0% 148 -9.4% Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL MSA+ 86.3% 11 30.4% Dayton-Springfield, OH MSA+ 83.0% 20 25.4% Daytona Beach, FL MSA+ 79.8% 35 20.5% DENVER, CO PMSA 67.9% 116 2.6% Des Moines, IA MSA+ 86.7% 10 31.0% DETROIT, MI PMSA 65.6% 128 -0.9% Duluth-Superior, MN-WI MSA* 90.9% 2 37.3% El Paso, TX MSA+ 70.8% 99 6.9% Elmira, NY MSA* 84.2% 14 27.2% Erie, PA MSA+ 65.0% 130 -1.8% Eugene-Springfield, OR MSA+ 30.4% 185 -54.1% Fargo-Moorhead, ND-MN MSA* 69.2% 110 4.5% Fayetteville, NC MSA+ 71.7% 92 8.3% Flagstaff, AZ-UT MSA* 43.4% 176 -34.4% Flint, MI PMSA+ 74.4% 74 12.4% Fort Collins-Loveland, CO MSA* 63.4% 138 -4.2% FORT LAUDERDALE, FL PMSA 70.4% 102 6.3% Fort Myers-Cape Coral, FL MSA+ 74.2% 75 12.1% Fort Pierce-Port St. Lucie, FL MSA+ 78.0% 50 17.8% Fort Walton Beach, FL MSA* 74.0% 77 11.8% FORT WORTH-ARLINGTON, TX PMSA 73.4% 81 10.9% Fresno, CA MSA+ 64.0% 133 -3.3% Gainesville, FL MSA* 63.7% 137 -3.8% Galveston-Texas City, TX PMSA* 66.1% 125 -0.2% GRAND RAPIDS-MUSKEGON-HOLLAND, MI MSA 77.7% 51 17.4% Greeley, CO PMSA* 48.6% 169 -26.6% Green Bay, WI MSA* 73.4% 81 10.9% GREENSBORO--WINSTON-SALEM--HIGH POINT, NC MSA 72.9% 84 10.1% Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson, SC MSA+ 74.6% 73 12.7% Hagerstown, MD PMSA* 85.0% 12 28.4% Hamilton-Middletown, OH PMSA+ 83.4% 16 26.0% Harrisburg-Lebanon-Carlisle, PA MSA+ 80.6% 28 21.8% HARTFORD, CT MSA 80.0% 32 20.8% Hattiesburg, MS MSA* 61.9% 141 -6.5% Honolulu, HI MSA+ 50.0% 165 -24.5% HOUSTON, TX PMSA 66.5% 124 0.5% INDIANAPOLIS, IN MSA 69.7% 107 5.3% JACKSONVILLE, FL MSA 71.4% 94 7.9% Jackson, MS MSA+ 67.3% 118 1.7% Jersey City, NJ PMSA+ 49.5% 167 -25.2% Johnson City-Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA+ 74.9% 69 13.1% Kalamazoo-Battle Creek, MI MSA+ 67.2% 119 1.5% KANSAS CITY, MO-KS MSA 78.4% 44 18.4% Knoxville, TN MSA+ 79.7% 36 20.4% Kokomo, IN MSA* 92.3% 1 39.4% Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL MSA+ 84.3% 13 27.3% Lancaster, PA MSA+ 81.6% 27 23.3% Lansing-East Lansing, MI MSA+ 74.8% 70 13.0% Laredo, TX MSA* 36.8% 183 -44.4% LAS VEGAS, NV-AZ MSA 75.4% 65 13.9% Lawrence, MA-NH PMSA+ 60.1% 147 -9.2% Lexington, KY MSA+ 75.2% 67 13.6% Lincoln, NE MSA* 79.5% 38 20.1% Little Rock-North Little Rock, AR MSA+ 72.6% 88 9.7% LOS ANGELES-LONG BEACH, CA PMSA 50.0% 165 -24.5% Louisville, KY-IN MSA+ 71.2% 96 7.6% Lowell, MA-NH PMSA+ 48.5% 170 -26.7% Mansfield, OH MSA* 82.8% 21 25.1% Medford-Ashland, OR MSA* 38.5% 182 -41.8% Melbourne-Titusville-Palm Bay, FL MSA+ 83.4% 16 26.0% MEMPHIS, TN-AR-MS MSA 70.2% 104 6.0% Merced, CA MSA* 63.8% 136 -3.6% MIAMI, FL PMSA 55.5% 159 -16.2% MIDDLESEX-SOMERSET-HUNTERDON, NJ PMSA 61.8% 143 -6.6% MILWAUKEE-WAUKESHA, WI PMSA 68.6% 113 3.6% MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL, MN-WI MSA 81.8% 25 23.6% Mobile, AL MSA+ 73.0% 83 10.3% Modesto, CA MSA+ 75.6% 63 14.2% Montgomery, AL MSA+ 70.5% 101 6.5% Naples, FL MSA* 75.7% 62 14.4% Nashua, NH PMSA* 82.8% 21 25.1% NASHVILLE, TN MSA 78.2% 48 18.1% NASSAU-SUFFOLK, NY PMSA 74.0% 77 11.8% New Bedford, MA PMSA* 55.2% 160 -16.6% New Haven-Meriden, CT PMSA+ 80.4% 30 21.5% New London-Norwich, CT-RI MSA+ 77.4% 52 16.9% NEW ORLEANS, LA MSA 72.0% 89 8.8% NEW YORK, NY PMSA 56.0% 158 -15.4% NEWARK, NJ PMSA 57.0% 155 -13.9% Newburgh, NY-PA PMSA+ 79.6% 37 20.2% NORFOLK-VIRGINIA BEACH-NEWPORT NEWS, VA-NC MSA 72.7% 87 9.8% OAKLAND, CA PMSA 47.8% 171 -27.8% Ocala, FL MSA* 78.8% 42 19.0% OKLAHOMA CITY, OK MSA 79.0% 39 19.3% Olympia, WA PMSA* 70.9% 98 7.1% ORANGE COUNTY, CA PMSA 50.8% 163 -23.3% ORLANDO, FL MSA 71.1% 97 7.4% Pensacola, FL MSA+ 77.0% 54 16.3% Peoria-Pekin, IL MSA+ 83.3% 18 25.8% PHILADELPHIA, PA-NJ PMSA 57.3% 154 -13.4% PHOENIX-MESA, AZ MSA 67.9% 116 2.6% PITTSBURGH, PA MSA 67.1% 120 1.4% Pittsfield, MA MSA* 72.9% 84 10.1% PORTLAND-VANCOUVER, OR-WA PMSA 38.7% 180 -41.5% Portsmouth-Rochester, NH-ME PMSA* 50.6% 164 -23.6% Provo-Orem, UT MSA+ 46.9% 172 -29.2% Pueblo, CO MSA* 59.2% 151 -10.6% Punta Gorda, FL MSA* 79.9% 34 20.7% Racine, WI PMSA* 74.7% 72 12.8% RALEIGH-DURHAM-CHAPEL HILL, NC MSA 64.7% 132 -2.3% Reading, PA MSA+ 76.1% 61 15.0% Redding, CA MSA* 64.8% 131 -2.1% Reno, NV MSA+ 69.5% 109 5.0% Richmond-Petersburg, VA MSA+ 76.6% 58 15.7% RIVERSIDE-SAN BERNARDINO, CA PMSA 71.7% 92 8.3% ROCHESTER, NY MSA 78.9% 41 19.2% Rockford, IL MSA+ 88.2% 5 33.2% SACRAMENTO, CA PMSA 68.8% 112 3.9% Saginaw-Bay City-Midland, MI MSA+ 78.2% 48 18.1% Salem, OR PMSA+ 44.8% 173 -32.3% Salinas, CA MSA+ 38.7% 180 -41.5% SALT LAKE CITY-OGDEN, UT MSA 51.7% 162 -21.9% SAN ANTONIO, TX MSA 68.3% 114 3.2% SAN DIEGO, CA MSA 43.9% 175 -33.7% SAN FRANCISCO, CA PMSA 19.9% 186 -69.9% SAN JOSE, CA PMSA 38.8% 179 -41.4% San Luis Obispo-Atascadero-Paso Robles, CA MSA* 40.3% 178 -39.1% Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Lompoc, CA MSA+ 49.5% 167 -25.2% Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA PMSA* 32.0% 184 -51.7% Santa Rosa, CA PMSA+ 42.6% 177 -35.6% Sarasota-Bradenton, FL MSA+ 73.6% 79 11.2% SEATTLE-BELLEVUE-EVERETT, WA PMSA 56.8% 156 -14.2% Springfield, IL MSA* 89.1% 4 34.6% Springfield, MA MSA+ 80.1% 31 21.0% Stockton-Lodi, CA MSA+ 58.1% 152 -12.2% ST. LOUIS, MO-IL MSA 74.8% 70 13.0% Syracuse, NY MSA+ 84.1% 15 27.0% Tacoma, WA PMSA+ 63.0% 140 -4.8% Tallahassee, FL MSA+ 77.4% 52 16.9% TAMPA-ST. PETERSBURG-CLEARWATER, FL MSA 71.4% 94 7.9% Toledo, OH MSA+ 78.3% 47 18.3% Tucson, AZ MSA+ 65.6% 128 -0.9% Tulsa, OK MSA+ 74.1% 76 11.9% Utica-Rome, NY MSA+ 87.7% 9 32.5% Vallejo-Fairfield-Napa, CA PMSA+ 57.8% 153 -12.7% Ventura, CA PMSA+ 54.3% 161 -18.0% Visalia-Tulare-Porterville, CA MSA+ 72.9% 84 10.1% WASHINGTON, DC-MD-VA-WV PMSA 80.5% 29 21.6% Waterbury, CT PMSA* 70.2% 104 6.0% West Palm Beach-Boca Raton, FL MSA+ 72.0% 89 8.8% Williamsport, PA MSA* 76.7% 57 15.9% Wilmington-Newark, DE-MD PMSA+ 88.0% 7 32.9% Worcester, MA-CT PMSA+ 70.3% 103 6.2% Yolo, CA PMSA* 60.0% 148 -9.4% Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA+ 82.3% 23 24.3% Yuba City, CA MSA* 69.7% 107 5.3% Average 66.2%

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