This would probably be something more appropriate for <a href="http://bendoregonbubble.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Bubble Boy</a>, but I didn't have his email address (use this site's "whisper" function if you have it and can send it to me for future reference). But <a href="http://www.opb.org" target="_blank">OPB</a> has a series on their site about <a href="http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/opb/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=954603" target="_blank">affordable housing</a>, <a href="http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/opb/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=955101" target="_blank">ton of jobs and lack of employes</a>, and <a href="http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/opb/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=955644" target="_blank">the promise of Juniper Ridge</a>. Interesting series, but not really news to locals. Affordable housing is going by the wayside (the city council certainly isn't helping things), especially now that many of the area's mobile home parks are closing down. The job postings in Central Oregon are generally full of two kinds of jobs: entry-level monkey jobs that pay minimum wage, or upper level jobs that don't pay nearly what they're worth. And I personally don't know enough about Juniper Ridge to make an educated opinion about it.
What does everybody think about growth in Central Oregon? Are my opinions shared, or am I a blithering idiot? :wink:
I've asked the question for years now about the industry that is supposed to support the population growth. Where is it? The construction market? HA! Isnt that a little like the classic married with children episode when peggy started selling make-up.... to herself for the comission checks. Eventually the market will dry up when everyone realizes that there are not jobs here to support thier standard of living, hence the point Jake brought up about the upper level jobs that pay crap. I'm a renter here in Bend, and I've been one since I've moved here. I'm a renter because I cant afford a house on top of car payments, internet, co-lo fees, insurance, food, entertainment...etc. I suppose that if I gave some fun up to own my own home, I would be able, but thats the last thing I want to do. If only I could get my delorean up to 88mph I would go back to the 80's and buy as much land as possible here in Bend when it was dirt cheap and take advantage of the crazy price increases around here today(I mean last year). I think Jake posted somthing about this a couple of years back about in the 80's when downtown looked like a slum. Some of the largest employers in central oregon dont even pay their employees enough for them to be able to afford to purchase a home in bend. The businesses should NOT have to pay more based on property value, but I just used that as an example of the skewed market here. After reading the article about Juniper Ridge that Jake linked to, I have to laugh. It sounds like more of the same thing that people have been trying to do here for years now, eveyone seems to want to make Bend into somthing more like where they transplanted from.
To quote John Hummell in the article he says:[quote]"I see little wine bars and coffee shops, and parks and apartment units, and houses and employers that are paying $20-an-hour wages and up, with health care."[/quote] ... ok John I can understand the idea and it sounds good..but this is Oregon pal, $20/hr jobs are hard to get AND I seriously doubt that someone making $20/hr could even afford a home in Juniper Ridge, trust me that number is VERY VERY familiar. $20/hr in Prineville/Madras/Terrabonne/La Pine could buy you a house and have enough to have a great family life. $20/hr in Bend nope. You could rent a nice place, get a car, good internet connection, co-lo a few servers, buy food, and watch a few movies a month for that much, but any more then that and your pushing it. I left Redmond out because I'm not sure what $20/hr would get you there.
I like it here, but I've almost moved a few times this past year to get away from the prices, people and traffic. I like eugene and I would move back to portland, but Bend still does it for me. The time will come though when my fiance and I decide to buy a home and start a family and I promise you that we would be moving out of here quick. That is of course unless I can get my delorean up to 88 with my new flux capacitor and Mr. Fusion, then my point of view would be VERY different.