Month: August 2024
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The Week Observed, August 30, 2024
What City Observatory Did This Week There’s no evidence of a housing bubble. Strong Towns Chuck Marohn has a recent blog post proclaiming that the US housing market is the midst of another bubble, similar to 2008. But a closer look at housing market fundamentals, especially mortgage debt, shows few parallels to that earlier debacle.…
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Another housing bubble brewing? Not really
Another housing bubble? Strong Towns Chuck Marohn argues that we’re in the midst of another housing bubble. He claims the housing market is full of fraud and is a bubble that’s “ready to pop,” just like in 2008. Is there really a new housing bubble? Marohn’s cites the surge in house prices and worries about…
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City Observatory’s Joe Cortright on the Housing Bubble–2005
In an op-ed published in the Portland, Oregonian on July 17, 2005, City Observatory director Joe Cortright predicted that the US was in the throes of a housing bubble. The text of this op-ed follows: THE ECONOMIST: High-flying house prices fueled by fervor can’t last July 17, 2005 | Oregonian, The (Portland, OR) Author/Byline: JOE CORTRIGHT;…
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The Week Observed, August 23, 2024
What City Observatory Did This Week How Metro’s RTP illegally favors driving and violates state climate rules. Oregon’s planning rules require Portland area transportation plans to prioritize investments that reduce vehicle miles traveled–but the region’s transportation plan illegally prioritizes spending for freeway expansions. Metro’s adopted Regional Transportation Plan devotes most of its resources to providing additional…
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How Metro’s RTP Illegally favors car travel and violates climate rules
Oregon’s planning rules require Portland area transportation plans to prioritize investments that reduce vehicle miles traveled Metro’s adopted Regional Transportation Plan devotes most of its resources to providing additional capacity for car travel Metro’s own climate analysis shows investments in roads are the least effective way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Transit, biking, walking and…
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The Week Observed, August 16, 2024
Must Read Portland advocates sue to block Rose Quarter Freeway widening. There’s a new chapter in the long-running battle to block the Oregon Department of Transportation’s I-5 Rose Quarter Freeway widening project, a 10-lane mile and a half expansion that has quadrupled in cost to $1.9 billion. Local advocates, led by No More Freeways, have…