Anonymous Jun 12, 2016 at 1:44 am

Comments

1
They did do their research - and after researching they immediately realized that housing and rent prices in Portland were still well below that of every other major west coast city, and that they could afford to pay more than most existing Portlanders like yourself.

Actually, the more people research about Portland and its relative affordability compared with other big cities, not to mention the quality of life, restaurant scene, and everything else that's nice about Portland if you have a decent paying job or a trust fund, the more they will continue to move here and increase the competition that is already apparently too much for you and your (lack of a?) skill set. Sucks to be you, I guess.
3
another "missed the opportunity" post. Sorry you didn't see it coming. West Coast City, should have been enough of a clue. Save for the future (home).... not a backpacking trip with the buddies.
5
Can't wait for the next hot city to take over for Portland. Maybe PandaPDX and FlavioSuave can sell and move there together! Buy a triplex so they can live off of the rent they gouge off of the people who move there because it's cool!
6
Flavio, you fail to account for the depressed wages in Portland. They're far below those of the other big west coast cities. So your conclusion is automatically based on a false premise.

Don't think it was necessary to go PandaPDX at the end there either. He's enough of douche for the both of you. Just sit back and leave the assholery to the expert.
7
pollo is on to something. A Portland techie just got transferred, the company did not pay for the exit move, their house is selling for 24% below "market value". Move along, move along.
8
TrayvonNorris, I think it's time to move out of your parents garage.... Wait, that mean you have to get a job and we both know that's not happening.... you're probably thinking, "after the next WOW expansion I'll move. I promise Mom!"
9
^ Ooohhh, the ol' "still living at home with mom" joke. Good one dipshit!!!

I award you ZERO points for creativity. Now get out there and improve your home you lucky homeowner you.
10
TrayvonNorris - Portland's current minimum wage is $9.25/hr. Los Angeles minimum wage is $9/hr. Granted I was educated in Portland Public Schools, but my math tells me that $9.25/hr is actually above $9/hr, not "way below."

Also if you just take a quick look at the Housing Affordability Index, which calculates how easily a family making the median income for a region can make the monthly payment on an average priced house for the area, Portland is still light years more affordable than LA, San Francisco, San Jose, and San Diego (it's actually almost equal to Seattle, which was a surprise to me).

So if you're a loser who can't hack it in Portland, I guess that makes you a bigger loser than someone who can't hack it in another major west coast city? I don't know. I'll leave it to PandaPDX, since he is apparently the resident expert on losers.
11
Flavio - I wasn't specifically referring to the minimum wage is those cities. The current minimum wage anywhere in this country isn't a livable wage. Also, I feel your analysis of the available affordable housing & median family income is a complete red herring. There is a dearth of affordable housing in Portland. I don't think that's debatable. Also, 50% of families in Portland don't make enough to qualify on a purchase of a home at the median selling price in Portland.

So, you point to how Portland is "technically" more affordable than those other big west coast cities, but real jobs that pay real wages are more plentiful there than in Portland. Also, make no mistake about it, the cost of living (all things considered) in Portland is going nowhere but up, just like it has been for years.

I don't give 2 shits about the millennials that can't afford Portland because they don't wanna work more than 20hrs/wk and that need 4 or 5 roommates to survive here. At a certain point, that becomes a lifestyle choice, but a couple (sans kids) making $50000/year each can't even dream of buying a 600-700ft2 house in this city. Shoeboxes like that are going for $400K easily these days. The reality on the ground is completely in-congruent with the statistics you point to. I can completely understand how easy it is to lose sight of the reality on the ground when you don't have going concern issues, but when you've actually had to work yourself out of those conditions in today's economic environment, it's also easy to sympathize with those that work for a better life that they'll probably never see.

That last sentence sums up exactly why I'd love to see PandaPDX get knocked down a few rungs on the socio-economic ladder. That would be the only thing that may impart him with a shred of humility. Sadly, dicks like him rarely get what they deserve.
12
Didn't a study just come out that said you need to make $19/hr just to afford to rent a one bedroom in Portland? What we need is more jobs paying that wage, instead we have people who move here for the "lifestyle" that don't bring jobs with them. Not including those who "work from home" but still get Palo Alto wages, of course. They have no problem buying or renting the fancy new homes and apartments that are replacing more affordable housing.
13
The cost of housing is simply out of sync with wages and the other costs of living. Lenders and landlords still use the old formulas which assume housing costs of more than 30-33% of income rules a perspective buyer or renter out, even though half of renters in Portland pay 70% or more if their income on housing and most, buyers or renters, shell out more than 30-33%.

That can render housing "unaffordable" even for those who CAN , in real life, "afford" it, having adapted to the reality of costlier housing. I just moved and barely squeaked by the income requirement for my new apartment, even though it rents for less than I was paying, I live frugally and have few other debts/bills, and save a significant amount monthly. For the same reason, I wasn't able to secure funding to buy, despite having 10% down in the bank, good credit, and a demonstrated ability to make the payments.

Yes, we need higher wages, but we also need to bring housing costs back into some semblance of rational relationship to the general cost of living. Otherwise, wages will never rise enough to keep up.

14
Oh shit Raven!!! I think you just summoned the Gracken. The Dark Douche Overlord PandaPDX will be here any minute to shame you for not seeing all of this coming and for not making better financial decisions. Not only is he clueless, he's merciless in his assessments. Run for cover!!!!!!
15
"Didn't a study just come out that said you need to make $19/hr just to afford to rent a one bedroom in Portland?"

pollo, it's $33/hr in Los Angeles, which also happens to be the city where people spend the highest percentage of their income on rent. http://www.scpr.org/blogs/economy/2015/0…

Obviously this isn't to say people struggling in Portland do not deserve sympathy - it is tough out there in every city, and Portland is no exception. But it happens to still be the easiest to "make it" in Portland, relatively speaking, even accounting for the lower salaries.

"The reality on the ground is completely in-congruent with the statistics you point to."

Travyon, it's not in-congruent at all. The statistics don't say it isn't difficult in Portland, just that it is relatively less difficult compared with Los Angeles, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, San Diego, etc.

The only thing that is going to make a significant dent in affordability at this point is ramping up supply, but as soon as new apartments start going up the same people bitch about how it's "changing" and "ruining" Portland. Perhaps it's a lose-lose situation, but I'd rather have a "ruined" Portland that is relatively affordable for the average Raven333 than another San Francisco.
16
Flavio, the new housing being built here is only "affordable" when measured against some of the higher dollar per ft2 rates currently charged today. I wouldn't call $1200-1400/month for a shoebox studio "affordable" housing. Well, maybe it is if you judging by the fact that some people can afford that rate. More housing does NOT = cheaper housing.

"If we've already become "Seattle Lite" in terms of West Coast affordability, how long before we're "San Francisco Jr.?" Nobody at $20/hr is "making it" in Portland. They're simply subsisting, or have multiple roommates and virtually zero add'l overhead.

Personally, I can afford Portland, I'm just not sure how much longer I want to based on what this city has become and will become in the next few years. New York, Chicago, SanFran, LA... I can see people wanting to move to places like those for the big city experience and diversity. Portland just doesn't seem to make sense as destination anymore. This city is about as diverse as an ice cream store that only sells different varieties of vanilla. We're not a big city and we'll never be one based on the constraints with our infrastructure.

I sure will miss the outdoors and beer here in the NW when the time comes to move though.
17
The key is to live in Portland and have Air BNBs in Pacifica and San Diego. Did you guy's even go to college?

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