Jan 26, 2022
In this episode, we’re focusing, on what’s become an historic time for housing. The COVID-19 pandemic, labor, trucking, infrastructure and chip shortages and challenges, along with record low mortgage rates, are all combining to fuel record spikes in housing prices in Oregon, Washington, and much of the rest of the country. I talked to an expert about why this is happening. First, Dr. Frank Nothaft is the Chief Economist at CoreLogic, who studies homes for a living. I asked him what’s causing the current price hikes, his predictions for next year, and advice for local home owners, sellers and buyers. Also: the higher housing prices: make housing unaffordable for many younger people: Portland State University has found the pandemic’s heightened a crisis of homeless and food insecure students, and even some staff. A survey of PSU students found that since the pandemic started, more than sixty percent say they’ve struggled with meeting basic needs, like housing and food. We discussed that with Stevie, a homeless student who had to live out of his car while working and trying to get an education. And with Oregon Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici who met with him and others recently at PSU. And: we’ll hear how a program that helps homeless families transition into homes and stay there, has won national recognition and a couple million dollars to go along with it.