Posts by Lisa Sturtevant — Guest Contributor
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Does job growth strengthen a region’s housing market?
In 2015, home prices in the DC region appreciated more slowly than in any of the other 15 largest metro areas in the US. We also had pretty weak job growth last year, with the number of jobs increasing by just 1.6 percent over 2014. So weak job growth means a lousy housing market, and vice versa, right? Well, maybe… but maybe not. Keep reading…
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Here’s how incomes have changed in DC since 2000
Over 20% of DC’s households make less than $25,000 per year. About the same number make over $150,000. That first group has has shrunk since 2000, when it accounted for over 30% of the population, while the number of high-income residents has more than doubled. Keep reading…
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How do we solve the housing affordability crisis?
This is the last in a 5-part series about how the Washington metropolitan area can provide housing options for its growing workforce. Read part 1, part 2, part 3, and part 4. The Washington region is a victim of its own success when it comes to housing affordability. Our region’s strong and steady economic growth continues to generate high demand for housing from new workers. Keep reading…
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Why can’t we build enough housing?
This is the fourth in a 5-part series about how the Washington metropolitan area can provide housing options for its growing workforce. Read part 1, part 2, and part 3. Almost everyone would agree that we have an affordability problem here in the Washington region. We have argued that localities are neither planning for, nor facilitating, a sufficient supply of housing at all… Keep reading…
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Local regulations make new housing more costly
This is the third in a 5-part series about how the Washington metropolitan area can provide housing options for its growing workforce. Read part 1 and part 2. Obtaining local government approval of a development plan is often a complex, costly, and time consuming process. It is no wonder that new housing units in the Washington area are increasingly unaffordable for households… Keep reading…
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Washington’s economic future depends on more housing
This is the second in a 5-part series about how the Washington metropolitan area can provide housing options for its growing workforce. Read part 1. Is the Washington region building enough housing, or the right types of housing, for the future? At current rates, probably not, and that risks stifling the region’s economic vitality. Over the next 20 years, the Washington… Keep reading…
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DC area incomes fall behind skyrocketing housing costs
This is the first in a 5-part series about how the Washington metropolitan area can provide housing options for its growing workforce. It’s no secret that the Washington area housing market is one of the most expensive in the country. With median home prices well above the national average and rents continuing to rise, finding affordable housing can be a challenge for area… Keep reading…