Have Housing Prices Risen Faster In Portland Than Elsewhere?

This study provides initial evidence that an urban growth boundary or other stringent land-use controls can, at least for a short period, exert upward pressure on the rate of increase of housing prices, if it is combined with other factors. Because Portland, OR, is one of the few large U.S. metropolitan areas that have implemented an effective regional urban growth boundary for many years, what has happened to housing prices there is of great interest to many groups. Proponents and critics of urban growth boundaries each make arguments regarding the effect of these boundaries on home prices. Before either side can develop its arguments further, it would be desirable to know just how fast housing prices have risen in the Portland region, compared to other regions across the nation. This article focuses on that question, and examines some factors that may have influenced home prices in the Portland region and elsewhere.

Thanks to Kurt Sommer