The stage was set back in the early 90s, when the region adopted growth management--the concept of drawing a line and stopping urban sprawl. It took a decade-and-a-half, but we're now up against that line and feeling the pinch of running out of land. Up Front this week, University of Washington economics professor Theo Eicher argues that regulations such as growth management, have driven up the cost of homes. But Sightline, formerly Northwest Environment Watch, says it's not possible to draw any conclusions from a crazy real estate market. Sightline argues that if local zoning laws are changed, developers should have the ability to build "up" and add more affordable housing.
What do you think of us living closer together these days? Has growth management worked? What struck me most about this issue, is what analyst Suzanne Britsch pointed out, that new single-family construction will dwindle over the next decade in King County--to be replaced by multi-family attached structures. Will we end up like San Francisco where living in a single-family home with a lot is a luxury?
As land gets more scarce and expensive, developers are being forced to put more homes on smaller lots. The net result is we're living closer together than ever before. Are you willing to trade some privacy for an urban village and a planned community?
Robert,
Urban Villages may be working to meet the Growth Management Act (GMA), but I'm afraid it's been at the cost of fire safety for homeowners.
These homes are built so close together there is not enough access between homes for firefighters to ladder a home and rescue victims, nor can they [firefighters] set up an effective water shield to protect one home from another when it's on fire.
Take a look at the aerial shot you folks had on your program. Imagine 4 fire engines, one command unit and a medic unit trying to access a home towards the end of the street. Worse yet, due to the narrow streets, imagine trying to turn around and get out for another call [you can't], or heaven forbid the units took the wrong turn. They're trapped like the rest of the homeowners.
You'd think we would have learned from the Chicago fire and many like them. Developers have figured out a way to beat the automatic sprinkler issue required of condominiums... put space between them! No regulation on the books for this in King County. You can't put this many people in a tight location and not have in place fire prevention measures.
If it's predictable, it's preventable!
Gary Faucett
Fire Chief
Lake Stevens
It must be nice to see life through the eyes of an economist, so simple and shortsighted. Supply and demand is the classic economist argument. (It is the same argument President Bush came armed with when visiting the Saudis and failed because supply and demand is the problem. In the 70’s when we they were rationing gas and there were outrageous prices the supply and demand argument was applicable but when I go to fill up I can buy as much gas as my vehicle can hold and so can everyone else – but the price of gas is still increasing.) The housing market is a buyers market right now, partly because there are more homes on the market than there are buyers – more supply than there is demand. This reality directly contradicts the argument that our housing prices are unaffordable because we limit sprawl through growth management. Housing is unaffordable because for too long prices have not reflected realistic incomes of many working Americans and the growth of our energy economy has slowed down as it becomes more expensive to extract energy resources that were once much easier and cheaper to access. Also, the Bush plan to strategically lower the U.S. dollar in an effort to help America compete in the global economy has backfired making it more difficult to afford basic necessities. The bursting of the housing market is forcing Americans to realize they are living unsustainably and beyond their means. I am looking forward to the time when homes are treated as homes first and targets of speculative investment second rather than the other way around. Then more working families could afford their own homes that are close to where they work.
It is the same argument President Bush came armed with when visiting the Saudis and failed because supply and demand is NOT the problem.
last night on king5 news, i saw an airial view of our house on tv, on this report!
we have lived in issy highlands for 2 years now, we live on the village green, the round shaped green where the community center blakely hall is.our daughter was married recently, on the village green and blakely hall, it was such a wonderful setting.
we love it here, it reminds us so much of england where we are from..... small yards are great, who wants to spend thier weekends doing tons of yard work? low house maintenance, front verandahs that overlook parks, landscaping all around... tons of trails and parks to walk our dogs, and best of all.... we actualy see people out and about, and talk to our neighbors, instead of hiding behind closed doors. the emphasis is on people, rather than cars...hence the narrow roads. of course, there are those that live up here who just dont get the concept, hopefuly they will move back to the more traditional american style living. meanwhile bring it on, we love it...and so do the other 3,000 home owners who live here....
thanks for reading...
lynne trowern, manchester court, village green
What about smaller homes on smaller lots? The "McMansions" and other over-sized homes that developers insist on continuing to build are a drain on resources and the homeowner's pocketbook. My husband and I were very happy to sell our 2,100 square foot Seattle home several years ago. Now we live in a 1,000 sq. ft. home and we love it!