Affordability Index
Alright, I’m the first to admit that data and data points can really numb your senses. This being said, I’m a data junky. If you’re a data junky too, I highly recommend that you check out the sparkly-new, uber-dynamic, Housing + Transportation Affordability Index, developed by CNT and its collaborative partners, the Center for Transit Oriented Development (CTOD). The Index is a super-interactive map loaded with intriguing (and sometimes not terribly surprising) insight into the cost of location.
The Index maps provide data for the years 2000 and 2008, enabling comparisons for the eight-year period between annual household gasoline expenses, monthly household transportation expenses (including vehicle purchase price, insurance and maintenance) and monthly household transportation expenditures as a percent of income. Across the 52 metro areas studied (including Portland), residents spent a combined $107.4 billion more on gasoline in 2008 than in 2000, an average increase regionally of 155%.
As expected, the differences between walkable and transit-friendly urban areas and more auto-centric suburbs is downright wicked. Definitely look at the advanced features that delve down into income and housing costs, as well as fuel use. This tool enables some very simple and clear deduction. The Index provides the ‘meat’ to an assumption that many of us hold: gas prices are hurting those who have fewer transportation choices far more than those who have access to a diverse transportation infrastructure that enables choice (e.g., bike, bus, MAX), and neighborhoods that enable a walkable lifestyle.
I gave up my car and that enabled me to live downtown. It’s definitely a trade-off—unless your wealthy—but cars (and all the stuff that goes with them) are really expensive. I tend to think that they are the luxury and living centrally is the necessity.
Oooops! Damn bloodies at Broder—how about you’re instead of your????
It’s really interesting to see the difference between Portland and Vancouver, WA. I ran into someone a few weeks ago from the ‘Couv who told me her family is spending roughly between $600 -$700 bucks a month now on gas and really between commuting for work, and SUV they can’t get rid of, and suburban living the requires driving everywhere they are stuck with the arrangement for now. That’s insane - that’s the cost of my monthly mortgage payment (sans taxes and insurance).
I too pretty much gave up my car a year ago (still own it, it was sitting in my driveway for a year and is now on permanent loan to a friend)and really haven’t missed it. Luckily I work downtown, live in inner NE within walking distance of lots of shops (including a New Seasons) and am 1 block from a very frequent (and easy) bus line to MAX, Rose Quarter Transit Center and downtown. However, I am also a household of one who can usual work from home as desired, and I don’t need to buy much nor take kids to and from school, activities, etc. I borrow my car now about 1x a week for errands or just rent a car for longer trips (car rentals are CHEAP right now between $18 and $22 a day), other times I just bike, walk or bus it. Late at night I cab it on occasion, but usually after a drink or three so I don’t really want to drive then anyway. I was going to buy a new (or newish) car this year, but now, nah. I’m going to stay carless for a while longer for sure.
I was also really disappointed in FlexCar. It seems to make absolutely no financial sense to me to join given their fees and hourly rates. Am I the only one here who feels this way?
Anyway, rambling off topic…but Portland is so much better prepared than so many other American cities right now who have experienced abandonment of their downtowns and inner ring older “street car suburbs” and have instead focused on suburban auto-oriented sprawl for both housing and job centers (mmmm Atlanta anyone?). And sure, I’ll be the first to criticize TriMet (broken ticket machines, lame service routes North to South from NE to SE), but I couldn’t have gone carless as long as I have without them, and overall I’m pretty satisfied with the arrangement.
[...] July 11, 2008 — Affordability Index (3) [...]
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