Housing: The Bay Area's Challenge of the '80s: Fid-Bau Portal

Housing: The Bay Area's Challenge of the '80s

This report identifies the causes, effects, and seriousness of the housing supply and cost problems of the nine - county San Francisco Bay area of California. The report is based on a comprehensive inventory of data on Bay Area housing demand, construction, and affordability, as well as regional growth and land use; separate attitude surveys of the region's local elected and planning officials, corporate executives, and residential builders; and a sampling of regional public opinion on housing. The critical housing problems being faced by the Bay area are an inadequate supply of housing and rapidly rising home prices and rents. For example, prices of single - family homes have a median which is 76 percent higher than the national median. In addition, median home values have increased twice as fast as median income over the past 5 years. Despite a shortage of as many as 65,000 housing units, housing production as a risky and unprofitable venture due to rapid cost increases. Population and job growth over the next decade will require 45,000 to 65,000 new housing units each year. To expand the housing supply, especially in rental units and lower - cost housing, numerous changes are needed. Policy changes should include an increase in the densities for new housing in areas which are already urbanized and a simplification of development procedures. Better communication to the public and organization of prohousing coalitions are needed to counteract negative public attitudes toward new housing. Corporations should become involved in housing issues by acting as housing advocates, helping secure land or financing for new housing, and expanding in areas with the greatest potential for new housing construction. Photographs and figures are supplied. Staff and committee members of the Bay Area Council are listed.