Letters – April 8

, Apr 7, 2009, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (2 Reader comments)

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Responsible reporting vs. doom and gloom

Regarding the April 1 cover story in The Outlook; Gresham feels the pinch of …FORECLOSURE, by Outlook staff writer Mara Stine. This is yet another example of the doom and gloom journalism that has helped to stymie consumer confidence across our nation.

Stine has used statistics to cause fear and alarm in our community without including any of the positive aspects, which offer balanced reporting about this same issue. The Realty/Trac source of statistics is a foreclosure revenue generated based Web site out of California. The statistical chart found on this site is pulling comparison numbers from January 2009 compared to January 2008 and ranks Oregon at No. 9 worst in foreclosures from those date ranges. I also reviewed statistical information from REIsource.com that has Oregon ranked the No. 11 lowest in foreclosures compared to all states right now. I also pulled a report from the local Regional Multiple Listing Service, (RMLS) which shows that pending sales of homes in East County went up 26.4 percent from fourth quarter 2008 compared to the first quarter of 2009.

These are facts of what is happening here based on right now numbers, not a California-based Web site using a date spread during a year of the greatest economic slide anyone has seen in a long, long time. Numbers can be made to look however you want, (isn’t that how we got in this mess) or can be pulled from sources, which in this case apparently support the doom and gloom article presented. President Obama has asked us all to do our part to help pull this economy up. Please stop the journalistic bleeding. Why was the $8,000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers that does not need to repaid not included in the article? Why were the local, real time, what’s happening now statistics not included in this article? Why were the absolutely incredible low interest rates for mortgages now available not included in this article? This is a great time to buy a home, a great time to pull together as a community and a great time to be doing our part to help America, not perpetuate fear with the stroke of a pen half empty.

Jon Hull

Executive Officer

East Metro Association of Realtors

Portland

Writer doesn’t trust TriMet’s plans

On the surface, more mass transit may sound like a good idea, and probably in another form or under the stewardship of another entity, it still is. But, looking at what the east side MAX has already brought us sheds a different light on the prospect of more TriMet MAX lines as we plan for the future of our region.

A corridor of crime, high density/low income housing and generational poverty has developed along a large portion of the eastside light rail line, negatively impacting livability and driving down property values in those areas.

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