Hey, this could be good. There's another interesting dimension to our panel. You all know the esteemed Rich Rogers from his leg-wrestling and work for Comm. Sten at the City of Portland, but here's a little known fact from the distant past: unless my memory is shot, Rich is remembered around the Metro Council offices for his work over ten years ago on the 2040 growth concept with Councilor Don Morissette, who is also one of the leading homebuilders in the suburbs. The combo of working for Morissette and Sten (who are very different from one another but are both really good guys in my opinion) gives Rich an unusual breadth of experience.

Here's a related question for Rich who has seen both sides of it: ten years ago, who would have predicted that now poverty is rising in the suburbs while meantime traditionally suburban developers have shifted to building rowhouses within the city limits of Portland?

And we've got our fourth panelist! Windermere agent Michelle Reeves, who's done extensive commercial real estate work in North and Northeast Portland. She's smart as hell on the changing dynamics of residential neighborhoods, and how that influences the adjacent commercial districts. WW caught up with her in 2005: http://www.wweek.com/editorial/3146/6755

look on "wikipedia" for a good description of gentrification

Thanks for putting the leg wrestle thing out there. I like to keep my best moves secret.

There are many different 'segments' of the housing market, like different parts of the proverbial elephant. The suburban housing market has its own logic, as does the market serving seniors and the disabled making say $20,000 a year or less. What works for one segment doesn't work for the other.

To partially answer David's question, actually, a lot of people saw scary trends in N/NE in 1994 when I started on these issues. Housing prices were skyrocketing, and that trend has obviously continued.

As far as the "poverty rising in the suburbs" vs. new Portland rowhouses question goes, I think there are better ways of describing what's happening. First of all, prices are up all over, not just in Portland. Middle and low income renters are being pushed to the lowest cost areas. In my experience, which is focused on the city of Portland, these low cost areas are those neighborhoods that were unincorporated Multnomah County until the sewer annexations of the last 15-20 years.

The unincorporated areas have deficient infrastructure--overcrowded schools, unpaved streets, no sidewalks, not enough parks, poor traffic signaling, etc. These neighborhoods are also undergoing big changes ethnically and culturally, and the social networks are being remade from scratch.

A key message I want to convey, albeit briefly: it's less expensive, by far, to proactively help people with housing than it is to mop up the financial problems of the schools and other public services down the road.

Many people in this debate will try to make the case for one ideology versus another. Me, I believe in Portland's and Oregon's brilliant innovations in planning and public involvement of the past 40 or so years, but I also believe that our efforts are flawed and weak in places--as anything is.

The key, IMHO, is to be aware, open-minded, and pursuant of justice, not doctrine. I'll leave it at that for now.

I hate to get all technical here, but Rich actually challenged a steel cage match, not a leg wrestling match, to mayoral staffer Kyle Chisek.

One just bruises your legs, the other "takes you, and breaks you."

In the interest of harmony, I am willing to arm wrestle anyone who thinks that arm wrestling might lead to harmony.

Rich, I swear to god, I'm bringing around an A-frame ladder and a chain-mail glove just to give you a noogie, and a vice grip to give you an atomic wedgie.

Why? Because.

And by Scoot, I obviously mean Scott. Goddamn my elementary school nicknames showing up in my own signatures.

I'm certainly not helping myself out here, but if you really want to muster a real talent in the arm wrasslin world, track down Portland fire fighter Bob Lemon. He's known as a real wrestler (coach) and all-around badass.

Here's what I'm willing to say publicly: I think I have a chance to take him in an arm wrassling match.

Maybe you could ask Bob if he's feeling lucky?

Details on the Portland Mercury Strong Man Arm Rassling Competition between Rich Rodgers at the entire Portland Fire Bureau (past and present) are forthcoming.

Because this is clearly spinning out of control, let me say that I will only agree to arm wrestle one (1) Bob Lemon.

Beyond that, I need to at least incorporate some handicapping. Those young guys are flipping strong.

Chicken.

You've obviously never seen Bob Lemon.

Sorry, what? I couldn't hear you through all the clucking.

I know you are but what am I?

Boys, boys...do I have to pull this car over?

Hose those boys down, Randy!