I just want to say that Lookout Eugene-Springfield’s series on housing this week is very well done and much needed. I am hoping that this makes the rounds and other news teams pick it up.

People in our profession have been shouting that we need jobs, we need business here (from small business to larger), private employment from startups to long-established companies.

We are seeing this strange thing happening where we have net-negative job creation, coupled with trying to build housing while we have in-migration of more than a thousand people per year in the county. I believe it will begin to cause stress on the existing labor market while unemployment rises due to no jobs.

Our educated youth and recent graduates leave the community for larger metros. As it lasts, there is more stress on our public services, there is less payroll tax revenue, the city becomes less prosperous and will create an overall lower standard of living for the average worker, and increasing pressure on local government in all areas.

The biggest warning sign is not population growth, but private-sector job loss over many years. I think we are at the point of long-term stagnation becoming a real risk.

Again, thanks for tackling this. Great series that every household should see.

Tim Campbell
Owner and principal broker,
Campbell Commercial Real Estate
Eugene