Housing Market Conditions in Tourism-Dependent Municipalities

Overview

The issue of affordable housing has reached crisis levels in communities across the US over the past two decades. Rapid and dramatic increases in real estate prices have outpaced real income for a wide swathe of the population, including in Washington State. These pressures were more intense in places where either natural or cultural amenities provided attractive recreational opportunities.

The Washington State Legislature asked the Metro Center to conduct a comprehensive study on housing market conditions in tourism-dependent municipalities. This study aims to explore various aspects of housing affordability and workforce housing in these unique communities. Key objectives include examining nationwide policies supporting affordable housing, analyzing the correlation between rising area median incomes and housing costs, and assessing the equitable distribution of state housing funds across urban and rural regions. Additionally, the study investigates state policies affecting housing costs in rural areas, identifies strategies to enhance local government revenue flexibility, and evaluates the outcomes of these strategies in supporting workforce housing initiatives.

Metropolitan Center for Applied Research and Extension

• Brad Gaolach, Ph.D., Director, Professor of Community and Economic Development, WSU Extension
• Martha Aitken, BASW, Assistant Director
• Jody Norman, MA, MCRP, Urban Extension Specialist

Researchers (listed alphabetically)

• Mark Beattie, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, School of Hospitality and Business Management, WSU Everett
• Anthony Gill, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Washington
• Gabriella Reznowski, MLIS, Business and Economics Librarian, WSU Pullman
• Jessica Schad, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Sociology, Utah State University
• Jennifer Sherman, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Sociology, WSU Pullman
• Alex Theophilus, Sociology Ph.D. Student, Utah State University
• Barbara Tolbert, Mayor (2011-2023), City of Arlington, WA