Four the Future - December 17

Today: Housing, casinos, panhandling, and community organizing. Theme? We don't need no stinkin' theme....

• U.S. Home Prices Face 3-Year Drop as Inventory Surge Looms
  Source: Bloomberg; September 15, 2010
  Summary: After the exuberant homebuilding over the past decade and the foreclosure crisis, the nation is facing a much larger inventory of housing than is necessary to house the population. Homebuyers sense that there’s too much inventory, and seem to be waiting for prices to keep coming down. The median price of a previously owned home is $182,600, equivalent to 2003 levels. Analysts are predicting a further price drop of 5% to up to 15%. In Nevada, 68% of homes were "underwater," or more money was owed on the mortgage than the house was worth.
  Opinion: Investing in sprawl real estate is a losing deal for multiple reasons. In addition to falling property values, the governments don’t have enough resources to provide services, either. Looks like it wasn't sustainable. The communities which bought into it weren't resilient enough to retain their value.
• Proposed Airway Heights Casino could have national implications
  Source: Indian Country Today; October 6, 2010
  Summary: Tribes are permitted to build casinos off of their reservations provided that there is some reason why the reservation itself is unable to host a casino. In the case of the Kalispel Tribe, a casino was built in Airway Heights, Washington, because their reservation "located on a flood plain with no potable water" met the criteria. The Kalispel is now arguing that the Spokane Tribe, whose aboriginal land the City of Airway Heights now sits, should not be permitted to build there, too, because the Spokane reservation is larger and already supports multiple casinos. According to Kalispel Tribal Business Council member Nick Pierre, "If a purely market driven desire becomes an approved exception to federal law regulating where a casino can be built, it will become a dangerous model for our communities and our tribes."
  Opinion: Echoes of European treatment of the tribal communities that preceded them. As tribes rightfully begin to assert their inherent sovereignty, there will be more and more issues like these. A great deal of work will need to be done to resolve these issues, and good strategic, communicative, and potentially advocate planning must have a major role in it.
• Millwood officials report sharp rise in panhandling
  Source: Spokesman-Review; October 16, 2010
  Summary: Spokane Valley passed a panhandling law. Now neighboring Millwood is experiencing a sharp increase. They are not sure what they are going to do about it, or even if it is a long term issue.
  Opinion: Spokane Valley’s ordinance doesn’t go to the root of the problem (poverty, joblessness, etc.) so it could not be expected to have done anything except move the problem. You can’t solve problems by treating the symptoms. You need to treat the disease.
• Neighbor group sues over parking lot
  Source: Spokesman-Review; December 16, 2010
  Summary: Families of Manito has appealed the hearings examiner’s decision to allow the construction of a larger parking lot for St. Mark’s Lutheran Church.
  Opinion: There is something going on in this area of the city where community members are taking on developments and the city. They community around Manito Park has already elected a couple of city council members due to its members networking activity. Whether you think there should be greater parking in this area or not, the existence of ongoing community activity is remarkable.