Washington County has strived to make itself an ideal place to live for those who prioritize eco-friendliness---look no further than the abundance of electric vehicle charging stations in Hillsboro, or Beaverton's solar panel program for homes. And for families who hold those ideals dear, chalk up one more benefit to Beaverton living, with the Beaverton School District now the most energy efficent in the state.
Oregon, and especially Washington County, has been focusing on green-friendly automobiles lately, establishing a plethora of electric vehicle charging stations to encourage low- or no-emission cars. But in a first for Beaverton, the Highland Chevron "Extra Mile" Food Market and gas station is going green ... the whole station.
According to the latest data from the Zillow Mortgage Marketplace, mortgage rates have returned to record lows, after a small jump last week. The 30-year fixed mortgage rate dipped below 4 percent this week, the second time that's happened in the history of Zillow Mortgage Marketplace's record-keeping (which dates back to April 2008). That represents a drop of 15 basis points, with the rate sitting at 4.07 percent last week.
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) is suing Bank of American Corp, Citigroup Inc, Nomural Holdings Ltd, HSBC Holdings Plc, Merrill Lynch, Credit Suisse Group AG, JPMorgan Chase & Co and Barclays Plc over mortgage-backed securities.
While many parts of unincorporated Washington County are fantastic places in which to live, their location outside city limits often means tax dollars are limited to very particular purposes, and needed improvements occasionally go undone. That will likely change tomorrow however, as Washington County's commissioners are expected to adopt an ordinance allowing tax dollars collected in unincorporated Washington County to be used on a number of safety improvements to neighborhood streets in those same unincorporated parts of the county.
We've always thought Washington County was a great place to live and work (our HQ is in Beaverton), and now we've got the data to back us up. According to a recent study by the Westside Economic Alliance, Washington County is outpacing both Clackamas and Multnomah Counties in several notable economic measures, most notably employment. From 2000 to 2010, Multnomah County lost 31,915 jobs. In contrast, Clackamas County added 3,723 jobs, while Washington County added an impressive 10,650 in that same period.
Another shoe is dropping in Walmart's possible rapid expansion in the Portland metro area, with the world's largest retailer set to open a new location in Raleigh Hills. Located at 8225 SW Apple Way, a former Zupan's, this is the second of a possible 17 new Portland-area Walmart stores of varying size, with one already set to open in the former Ashley Home Furniture store on Cornell Road, as well.
Up for voter consideration on the November 8th ballot, Beaverton's Urban Renewal Plan has the potential to significantly upgrade the downtown Beaverton district as well as nearby natural areas at Beaverton Creek. While the plan is certainly a boon for the city, the price tag, $151 million, may give some citizens pause. As such, residents are invited to attend the Beaverton Neighborhood Forums in September, hosted by the Neighborhood Association Committees (NACs), where all their questions will be answered.
The Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller index of home prices in 20 metro areas was released today, and the respected analysis shows that home prices in those 20 largest metropolitan areas increased 1.1% from May to June (unadjusted for seasonal factors).
With concerns about the economy still prevalent, positive signs are a welcome change of pace. And that's precisely what was just announced by the Commerce Department today, namely that consumer spending grew by 0.8 percent last month, the largest increase in five months.
