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Stronger community through local home buying. Promote live near work programs with employers.

People spend too much time, energy and money commuting. Every hour spent driving to work is one hour not coaching little league, mentoring youth, or with your family. Plus, it causes traffic, with all that comes with that. Work with employers to offer down-payment assistance, home buying clubs, lunchroom seminars etc to help employees buy homes within 2 miles from place of employment. That will have many positive effects for the community:
Raise and stabilize tax-base
Stabilize school enrollments and lower dropout rates
Decrease traffic
Promote better community/business relations
Lower crime rate

It will also have very positive effects on employers' bottom lines in the form of:
Lower turn-over rate
Lower absenteeism during bad weather
Better health, lower health related absenteeism
Increased employee loyalty and morale
Lower cost of employee tip reduction plans

Such programs have been proven on a small scale by individual employers. A state-wide program could make Oregon a model for other states and metropolitan areas. Working with Fannie Mae, mortgage banks, the Chamber of Commerce, and employers, we can layout and implement a plan within one year. In time, the program will prove that local home ownership for employees is a good investment for employers and the program will become self-sustaining.
Dave Eatwell
(503) 358-2739

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    Dave EatwellDave Eatwell shared this idea  ·   ·  Flag idea as inappropriate…  ·  Admin →

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      • Amy PoeAmy Poe commented  ·   ·  Flag as inappropriate

        I like this idea. I've always wondered why there isn't either an incentive to live close to work, or a tax on those who don't (yes, other than the gas tax). I like my car, but I don't want to spend two (or more) hours a day commuting in it!

        However, it would be hard to justify moving just because you got a new job a few miles farther away. And if it pays considerably more, or you like the work better, it doesn't make sense to turn it down just because the commute is a little longer...

        Hmmm....

      Million Dollar Ideas: Community Building

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      Oregon was once known as a place where new, creative thinking flourished and people weren’t afraid to face hard truths and take bold steps. But lately Oregon conversations are full of pessimism and cynicism. We all know Oregon is in a world of hurt. We’ve grown accustomed to hearing what’s wrong here.

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