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Portland: not so perfect after all?

From Curbed.com blog

By Curbed.com, Friday, March 6, 2009.

So much for being a model of urban planning: BusinessWeek listed Portland as the most depressed city in the nation based on antidepressant sales, suicide rates, unemployment, divorce, and crappy weather.

Portland is worse off than down-on-their-luck cities like St. Louis (crime!), New Orleans (blight!), Detroit (everything!), Cleveland (no jobs!), Jacksonville (Florida!), and Las Vegas (housing market! heat!). Los Angeles didn't even make the top-20 -- we're so happy. Imagine if L.A. had reasonable housing prices and an adequate transit system -- it'd be like we're on ecstasy all the time!

View post at Curbed.com.

Copyright (c) 2009 Curbed.com LLC

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Submitted by on March 6, 2009 - 10:00am.

I love it when New Yorkers (hi sis) pretend to know more about Portland than Portlanders...

Here's the perfect answer to BusinessWeek's load of BS:
http://www.blueoregon.com/2009/03/no-business-week-portland-is-not-the-m...

For those that don't want to read the whole thing, here are some of the key points:

* "The depression rate is based on drug company data on antidepressant sales.
In other words, Portlanders may not be more depressed than anyone else - we've just got more people who are getting medical attention for their illness. Which probably means that they're less unhappy."

* Portland is the #1 greenest city in America, with top ten rankings in air quality, water quality, green building, local agriculture, and more.

* Utne Reader ranked Portland as the #2 most enlightened city in the nation.

* #1 for pedestrian friendliness, #4 for public safety, #5 for our underground arts scene, #6 for "friendly", #8 for "fun", #9 for dining, #10 for theatre, #12 for live music, etc.

* Outside Magazine called Portland one of the "new American dream towns"

* Fast Company called Portland one of fifteen fast cities - "places that draw people who are talented, tech savvy, and tolerant."

* Portland is so green and creative and happy because our city was built on the site of an ancient unicorn burial ground.

I'm happy to call Portland home.

 
Submitted by on March 6, 2009 - 10:02am.

Oops, sorry, I just noticed this was the LA version of Curbed. Yes, Californians, it rains here endlessly :)

 
Submitted by Alisha Alway Braatz, High End Oregon on March 6, 2009 - 1:10pm.

I grew up in Portland and LOVED IT! The Willamette Valley is THE prettiest place in America. Luscious Green Everywhere! Sure, we get more sun over here in Bend, but I was remembering just yesterday how I never owned a down jacket until I moved to Bend. I never minded the rain much---it kept everything fresh year round, and I could count on Spring flowers each season.

Alisha Alway Braatz, Broker
Premier Central Oregon Real Estate

 
Submitted by Dennis Pease on March 7, 2009 - 3:09pm.

I can't imagine anyone thinking Portland should be rated more depressed than Detroit, Cleveland or New Orleans, and then they quote numbers from 2004. How relevant is that?

Neighbor just to the south.

Dennis Pease / Broker
RE/MAX Integrity
Eugene, Oregon

http://www.DennisPeaseTeam.com/