Portland getting too expensive for many to live there

Portland has been a magnet for young, creative adults for over a decade, but the city’s popularity means those who helped make it cool can’t afford to live there anymore.

A wave of evictions and skyrocketing rents are putting apartments out of reach of many, including those working part-time, low wage or artistic jobs. Some Portlanders are now looking for better-paying work. Some are giving up and leaving.

Experts say there’s a national “shortage of cities,” as college graduates under 40 seek out hip, urban lifestyles. Companies are also increasingly locating in or near city centers, offering well-paid jobs to those grads.

But there’s a limited number of rentals, because housing construction still lags behind pre-recession levels.

Portland’s creatives say the city has changed, forcing them to abandon artistic pursuits.