Publication Date

Spring 1996

Degree Type

Master's Project

Degree Name

Master of Urban Planning (MUP)

Department

Urban and Regional Planning

Abstract

The cost of San Francisco Bay Area real estate has increased significantly in the last three decades. Many residents cannot afford to buy the highly priced real estate of today's market. The San Francisco Bay Area encompasses nine counties including San Mateo, San Francisco, Marin, Sonoma, Napa, Solano, Contra Costa, Alameda, and Santa Clara. Figure 1 shows the geographic locations of these nine counties.

The large population increase after World War II has been accommodated by a parallel construction boom between the 1940's and 1970’s. Only a relatively modest upward surge in housing prices occurred during this period. Nevertheless, the housing supply and demand imbalance has become a critical issue in today's Bay Area real estate market. Understanding why the Bay Area’s housing costs are so high is essential in determining how this demand in housing can best be met.

This paper examines the overall development of the San Francisco Bay Area real estate market between the 1970's and the 1990's. Special attention is paid to the contributing factors for the increasing cost of real estate and its development trends during the 1980’s and the early 1990’s. Methods which would help lower the cost of housing are suggested in the latter part of this paper. The regional data presented in this paper represents the overall real estate development characteristics for the San Francisco Bay Area.

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