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Why are houses so expensive?
U.S. Sen. JD Vance blamed illegal immigrants in Tuesday’s vice presidential debate.
“You’ve got housing that is totally unaffordable because we’ve brought in millions of illegal immigrants to compete with Americans for scarce homes,” he claimed.
Real estate is an issue that resonates with Americans across the country and across income brackets. Home values in Cuyahoga County jumped 32% over the past three years.
But immigration plays a tiny role in climbing prices, experts say.
Sabrina Eaton reports that housing prices rose after a construction slowdown triggered by the 2007 subprime mortgage meltdown and the Great Recession. Now, more than a decade later, outside investors snap up cheap housing and keep the rents high. Also at fault? A labor shortage that has kept new housing in short supply.
Yet many immigrants are construction workers, filling needed jobs in fields like drywall hanging, plastering and stucco masonry. Immigrants are also more likely to live in areas others consider undesirable, revitalizing distressed neighborhoods.
— Laura
Browns at Washington Commanders: 1 p.m. Sunday, Northwest Stadium, Landover, Md. TV: WJW Channel 8. Radio: WKRK FM/92.3, WNCX FM/98.5, WKNR AM/850.
Guardians vs. Detroit Tigers, Game 1, ALDS: 1:08 p.m. Saturday, Progressive Field. TV: TBS, TruTV, Max. Radio: WTAM AM/1100, WMMS FM/100.7.
Northeast Ohio weather forecast: Sunshine continues
Immigrant housing: Housing experts dispute JD Vance’s debate claim that “25 million illegal aliens competing with Americans for scarce homes is one of those most significant drivers of home prices in the country,” reports Sabrina Eaton.
ICU department capacity has been over 80% since at least Sept. 13, according to the Ohio Department of Health.Ohio Department of Health
Pneumonia increase: Intensive care units at Cleveland-area hospitals have been at near capacity for weeks and part of the reason may be a surge in pneumonia and other respiratory illnesses. The steady rise in pneumonia cases started this summer at the Clinic and continued, with some peaks and valleys, through September, reports Julie Washington.
Today in Ohio: The Ohio Supreme Court will consider overturning a longstanding Ohio law that prohibits those who consume alcohol from carrying a concealed weapon at a bar. On Today in Ohio, cleveland.com’s daily half-hour news podcast, we’re talking about how that could continue a long series of gun deregulations that Republican state lawmakers have enacted in Ohio over the past two decades.
Springfield migrants: Former President Donald Trump has vowed to revoke a U.S. government designation that allows Haitian immigrants to legally live and work in Springfield, Ohio, and return them to their home country if he is elected in November, Molly Walsh reports.
Walz visit: The VP half of the Democratic presidential ticket is coming to ruby red Ohio to raise money for the final weeks of the campaign. Fresh off a Tuesday debate with Ohio’s U.S. Sen. JD Vance, the Republican vice presidential nominee, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is scheduled for fundraisers in Cleveland and Cincinnati this weekend, Rick Rouan reports.
Medical marijuana: Despite all-time high levels of satisfaction with the Ohio medical marijuana program, the number of registered patients has fallen in the months leading up to recreational sales, likely a sign that many patients are abandoning the medical program for the adult-use program, reports Laura Hancock. OSU’s Drug Enforcement and Policy Center this week released its sixth annual report that includes a survey of patients’ attitudes toward the medical program, information about prices, patient participation and sales.
Police commission: The city of Cleveland this week began interviewing candidates for the police oversight commission as the city aims to overhaul the body by year’s end, reports Cory Shaffer. Nine of 13 seats on the Cleveland Community Police Commission will need to be filled as the terms of six current members are set to expire in December and three other members resigned earlier this year.
The latest federal drought map of Ohio, seen at right, shows that drought conditions as of Oct. 1 have abated in much of the state compared to the previous week’s map, seen at left.U.S. Drought Monitor
Drought: Ohio’s historic drought conditions this summer are starting to ease up thanks to continued wet weather in Northeast Ohio and record rainfall in other parts of the state from the remnants of Hurricane Helene. However, experts still warn that it will take a much longer period of wet weather for all of Ohio to completely emerge from the drought, which has threatened crops and led to bans on outdoor fires and fireworks, reports Jeremy Pelzer.
Housing costs: A recent study found Cleveland to be among the top 20 most affordable U.S. metros to buy or rent a home, Megan Sims reports. Clever Real Estate, an online real estate resource, ranked the metros based on several factors, including a home-buying affordability ratio, which was calculated by dividing the median home value by the median household income, as well as rental rates. The study also looked at insurance rates, property rates and energy costs, for 100 of the largest metros in the country.
Childcare help: The University of Akron this week announced it has partnered with the Akron Area YMCA to offer the Childcare Assistance Program for college students who are also parents. Megan Becka reports the program aims to ease the burden of finding reliable and affordable child care so that students can focus on their academic goals.
Gift cards: Stop buying people gift cards, writes Sean McDonnell. Data from Bankrate, a personal finance website, tells us the truth. Many of us aren’t using the gift cards we receive. Two in five Americans have at least one unused gift (6% didn’t know if they did or didn’t). These people, on average, have $244 of unused gift money (up from $116 in 2021).
COVID cases: The number of new COVID-19 cases in Ohio dropped sharply in the last week, with the state reporting 4,219 new cases on Thursday, down from 6,103 the previous week, Julie Washington reports.
Vintage baseball cards: A suspect admitted Wednesday that he stole more than $2 million in vintage baseball cards from a hotel in Strongsville this year. Olivia Mitchell reports Jacob Paxton, 27, of Brunswick, pleaded guilty in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court to aggravated theft of more than $1.5 million. Jason Bowling, 51, of Cleveland, pleaded guilty to a charge of receiving stolen property involving the cards.
Street takeover: An Akron man was arrested Thursday and accused of starting a fire during a street takeover on Cleveland’s West Side last month, Olivia Mitchell reports. Gauge Michael Thomas Franklin, 18, is charged with aggravated arson involving an incident Sept. 15 at West 25th Street and Lorain Avenue.
Raid lawsuit: A family sued Elyria police Thursday over a botched raid in which officers stormed the wrong house, a move that terrified a young mother and sent her toddler to the hospital. Courtney Price and Redia Jennings filed a lawsuit against the city in U.S. District Court in Cleveland, accusing officers of gross negligence, unreasonable search and seizure, and excessive force.
Lorain County Prosecutor J.D. Tomlinson, left, and his chief of staff James Burge appeared Thursday in Elyria Municipal Court after they were charged with felonies earlier this week.Lucas Daprile
Officials charged: Lorain County Prosecutor J.D. Tomlinson and his chief of staff appeared in court Thursday as defendants, days after they were charged with felonies involving a former employee. Lucas Daprile reports Tomlinson and James Burge maintained their innocence after a brief hearing in Elyria Municipal Court in which they told a visiting judge, Patrick Carroll, that they were looking for defense attorneys.
Middle school threats: A student at Field Middle School in Cleveland was arrested Wednesday and accused of making threats that involved “shooting up the middle school,” reports Olivia Mitchell. Several classmates told the school resource officer at 8 a.m. that the student had made the threats during an athletic practice on Tuesday.
Ask Yadi: Is it time to look for a new job? Yadi Rodriguez writes that it doesn’t hurt to put your resume out there. Change can be scary but if you don’t try, you don’t know. Only you will know when it is time to make a move.
R&B inductions: The R&B Hall of Fame will hold its 2024 National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at the Marriott Cleveland East at 3 p.m. Sunday. Malcolm X Abram reports the inductions celebrate the lives and music of the recently passed Frankie Beverly, along with singers Jeffrey Osborne, Kenny Lattimore, Candi Staton, Ginuwine and Regina Belle, songwriter Rose Marie McCoy and singer-drummer Buddy Miles.
Lopez: About one year after opening in Chagrin Falls, Lopez will move to a larger space, reports Paris Wolfe. The name will evolve to Lopez 44 to reflect the new address at 44 N. Main St., in the space formerly occupied by Flip Side.
Ozzy Osbourne: Soon to be two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Ozzy Osbourne will be celebrated by an all-star group of singers and players at the upcoming 2024 Rock & Roll Hal of Fame Induction Ceremony, reports Malcolm X Abram.
Playoff menu: Postseason at Progressive Field means championship dreams are kept alive. But it also means more food is coming. Marc Bona reports these aren’t any skimpy sides or salads. Think meaty and hearty.
Amtrak’s Wolverine arrives in Ann Arbor on a recent Friday, about 15 minutes late.Susan Glaser, Cleveland.com
Amtrak: In Cleveland, the trains come through town in the middle of the night. In Michigan, it’s different, with regular train service crisscrossing the state during all hours of the day. Susan Glaser traveled to Ann Arbor, the state’s busiest station, to find out more. On an early-morning route to Chicago, she found a soldout train, traveling at speeds of up to 110 mph, filled with students, families and business travelers.
MOCA concert: Indie noise collage artists Negativland are bringing their new tour to MOCA Cleveland at 7:30 p.m. today. “We Can Really Feel Like We’re Here” delves into reality, the human mind and evolving forms of media and technology that form our perceptions, writes Peter Chakerian.
Things to do: While harvest is ending in October, the Halloween season is ramping up. Plenty of fall activities – trick or treat fests, HalloWeekends – are included in the spooky season. Paris Wolfe has more than 30 things to do.
Don’t forget, you can always find the latest Cleveland news by visiting cleveland.com. If you value the hard work of Cleveland journalists, consider becoming a cleveland.com subscriber.
— Curated by content director Laura Johnston with contributions by by Cliff Pinckard.
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