Eugene is not yet at the place where Portland is-- Portland's home prices continue to rise sharply and the inventory of homes for sale is "microscopically low," according to recent data. Home prices in Lane County are inching upward, as opposed to skyrocketing. However, our housing inventory is still quite low-- Lane has a 2.2 month inventory, compared to 3.2 for the nation as a whole, and the 6 months number which seems to be the boundary between a "seller's market" and "buyer's market."
Eugene needs to figure out what type of new homes it needs to build and where they need to go, so that we can be ready-- keep home prices from skyrocketing and keep housing affordable all our residents, be they renting or buying. Not enough housing can mean "increased competition for those homes that are available, potentially leading to bidding wars that can price out entry-level or first-time buyers."
Eugene has relative lack of options for those that want to live in walkable neighborhoods or for whom stereo-typical single-family homes don't match their needs. Given demographic shifts, demand for houses in walkable neighborhoods is likely to increase more than it will for housing types that are less scarce. Building only low-density subdivisions on the edge of town won't protect affordability in our walkable neighborhoods.