Antelope Valley Press Editorial

May 3, 2005

Wanted: Sound, controlled development

Schniepp, Director of the California Economic Forecast, forecast the Valley population to grow from nearly 400,000 in 2004 to 440,000 in 2008, meaning there will be a need for at least 3,500 new homes a year and 2,000 to 3,000 new jobs a year for healthy growth.

Mark Schniepp, director of the California Economic Forecast, said the Valley already has much of its housing and service needs - affordable homes because of inexpensive land, along with retail and service jobs - but now the high desert needs to move to the next two steps of development.

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That first step, Schniepp said, is building on the establishment of industrial projects and blue-collar jobs, then moving into the realm of more expensive housing to bring in and keep higher-paid, skilled workers. Schniepp forecast the Valley population to grow from nearly 400,000 in 2004 to 440,000 in 2008, meaning there will be a need for at least 3,500 new homes a year and 2,000 to 3,000 new jobs a year for healthy growth.

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Mark Bozigian, director of redevelopment for Lancaster, expects the Valley population to reach 600,000 people by 2020. With housing prices expected to slow to a price increase of approximately 10% a year, Schniepp said that will make the Valley even more attractive to families. "Continue building affordable housing and they will come," Schniepp said.

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Bozigian and Palmdale Mayor Jim Ledford touted their communities' efforts to improve as growth heads their way. Ledford said the growth and those expected needs are exactly why Palmdale planners have been pushing the development of a full-service Palmdale Regional Airport with a plan that won't drive locals crazy. With development of the airport, the mayor said, the industrial development and transportation corridors will follow to help create many of the jobs experts say the Valley needs for healthy growth.