Urban Stream Restoration Projects: Do Project Phase, Distance, and Type Affect Nearby Property Sale Prices?

Between 1990 and 2014, more than 200 restoration projects were implemented in the Johnson Creek Watershed, Oregon, to mitigate storm water runoff, restore floodplains, remove invasive plants, restore wetlands, and improve fish and wildlife habitat. We use a repeat-sales model to investigate if restoration projects have an effect on the sale price of nearby single-family residential properties, and if estimated effects vary by project phase, distance, and type. Properties in closest proximity to storm water, floodplain, and revegetation projects experience a positive effect during different project phases. Estimated effects for wetland projects are negative for 9 of the 12 distance/project phase variables.