Fight/Shooting Highlights Concerns About Housing Management

The fight and gunshots at 10th and Alberta on Monday, September 6th resulted in at least one person being taken to the hospital. A loud altercation broke out around 8:30 pm and police responded. About an hour later a dispute between several females with sticks or bats took place in the street and shots were fired in the air. One wounded person was tended to at 9th and Wygant and taken away by ambulance.

The area where these events took place has been a continuing problem over the summer due to loud arguments and fights. The location is a subsidized housing complex owned and managed by Portland Community Reinvestment Initiatives. PCRI was founded to provide decent housing to low-income people in the wake of exploitation by predatory real estate brokerage, Dominion Capital, having bought the discredited company’s portfolio with assitance from the City of Portland.

After several other poorly run community development corporations, or CDCs were merged with PCRI, PCRI came in possession of this project. At this and other PCRI properties, apartments and houses have been vacant for months while maintenance is deferred.

At the King neighborhood Association Meeting tonight at 6:30, Portland Police’s Neighborhood Response Team officer, Wayne Schull, will be on hand to answer questions regarding this and any other concerns residents have regarding crime and public safety.

There was no reply to a request for a response from PCRI. Other concerned neighbors who contacted PCRI board chair, Melvin Oden-Orr were told that the board was looking into the issues and would decide on a course of action. He encouraged them to call the police with crime concerns.

Fall Oregon Tradeswomen Career Class

Women interested in the trades should check out the Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc, fall class. It’s a free seven-week training – two-thirds of last years’ graduates now have jobs in the trades (as carpenters, foresters, green construction technicians, boilermakers, and much more). The OTI office and classroom is just up the street on Alberta (btwn 17th and 18th). Classes are three days a week. Registration is open right now, and the fall class starts on October 13th. Contact Dawn Jones at 503-335-8200 x31 or dawn@tradeswomen.net, or check out the site at www.tradeswomen.net for more details.