Category Archives: Community Involvement

PDC’s N/NE Economic Develpment Initiative Raises Doubts

Posted on by

Via the Sentinel:

Mistrust, doubt unleashed by N/NE urban renewal
Submitted by Sentinel News Service on Wed, 09/02/2009 – 3:45pm.

“I’m not sure the PDC has the guts to change what’s going on,” said James Poise, owner of the E-Mat Cafe on Northeast MLK Jr. Boulevard. Posey, one of Northeast Portland’s longtime African American residents, stands before a packed room at the Elks Lodge on North Tillamook Street. It’s a sweltering night in August, and over 50 residents have turned out to give the Portland Development Commission a piece of their minds.

“We got nice bike paths, but right down the street we have people living on the streets,” Posey continues. “The priorities are all screwed up.”
One after the other, residents tell the same story: Decades before, urban renewal bulldozed the heart out of this once predominantly African American neighborhood and left only vacant lots and abandoned buildings in its wake. Recently, investment has come, but many longtime black residents don’t see their lot in life improving.

“I’m wondering what PDC is really doing for the neighborhood,” Adron Hampton wondered. “I don’t see a thing done in this community.”

Since last December, the PDC has been considering consolidating or modifying the two vast urban renewal districts that cover North and inner Northeast Portland. Together, the Interstate Corridor and Oregon Convention Center Urban Renewal Areas (ICURA and OCCURA) comprise some 3,769 acres. This year those zones will set aside approximately $47 million in neighborhood tax dollars for regional and local improvement projects.

On Aug. 19, the first of 11 citizen advisory meetings convened to discuss just how to divide, expand or extend the city’s urban renewal areas in this huge swath of territory.

Read the full story at:http://www.portlandsentinel.com/?q=node/5095

http://www.pdc.us/four/nnestudy/default.asp

Groundwork Portland Turns One

Posted on by

Groundwork PortlandGroundwork Portland: everyone has a right to a livable community

Almost four years ago, Kevin Odell of OPAL, Clark Henry of the City of Portland Brownfield Program, Connie Ashbrook of Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc, Will Newman of Oregon Sustainable Agriculture Landtrust, Jeff Berbetsky of Restorical Research, and Joice Taylor of North/Northeast Business Association bonded over a dream of bringing much-needed resources to Portland neighborhoods overwhelmingly- and unjustly-burdened by urban pollutants, a lack of investment in community-centered development, and the pressures of gentrification.

One year ago, in September of 2008, Groundwork Portland opened its doors to organize low-income communities, communities of color, and youth around vacant land in their neighborhoods, plan for its redevelopment, and access the resources necessary to transform eyesores into community assets like community centers, community gardens, locally-owned businesses, and parks.

Over the past year, Groundwork Portland has been proud to collaborate with many different organizations and communities.

In the spring, Groundwork Portland launched Our Portland, a community-centered engagement program with seniors at Mt. Scott Learning Center to evaluate environmental justice issues in the Foster-Powell Neighborhood. The seniors joined community leaders on tours in their neighborhood to learn about environmental justice issues like brownfields, urban renewal, and gentrification. The program ended with Intersections, the art show they put on in their high school to showcase their photographic explorations of these issues.

While engaging the students in a conversation about environmental justice issues in their neighborhood, Groundwork Portland helped the school take on a project in their own backyard. Volunteers of Groundwork Portland coordinated the transformation of Mt. Scott Learning Center’s parking lot into a lush garden, basketball court, and outdoor lunch area. Over the course of three work days, more than 200 volunteers from the community pitched in to take out parking spaces, plant, paint, and otherwise spiff up this small charter school.

Last winter, Groundwork Portland joined forces with OSALT to begin the cleanup and creation of Emerson Street Garden. This summer, more than 65 kids from the Blazers Boys and Girls Club were the first to get their hands dirty, with a small container garden lush with all the fixings for salsa.

Over the coming year, Groundwork Portland and OSALT will hold garden planning sessions so everyone can chime in about what they want to grow. GeoEngineers, the local engineering firm that’s donating all necessary remediation services, will continue testing and remediation plans to ensure that the garden is safe enough for everyone to enjoy.

In addition, Groundwork Portland helped more than 50 community organizations like churches, schools, and community-centered nonprofits answer questions and access resources they needed for their own work to transform eyesores into assets. We offer a wide range of support to our partners, from research to joint grant applications. Contact Groundwork Portland for a copy of our “What’s in Your Garden?” brochure to help you evaluate the safety of your garden project, or to get more information about partnering with Groundwork Portland.

This has been a wonderful year for Groundwork Portland, and for me, so it is with no little sadness that I say goodbye to all of you. Today is my last day with Groundwork Portland. It has been wonderful working with you. The energy you bring to community-based projects is inspiring; I can’t wait to see what you accomplish next. Feel free to email me and tell me all about it.

Andrea Hamberg
Program Manager
—
Groundwork Portland: because everyone has a right to a livable community
2407 SE 49th Ave
Portland, OR 97206
503-467-4567
info@groundworkportland.org
www.groundworkportland.org

Backpack Drive and 8/29 Taking it to the Streets 2009- Dawson Park Event

Posted on by

As you’re gearing up to do your back-to-school shopping with your kids, please consider picking up a back-pack or other school supplies for the Backpack Drive that will give a much needed backpack and school supplies to youth in our neighborhoods.

Emmanuel Community Services and Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods are partnering on a Backpack Drive and “Taking it to the Streets 2009” Event to support neighbors in need. We’ll be collecting backpacks (new and slightly used) and a variety of school supplies to give away to kids and families in our neighborhoods! The give-away event will be on Saturday, August 29th. There will also be food and games for the kids as well.

You can drop-off backpacks and school supplies at our office at 4815 NE 7th Avenue, from now until Friday, August 28th. If you have any questions, feel free to call anytime!

http://kingneighborhood.org/Reference_Files/Backpack_pc.pdf

Lauren

Lauren McCartney
Neighborhood Association Outreach Coordinator
Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods
4815 NE 7th Avenue
Portland, OR 97211
P: 503-823-4135
F: 503-823-3150
E: lauren@necoalition.org
www.necoalition.org

King School to Receive Grants

Posted on by

s_King%20picThe King PTA was awarded two grants so far this year. A grant from the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability for reusable flatware to replace the district standard disposable flatware is intended as a first step to make King a model of sustainability that reflects the values of the community.

The Portland Schools Foundation fully funded the PTA’s request for outreach and involvement for $7530. This money, combined with $1443 raised last year will fund a reader board sign at the school, Spanish translation, dinner, and childcare at meetings and flyers for door-to-door canvassing to connect the community to the school and increase parent involvement. To learn how you can get involved with the King PTA contact info@kingpta.org or come to the booth at the Good in the NeighborHood festival Saturday June 27th, Noon to 5pm at King School Park.