Category Archives: housing

Green building questions answered

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Metro, the City of Portland, Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas Counties want to ensure you know about their joint community resource the Regional Green Building Hotline. The Hotline provides practical and impartial information about green home strategies, resources and incentives for new and existing commercial and residential projects in the region. We’ll answer your questions about ways to reduce your carbon footprint, renewable energy, indoor air quality, salvage, training workshops and more. The Hotline is a bridge to the information, programs and local resources to help you be as green as you would like to be.

Inquiries are welcomed from homeowners, renters, real estate professionals, non-profits, contractors, students, developers, business owners and design professionals in the tri-county area. It is the Hotline’s intent to inspire callers (not overwhelm!) to incorporate as many sustainable choices, either material or behavioral, into their projects as possible. The Hotline can also help callers overcome barriers and obstacles they have around green building.

A great place to start is right where you are, know which resources are available and take it one day at a time. How can you get money back on my stormwater/sewer bill? What actions can you take to save on your home energy use? Where can you tour a green home? When is the next class on rain gardens? What is the WaterSense label? How can I retrofit my house to age-in-place? Can I get a rebate for planting a tree? Call us!

The FREE Regional Green Building Hotline can help! 503.823.5431
www.buildgreen411.com
we tweet! @greenhotline
join us on Facebook: Green Development Resource Center.

Mortgage Payment Assistance Ends Soon

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Assistance Deadline: January 14, 2011

The clock is ticking for distressed homeowners to apply for the State of Oregon’s Mortgage Payment Assistance (MPA) program. Oregon Housing and Community Services have been hard at work at getting the program up and running. The MPA will help unemployed or financially distressed homeowners pay their mortgage payments for up to one year or a maximum of $20,000 in total assistance.

To apply, eligible homeowners must submit an MPA Application online and follow up with all required documents by the January 14, 2011 deadline. After that time, applicants will be drawn randomly from the pool of eligible applicants. The MPA Application and related information are available online at OregonHomeownerHelp.org.

In Multnomah County, staff and volunteers from Hacienda CDC are available to help homeowners from learn about and apply for the program. For more information, call 503-961-6432.

PCRI Adds Neighbor Comment Form to Website

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Portland Community Reinvestment Initiatives, is a housing provider in King that became a hot topic for neighbors after a series of livability concerns this summer. PCRI has added an online reporting form to its website to permit it to keep informed of concerns of the increasing number of computer-literate residents. The form is at: http://www.pcrihome.org/contact_us.php

After the issues with PCRI managment were outlined in our blog, PCRI’s executive director, board members, and staff came to the KNA November meeting and pledged better cooperation and more open communication. At the December 8th meeting, PCRI’s Cyndi Natalello, Manager of Property Management, told KNA about the new tool for residents to keep on top of any problems.

Vanport Housing Project to Go Forward

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In February of 2010, PDC staff received a proposal from Lisac Brothers Construction, Inc. to develop ten single-family, market-rate homes on the Vanport Phase II site. In June of this year, PDC’s Investment Committee gave staff authorization to begin negotiations with Lisac Brothers Construction, Inc. for the disposition and development of the Vanport Phase II housing project.

The development team of Lisac Brothers Construction, Inc. will retain the Vanport Partners as consultants, with their involvement in the project ending at the start of construction. Once securing control of the land, Lisac Brothers Construction, Inc. would begin the site subdivision process which is estimated to take nine months. While the site subdivision is moving forward, Lisac Brothers Construction, Inc. would simultaneously pursue design and permitting. Lisac Brothers Construction, Inc. estimates construction could begin 12 to 18 months after execution of a development agreement with PDC and completion of all housing units 12 to 36 months after start of construction.

Lisac Brothers Construction, Inc. is a small builder/developer that developed affordable, market-rate, in-fill projects in Portland. Irving Park Townhouses on NE 7th is one example. Lisac Brothers Construction, Inc. is confident that it can obtain construction financing for the proposed project and has submitted a letter of interest from Lewis & Clark Bank to support this.

The development team is proposing to build ten (10) detached, market-rate homes averaging 1,300 sf on separate lots. The homes would be three levels, with the ground level primarily devoted to a garage that would be accessed from the rear through the Vanport Phase I parking lot or in the case of the end units, NE Emerson and NE Sumner. The sales price per unit is estimated to be between $245,000 and $265,000.

PDC Report: Vanport Housing

Upcoming Comedy Shows to Benefit Local Causes

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MESSAGE FROM
Curious Comedy Productions

Hello Curious Comedy Community –

Curious Comedy Theater has been growing by leaps and bounds. But, today we are asking for your help to keep thriving. We need to raise $10,000 by the end of 2010 to pay for a railing the fire inspector is requiring us to install on our mezzanine and related expenses. Luckily, the finished railing will also serve as the first step in completing and opening our mezzanine balcony. Please give what you can. Every donation large or small makes a huge difference. You can make your donation on line here at the longest link ever: https://robot.boxofficetickets.com/800-494-TIXS/WebObjects/BOTx2005.woa/wa/inspectSubprogram?id=881935&passKey=c154bd10a7
But we don’t just want to ask for things – so we are also giving back this season through our many partnerships. All shows are at 8pm, doors at 7:15pm. See www.curiouscomedy.org for more details:
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