Category Archives: livability

Home Repair Funds Available in Interstate Urban Renewal Area

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The Portland Housing Bureau (PHB) has funding to help approximately 32 eligible homeowners in the Interstate Corridor Urban Renewal Area (URA) through its Home Repair Loan Program. Portions of King Neighborhood from Garfield Street to the west are in the Interstate URA. The program helps modest income home owners make critical repairs to their homes. Homeowners can borrow up to $15,000. The loan program doesn’t require monthly payments or charge interest. At the beginning of the 11th year of the loan, 20 percent of the loan will be forgiven. After the 15th year, the loan will be completely forgiven.

The loan is a 0.00% deferred payment loan with an Annual Percentage Rate (APR) of 0.0012%, which results from $400 in fees PHB charges to administer each loan. PHB allows these fees to be financed. Funds must be used to make critical repairs like fixing electrical hazards, replacing leaky roofs, removing mold, repairing failing porches, and addressing other health and safety items or building code violations.

Read more at:

http://www.portlandonline.com/phb/index.cfm?c=52589

Alberta Main Street Community/Visioning Meetings

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From the Alberta Main Street Program:

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE OF ALBERTA STREET LOOK LIKE TO YOU?

Have a Say – Get Involved – Join Us
Monday, November 1, 2010 – 6:30 – 7:30PM @ The Alberta Rose Theatre:  Alberta Main Street Community Meeting.
Get an update about Alberta Main Street, learn about the Main Street Committees & the upcoming Community Visioning Session and ask questions about the program. No RSVP required. Everyone is welcome!
Monday, November 29, 2010 – 5 – 9 PM @ The Alberta Rose Theatre: Alberta Main Street Community Visioning Session. Diverse community-wide participation is critical to the success of the program. Please share with your friends & neighbors and let us know you are coming! Register online: http://www.albertastreetfair.com/mainstreet/community-visioning-session/ or call Sara @ (503) 683-3252.

WE NEED YOUR IDEAS, INSIGHTS AND IMAGINATION! THANK YOU TO THE ALBERTA ROSE THEATRE FOR OPENING YOUR DOORS TO THE COMMUNITY

ALBERTA ROSE THEATRE – 3000 NE ALBERTA STREET – PORTLAND, OR 97211
Alberta Main Street is a program of Portland Main Street and member of the National Main Street Network

Participate on a Main Street Committee:
The four Main Street committees include Organization, Promotion, Design and Economic Restructuring. Find out more about these committees online at:
http://www.albertastreetfair.com/main-street/four-point-approach/. You can also learn more about these opportunities at the November 1st Community Meeting.

Support Alberta Main Street:
Healthy commercial districts create opportunities for locally based businesses to succeed, for residents to shop and eat locally and for the preservation of historic structures and an increased tax base. Everybody wins; it will also take everyone’s support. Ranging from $20 – $5000, 101 residents, neighborhood associations, school groups, non-profit & faith-based organizations, business owners and commercial property owners have contributed to our community. Alberta Main Street needs your help too. If you haven’t already, please contribute today: http://www.albertastreetfair.com/main-street/contribute/
STAY UP TO DATE: Visit Alberta Main Street facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Alberta-Main-Street/164339070242860 for the latest news and information about the program. A new website is currently under development.

Liquor Licenses up for Renewal

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All liquor licenses North of Burnside within the Portland City Limits (East &West) will expire on January 1st, 2011, unless renewed by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC). As part of the renewal process, the City of Portland makes recommendations to the OLCC on renewal applications using information gathered from neighbors, community organizations, and public safety officials. The City of Portland is home to approximately 2,500 liquor license establishments, about half of which are coming up for renewal. Neighbors, Neighborhood and Business Associations, and Community Organizations have a very important role in this process.
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Our United Villages to Sponsor Community Safety Conversation

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Flyer--click to enlarge

From Our United Villages:

Hello Northeast Neighbors! Please extend the following invitation to your networks, friends, family, and neighbors. This event is free and open to anyone interested. We would appreciate if you would post this event in community calendars, newsletters, websites, or on bulletin boards you may have (PDF and JPG attached). Thank you, in advance, for helping us get the word out!
Community Safety Conversation
Thursday, October 21st from 6:00pm-8:00pm
St. Andrew Church 806 NE Alberta Street Portland, OR 97211

You are invited to a Community Conversation sponsored by Community Outreach of Our United Villages. What does community safety mean to you? Come share your ideas for preventing violence and brainstorm ways we can work together to build safe neighborhoods for everyone. FREE. Open to anyone interested. Space is limited. Please RSVP by Monday, October 18th to outreach@ourunitedvillages.org or by calling 503.546.7499.

Light meal provided. Child care, transportation, and interpretation provided upon request. Community Outreach of Our United Villages is a local non-profit organization. For more information, go to www.ouvcommunityoutreach.org.

Register Now! Metro Grants Workshops

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Helping make the region a great place
Metro grants and technical assistance

The liveliest cities and neighborhoods don’t happen by accident. It takes vision, leadership and investment. But how do you turn a good idea into a great project? Metro can help.

If you have an innovative idea to integrate the natural world into your community please join us for a workshop about Metro’s Nature in Neighborhood grant programs. Participants will learn about the goals, criteria and application procedures of the grant programs as well as how to create a program plan and what resources are available to help get a project started.

The Metro Council’s 2006 Natural Areas bond measure established $15 million for the Capital Grants Program to inspire innovative partnerships that enhance ecological functions and increase the presence of nature where people live, work and play. This includes projects that acquire land for public ownership or result in a capital improvement on public land.

A workshop focusing on the Capital Grant program will be offered at two locations:

Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2010
7 to 9 p.m.
Beaverton City Hall, 4755 SW Griffith Drive

This workshop is being co-sponsored by OSU Extension, Washington County Citizen Participation Program, City of Beaverton Neighborhood Program, Clean Water Services, Tualatin Riverkeepers and the Tualatin Watershed Council.

Saturday, Oct. 2, 2010
9 to 11 a.m.
Metro, 600 NE Grand Ave., Portland

Metro’s restoration and enhancement grant program supports hands-on activities and environmental education programs that protect and contribute to watershed health in the region. The program connects community-minded people to their neighborhoods, natural areas, backyards and beyond. New this year the program will fund a small number of planning grants to assist communities in developing their projects.

One workshop will focus on Metro’s Restoration and Enhancement Grants Program

Saturday, November 13, 2010
9 to 11 a.m.
Metro, 600 NE Grand Ave., Portland

The deadline for Nature in Neighborhoods Restoration and Enhancement Grants pre-applications is 4 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2011.

To RSVP or for more information, contact Kristin Blyler at 503-797-1834 or Kristin.Blyler@oregonmetro.gov. For more information, visit www.oregonmetro.gov/grants.

Kristin Blyler
Grant program
Metro – Sustainability Center
600 NE Grand Ave.
Portland OR 97232
503-797-1834
kristin.blyler@oregonmetro.gov