Tag Archives: Affordable Housing

N/NE Community Oversight Committee – October 6th

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N/NE Community Oversight Committee:
Next Meeting is October 6th

When:
Tuesday, October 6th from 6pm – 7:45pm

Where:
Maranatha Church
4222 NE 12th Ave
Portland, OR 97211

The Community Oversight Committee is a community-based group formed to oversee the Portland Housing Bureau’s work to increase housing opportunity and address issues of displacement in North and Northeast Portland. (Click here for a list of committee members). The committee meets quarterly to hear progress updates on the N/NE initiative. These meetings are open to the public.

This meeting will be an opportunity for more in-depth discussion and public comment on topics of interest from September’s meeting, and to learn about upcoming plans for Interstate funding. You can find Tuesday’s agenda here.

Oversight Committee meetings are open to the public.
Meeting schedules and agendas are posted here.
http://www.portlandoregon.gov/phb/67191

Open House Tuesday, Aug 5th: LifeWorks/Beech St. Apartments

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Home Forward is partnering with LifeWorks NW on a development in Northeast Portland that will provide permanent apartment homes with supportive services and expand a culturally-focused residential treatment program, Project Network.

The development’s 32 permanent apartments, which will be reserved for graduates of substance abuse treatment programs, represent Home Forward’s first “dry” housing program.  The development also is part of the agency’s efforts to preserve public housing by replacing former single-family public housing homes with more cost-efficient apartments in multi-family buildings.

Patients released from treatment would be eligible to live in one of the 32 affordable housing units in the other wing. Once there, they would continue outpatient services at a LifeWorks Northwest facility two blocks away on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

light0-FROM-NE_2-29-12_2 Continue reading →

New Subsidized Housing for Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd

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According to the Portland Tribune, a new housing project will break ground next year just south of the King Neighborhood on NE Cook and Martin Luther King. The development will feature ground floor retail, LEED certification, and serve residents earning 30, 50, and 60 percent of median area income.

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.

PCRI Addresses KNA, Pledges Cooperation with Neighbors

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A PCRI home in King gets painted

A PCRI home in King being painted

Portland Community Reinvestment Initiatives Executive Director, Maxine Fitzpatrick, Melvin Oden-Orr, PCRI Board President, Karen Gibson, PCRI Board Member, Ben Loftis, PCRI Housing Developer and Cyndi Natalello, PCRI Manager of Property Management all came to KNA’s November meeting to discuss their organization and to address community concerns outlined in our blog post in September. An informational video was shown about the organization that owns 88 properties in the King neighborhood and about 700 in total.

Ms. Fitzpatrick said that PCRI staff felt the organization was unduly negatively represented in the blog and that the attention went beyond what was pertinent to the interest of the neighborhood association. PCRI Board Chair, Melvin Oden-Orr outlined the many competing financial responsibilities of PCRI as it strives to meet mandates by city agencies and provide housing as its portfolio increases. He pledged that PCRI is doing its best to serve the residents of our community and urged patience.

The attendees discussed the issues and it was resolved that KNA and PCRI should work more closely to resolve misunderstandings and any issues that arise with PCRI properties or tenants. PCRI was recognized for providing a vital service in a city that has insufficient affordable housing. PCRI will come to KNA meetings quarterly, will be more responsive to complaints or concerns by residents, and will work strategically instead of reactively to problems.

Concerns about PCRI properties can be referred to PCRI Manager of Property Management, Cyndi Natalello at (503) 288-2923 or cyndi@pcrihome.org.

Read the meeting minutes here.

Visit the PCRI website here.