CommunityWealth.Org featured Portland as a model Community Development City, specifically citing the success of CDN and five other CDN Voting Member organizations. 

Community-Wealth.org brings together, information about the broad range of community wealth building activity.CommunityWealth.Org believe that practitioners, policy makers, academics and the media need solid information and tools that can help them understand and support the expansion of community wealth-building institutions. 

To read more, go to: http://www.community-wealth.org/strategies/cw-cities/index.html

Minimum Wage Boost Helps Low-Wage Workers Without Hurting Economy; Oregon’s job growth since voters approved increase ranks 9th fastest

The annual cost-of-living adjustment in Oregon’s minimum wage set to take effect on New Year’s Day will help low-wage working families keep up with the cost of living without dampening job growth, according to an analysis of job growth trends over the past three years by the Oregon Center for Public Policy (OCPP). Oregon has added jobs more rapidly than 41 other states since the voter-approved minimum wage increase first took effect three years ago, according to the analysis.

“The annual cost-of-living adjustment in the state minimum wage is good for Oregon and good for Oregon’s low-wage, working families,” said Michael Leachman, policy analyst at the OCPP. “Oregon’s job growth has outpaced most other states since the minimum wage was first increased three years ago.”

Measure 25, adopted by voters in 2002, increased Oregon’s minimum wage to $6.90 on January 1, 2003 and established annual adjustments based on official cost-of-living calculations. On New Year’s Day, the annual adjustment will push the minimum wage to $7.50 an hour, up from $7.25 this year. At $7.50 per hour a full-time worker will gross $15,600 over the course of the year, or $1,300 a month.

“Contrary to the doomsday predictions of minimum wage opponents, Oregon’s annual cost-of-living adjustments in the minimum wage have been compatible with solid job growth,” said Leachman.

According to the OCPP, Oregon added 91,500 jobs between January 2003, when the minimum wage was first increased following voter approval of Measure 25, and November 2005, the latest data available. Oregon’s percentage growth in jobs over this period is the nation’s ninth fastest.

OCPP analysis also indicates that restaurants and farms have seen particularly rapid job growth since the passage of Measure 25. Restaurants and farms each have lobbying associations that have been outspoken critics of the annual inflation adjustments in the minimum wage and both industries have large concentrations of minimum wage workers.

Restaurant jobs increased by 7.7 percent between the first quarter of 2002 and the first quarter of 2005 - the latest data available - compared to a 4.1 percent gain for overall non-farm payroll employment. Total agricultural employment in Oregon was up 6.5 percent between 2002 and 2004, the OCPP found. Total non-farm jobs in Oregon, by contrast, increased by just 1.3 percent over the same period. Data on agricultural employment for 2005 is not yet available.

Leachman emphasized the importance of the annual cost-of-living adjustments for allowing all of Oregon’s working families to keep pace with rising costs of health care, gas, housing, and other basic necessities. “Minimum wage workers may still be working for poverty wages,” he said, “but at least they won’t fall further behind in 2006 as these costs continue to escalate.”

Despite the adjustments to the minimum wage, a full-time minimum wage employee supporting a family of three or more still does not earn enough to escape poverty. A full-time minimum wage worker in 2005 made $15,080. That’s $1,010 less than the 2005 poverty line for a family of three. Because the poverty line, like Oregon’s minimum wage, is adjusted annually for inflation, in 2006 the three or more person family with one minimum wage worker will remain in poverty. The 2006 poverty line will be set in early 2006 by the federal government.

Leachman noted that the cost of covering “basic family needs” in Oregon is much higher than the poverty line suggests. A study by the Economic Policy Institute released earlier this year found that a parent with two children living in the Portland metro area would need $38,112, or over $18 per hour, to cover the necessary costs of a modest lifestyle.

The Oregon Center for Public Policy uses research and analysis to advance policies and practices that improve the economic and social opportunities of all Oregonians.

HUD Provides $13 Million to Serve Oregon Homeless, Faith-Based Organizations

On December 20, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson announced Oregon would receive funding of $13,048,351 to provide shelter and care for persons and families without a home of their own. The funding to Oregon is part of more than $1.3 billion announced nationwide. This funding will support a record number of local programs and is expected to provide critically needed assistance to approximately 172,000 persons and families living without a home of their own.  Included is over $1.4 million to Oregon faith-based organizations.

All funding for faith-based organizations in Oregon this year continues previously HUD funded projects. Projects include:

St. Vincent de Paul of Lane County -- Project LIFT  $249,736

St. Vincent de Paul of Lane County -- Connections  $222,220

The Salvation Army (Portland) -- West Women's Facility $125,769

The Salvation Army (Salem) -- Alpha Life Skills   $ 39,375

YWCA of Salem -- Resource Assistance Program   $ 83,572                                

To learn more about HUD's Continuum of Care and Emergency Shelter Grant funding, see the HUD Press Release.  

A list of all awards made in the state of Oregon is available here.

Northwest Housing Alternatives, an affordable housing community development corporation, announced today the receipt of a $2,500 community grant from The Fred Meyer Foundation for its homeless family services program, Annie Ross House. 

Since 1986, Annie Ross House has helped over 1,500 homeless families in Clackamas County obtain decent, affordable, and permanent housing, which is key to independence and stability. Annie Ross House will use The Fred Meyer Foundation grant to provide emergency shelter, transitional housing, and family support services to more than 65 families in the coming year.

“The Fred Meyer Foundation and it’s Advisory Committee members were particularly impressed by the successful track record of Annie Ross House and its programs,” Glynda Brockhoff, Philanthropy Coordinator for Fred Meyer and The Fred Meyer Foundation, said. “We hope this community grant will help Annie Ross House continue the important work it is doing to enhance the welfare of the community. We are proud to be part of the Milwaukie community and are committed to helping where we can.”

The Foundation’s community grant program is driven by 29 local Advisory Committees made up of local Fred Meyer associates who research nonprofit organizations in their communities and then award community grants.

 “These grants are the result of true community efforts involving both our associates through our annual Employee Giving Campaign and our customers through the contributions they make in our stores using the Make Change Count coin boxes and scan cards at the check stands. The dollars collected through these employee and store efforts are combined and then allocated by the Advisory Committees as community grants in the four western states where we have stores,” Brockhoff said.

The Fred Meyer Foundation assists nonprofit organizations dedicated to helping children and reducing hunger in communities serviced by 129 Fred Meyer stores in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. Fred Meyer is a division of the Kroger Co., which is one of the nation’s largest food retailers. The Fred Meyer Foundation has awarded grants totaling over $4.5 million since it began in December 1998. For more information, call 1-800-858-9202, ext. 5605.

Portland Community Land Trust Offer 4 Homeownership Orientations in Jan, Feb

Portland Community Land Trust (PCLT) helps first-time home buyers achieve homeownership. PCLT is currently selling homes priced between $115-150K to income qualified buyers (below 80% MFI). Free homebuyer orientations are held regularly to introduce interested home buyers to the program and the affordable homeownership opportunities that are currently available. 

PCLT Homeownership Orientation Schedule for January and February:

Tues., January 17th

6:30-7:30 pm

At Holgate Library, 7905 SE Holgate

Thurs., January 26th

11:00-noon

PCLT Office, 3109B NE Broadway

Saturday, February 4th

4:00-5:00 on

At the Central Library, 801 S.W. 10th Ave.

Mon., February 13th

6:30-7:30 pm

PCLT Office, 3109B NE Broadway

The Marguerite Casey Foundation recently provided One Economy with a grant to launch an online and on-the-ground civic engagement initiative that will encourage low-income communities to vote and become more involved in their communities.

Studies show that many low-income and minority individuals are disengaged from their community, treated as incapable of making decisions, and isolated from the services and assets they need to succeed. By partnering with the Marguerite Casey Foundation, One Economy will bring information and resources to these currently disenfranchised citizens to help them find power and a have a voice in government.

With the soon-to-come Free Forum and new web content on our consumer portal, The Beehive, One Economy will harness the power of technology to produce 21st century civic engagement.

One Economy will develop online content that is useful and relevant to our users. The site will include a section on voter awareness, walking users through all aspects of voting, like registering to vote and using voting machines. Local Beehives will also aggregate information about local elections, candidates, and their positions on issues that directly affect low-income communities. Users will also be connected to local community-based organizations and national networks.

Beyond emphasizing the importance of voting, the site will encourage users to interact with their government. One Economy will group existing online government tools and will help users navigate the process of communicating with relevant government agencies.

As part of the 21st century initiative, the online content will feature the Free Forum, an online community space for Beehive users. By connecting people and enabling them to share opinions on community issues, giving tips on navigating government agencies, and creating a channel of open communication, this forum will serve as the model of 21st century community development. The Free Forum will harness the power of online social media to encourage civic engagement among low income people.

To engage on-the-ground users, One Economy will hold local demonstrations in different communities. At these events, Digital Connectors, community leaders, and One Economy partners will promote the online tool and help to generate content for the free forum.

To find out more, go to: www.one-economy.com/press/releases/051215_casey.asp

The Metro Council is pleased to announce the first speaker in the 2006 Economic Development Speaker Series: On January 19, 2006, come hear Michael Gallis, Principal, Michael Gallis and Associates at Liberty Northwest, 650 NE Holladay Street, Portland

There is a reception at 6 p.m., followed by the feature presentation at 7 p.m.

Michael has pioneered a specialty in building frameworks through which public, private and institutional leaders can work effectively to create globally competitive regions.

Through these frameworks, he has mobilized leaders across the country to understand and develop new ways of responding to the challenges and opportunities of states and regions in the 21st century.

More about the Economic Development Speaker Series: Beginning this January 2006 and continuing through at least April, the Metro Council will be bringing to the region some of the country’s leading economic development thinkers. Speakers will offer their insights into the national and global forces affecting regional competitiveness and will provide counsel for business and government leaders and the residents of the Portland metropolitan region. The lineup includes a diversity of viewpoints and expertise designed to challenge us to rise to new levels of thinking about the region’s economy, market dynamics affecting our global competitiveness and strategies required to position us for success.

Save these dates in February, March and April 2006:

February 15, 2006 – Debi Coleman, Managing Partner, SmartForest Ventures

March 15, 2006 – Ross DeVol, Director Regional, Economics Milken Institute

April 13, 2006 – Carol Coletta, President CEOs For Cities and host of Smart City Radio Show

TACS Presents PC Boot Camp: Maintaining Your Desktop Computers Jan 26

For those of us in the role of "accidental techie,” maintaining multiple PCs can be a daunting task—especially when security, viruses, and spyware are such important concerns. Join Abe Conway and Jason Jensen for this half-day crash course on how to maintain your PC, defend against viruses, adware and other essential every-day necessities for a healthy computer. This course covers everything you should know if you own or work with a PC.

Specifically, you will learn:

·       How to extend the life of your computer systems

·       About free tools for removing viruses, spyware and adware

·       Essential steps for improved security

·       Methods for simple data back-up

PC Boot Camp is a half day workshop on January 26, 2006, in the TACS Conference Room

1001 SE Water Ave. Ste. 490, Portland, OR. The workshop runs from 12:30pm - 4:30pm.  The registration cost is $70. Sign up now! Class size is limited 12. To register, go to: http://www.tacs.org/training/register.asp

Abe and Jason will cover the basics of maintaining desktop computers: how to combat spyware and adware; how to download and install more-secure alternative web browsers; what virus protection is available; what is a firewall, and how to configure one; how to back-up your data to CD, DVD, or external hard drive; how to uninstall unneeded applications; how to perform Windows Updates.

Class pre-requisites: Can you use a mouse and keyboard? No other preparation is required

Sisters Of The Road Annual Winterfolk Benefit Feb 4

Portland's largest annual celebration of folk music, will take place at 7pm Saturday, February 4th at the Aladdin Theatre. Tickets are on sale now at Music Millennium, Ticketmaster, and the Aladdin Theatre box office at 3116 SE 11th Ave.  U. Utah Phillips will once again headline, along with Tracy Grammer.

An annual benefit for Sisters Of The Road café, Winterfolk features some of the finest regional folk acts in the Pacific Northwest and beyond.  Begun in 1988 as a birthday party that featured then-Omaha, Nebraska performer Tom May, it has become an annual standing-room-only event that raises thousands of dollars to provide low- and no- cost meals at the café's location in Portland's Old Town/ Chinatown neighborhood.

Also raising thousands of dollars for Sisters' good work is the 11th annual Guitar Raffle!

This year's guitar is truly spectacular: a new Gibson Hummingbird with a cherry sunburst finish, rosewood bridge, solid mahogany back, sides and neck, mother-of-pearl headstock inlay, and classic Hummingbird-theme pickguard. Gibson's suggested retail price is $3,229.  As an added benefit, U. Utah Phillips will sign the guitar from the stage during Winterfolk!

Tickets are $10 each and are available at both Music Millennium locations: 3158 E Burnside St. and 801 NW 23rd Ave.  Raffle tickets are also available for purchase at our Development office at 618 NW Davis, just around the corner from the cafe'.