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Blue Ribbon Committee on Housing Resource Development Convenes Nov 21
Portland Mayor Vera Katz and Commissioner Erik Sten will convene a Blue Ribbon Committee on Housing Resource Development on November 21, 2003. The Blue Ribbon Committee, comprised of elected officials and business leaders from throughout the Portland Metro area and Salem, is charged with recommending a winnable strategy to secure a new source of long-term stable funding to meet the affordable housing needs in the Portland Metro area.
Mayor Katz and Commissioner Sten hope to draw on the experience and ingenuity of leaders from around the region to address the lack of affordable housing, an effort that begins with the Blue Ribbon Commission.
"There is no easy solution given the economy in Oregon right now," said Commissioner Sten. "However, I am very encouraged by the level of interest and enthusiasm I have found from public and private sector leaders across the region. They realize that we can't afford to ignore the housing affordablility crisis, it just keeps getting worse, affecting the not only individuals and families but also the stability of our schools, our neighborhoods and local businesses."
For over a decade housing prices in the Portland Metro area have risen at a rate significantly higher than area wages. Consequently over a third of people living in the Metro area are paying over 30% of their income towards housing, a percent that exceeds the Federal definitions of housing affordability. For households earning less than $20,000 annually, a staggering four-fifths are living in housing which they cannot afford.
Oregonian: People with Mental Illness Increasingly Fill Prisons
The sad legacy of the de-institutionalization of people with mental illness in the 1980's coupled with the current lack of affordable housing and reduced supportive services mean that Oregon prisons are increasingly the "home" for people with mental illness. In an article from 11/14, the Oregonian reports that nearly a quarter of the state's 12,200 inmates are severely mentally ill and live in facilities poorly equipped to care for them. When you consider that the cost of incarceration is far more expensive than publicly subsidized housing and supportive services, increasing funding for affordable housing is clearly more than a humanitarian desire; it is fiscally responsible public policy.
To read the full Oregonian article, click here.
CPAH to Build Its Fourth Affordable Apartment Complex
TIGARD, OR (11/7/03) - Community Partners for Affordable Housing, Inc. (CPAH) announced today it has received funding from Oregon Housing and Community Services, enabling CPAH to move forward with predevelopment and construction on what will be its fourth affordable apartment complex, Oleson Woods. Oleson Woods will have 32 units affordable to individuals and families earning 50 percent or less of area median income. Twenty-eight of the units will be three- and four-bedroom apartments (badly needed in the area); the remaining four will have one-bedroom. Construction of Oleson Woods is scheduled to begin July 2004, and available to rent May 2005.
Funding from Oregon Housing and Community Services combines with a HOME Partnership Investment Program award from Washington County and a Community Development Block Grant to provide a funding package that will allow the Oleson Woods to be affordable for at least 50 years.
Located near the intersection of SW Oleson Rd. and SW 91st Ave., Oleson Woods is less than a half-mile from the Washington Square Mall. The Washington Square regional employment center is one of the largest retail centers in the state, supporting over 18,000 jobs in retail, office, service and light industry. Unfortunately, the area has only 2,300 housing units, giving it one of the worst jobs to housing ratios in the metropolitan area. Oleson Woods will be a first step in filling the needs for workforce housing, especially for larger families.
The property contains a wealth of natural resources, including mature tree canopies at both the north and south ends of the site, a seasonally wet wetland in the middle of the site, and significant habitat value. These natural resources have been integrated into the project design to maximize their benefit. In addition to the preservation of the environment onsite, Oleson Woods will employ a variety of green building techniques in its construction, limiting environmental impact and lowering energy costs for residents through use of energy efficient appliances and heating system.
Community Partners for Affordable Housing, Inc. (CPAH) is a non-profit community development corporation serving Southeastern Washington County and Southwest Portland. With an existing portfolio of 143 units, CPAH provides safe and healthy housing along with support and skill building activities for individuals and families of modest means.
Sabin CDC's "Vanport: The Survivors Tale" Premiers December 6
Come see Sabin CDC's award winning film "Vanport: The Survivors Tale" at the Portland Cable Access Open House on Saturday, December 6 at 2:00 pm, at the Hollywood Theater, 4122 NE Sandy Blvd. Winner of the 2003 Gilman Community Impact Award, "Vanport: The Survivors Tale" was researched, produced and filmed by students, brining to light the stories of Vanport flood survivors of 1949, the war years and the town of Vanport, Oregon.
This event is free of charge, and there will be free popcorn to enjoy during the film.
Directly after the screening, you are welcome to attend the Portland Cable Access Open House at 4:00 pm, at Portland Cable Access offices, 2766 NE Martin Luther King Blvd. Join us for the official unveiling of Portland Cable Access’s new name, look and updated facilities. Call Community Media Collaboration with questions: 503-287-3496
Electronic Data Initiative for Nonprofits Launches New Tax Web Site
IRS will let nonprofits e-file their annual reports beginning in 2004. Learn how this can help your organization. Go to: http://ga0.org/ct/i116yKS1FQ1o/
City, PSU Sponsor Ecoroofs Success Stories Event November 19
Come hear Ecoroof success stories this Wednesday from 7:00 pm-8:30 pm at Gabriel Park Community Center, SW 45th & Vermont. The event is FREE & open to the public. No pre-registration required. Presenters will talk about successful ecoroofs installed in Portland. Hear about the retro-fitted porch roof on the Hawthorne Youth Hostel. A private citizen will talk about how she had an ecoroof built into a new home. Other presenters have been invited. There will be city personnel talking about the permitting process, resources, and other nuts and bolts of doing an ecoroof.
Part of the series of programs, "It's All About Clean Rivers," focusing on watershed issues and how citizens can help. Sponsored by City of Portland Environmental Services and Portland State University. Tri-Met bus #1 Vermont. Wheelchair accessible. Multi-purpose room. Questions? Call Betty McArdle at (503) 823-2862.
Nov 22 ReDirect, Inc "Give Green! Holiday Gift Fair" to Benefit Oregon Food Bank
ReDirect, Inc. is pleased to present the 2nd Annual Give Green! Holiday Gift Fair on Saturday, November 22nd, from 10 am to 6 pm inside the Convention Hall of the DoubleTree Hotel across from the Lloyd Center (1000 NE Multnomah, Portland). Admission to the fair will be a suggested $3.00 or 3 non-perishable food items donation that will go directly to benefit the Oregon Food Bank.
The 2nd Annual Give Green! Holiday Gift Fair is a one-day event, featuring ecologically wise, socially responsible and health-oriented gifts. The goal of the fair is to help the public discover how they can purchase great gifts and make a positive contribution to the health of individuals, the community and our environment. Based on previous events, we expect a fantastic variety of gift options including: sustainable home decor & furnishings, local artisans' works, home & garden wares made of recycled materials, organic & natural fiber clothing, sustainable wines, foods, coffees & teas, outdoor sporting goods, gift-sponsorships of non-profit organizations, and much more!
To make this fantastic event run smoothly we are in search of some excellant volunteers for both the day of the event as well as helping vendors move in the day before. Volunteer shifts are all two hours long (but if you want to volunteer for multiple shifts that would be wonderful) from 2-7pm on Friday, November 21st and from 8a-8p on the day of the event (Saturday, November 22nd). Refreshments will be available and all volunteers are welcome to stay after their shifts to enjoy the fair. For more information or to sign up to be a ReDirect Guide Give Green! Holiday Gift Fair volunteer please call Dana at (503) 231-4848 or e-mail me at info@redirectguide.com.
PSU Forum on Sustainability and the Economy November 25
Free Forum on Sustainability and the Economy on Tuesday, November 25: "Sustainable Strategies for High Technology in Portland: Will Nanotech Re-Seed the Silicon Forest?" The event runs from 12-2 pm and is sponsored by the New Economy Observatory at the Institute of Portland Metropolitan Studies
School of Urban Studies and Planning, Portland State University
The forum features Heike Mayer, Assistant Professor of Urban Affiars and Planning, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; David Chen, Partner, OVP Venture Partners, Seattle, Washington and Portland, Oregon; and David Johnson, Professor of Solid State and Inorganic Chemistry, Electrochemistry, and Materials Science, University of Oregon
This event will be held at PSU's Urban Center, 506 SW Mill Portland, Distance Learning Wing Room 204 (Campus map at: http://www.pdx.edu/campus/), and will also be broadcast live on the web at http://www.media.pdx.edu (click on Distance
Learning Center Stream #1 or #2). On-line viewers may participate in real time, submitting questions via email to imsforum@pdx.edu. Please note that attendance for this event is expected to be high. Seating is limited and available only on a first come first serve basis.
Dr. Heike (pronounced Hi-ka) Mayer (http://www.uap.vt.edu/faculty/mayer/index.htm) is an alumna of Portland State
University's Urban Studies Ph.D. program. After finishing her dissertation on the evolution of the Silicon Forest, she joined the Department of Urban Affairs and Planning at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in August
2003. Her research interests focus on economic and community development. In particular, she examines the evolution of knowledge-based industries and the role universities play in economic development. She is currently studying the economic development and commercialization models of nanotechnology initiatives around the nation and she is examining emerging technology sectors in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. Her research on high technology and biotechnology regions has been published by The Brookings Institution. Her recent paper on the role of universities in economic development can be found at http://www.upa.pdx.edu/IMS/about/eventpdfs/meyernanotech.pdf
Dave Chen (http://www.ovp.com/chen.html) brings more than 20 years of operating experience in the software and communications markets. He began his career in 1979 as one of the early team members at Solectron, a $16 billion market leader in electronics manufacturing. He went on to join McKinsey & Co. Technology Practice in Chicago, and later ran marketing at Mentor Graphics. Dave was also founder and managing partner of The Ascent Group: a strategy consult serving firms like Intel, Microsoft, Sun, Bell Atlantic and Fujitsu. During his tenure as an OVP partner, he served on the board of @mobile prior to its acquisition by software.com. He served until 2002 on the board of HNC Software (NASDAQ:HNCS, now NYSE:FIC). Dave has a BA in Biology from the University of California, Berkeley; and a Master's in Management from the Kellogg School at Northwestern University.
David Johnson (http://chemistry.uoregon.edu/johnson.html) is a member of the Material Science Institute at the University of Oregon. The Materials Science Institute is an interdisciplinary institute founded in 1985 as a State Center of Excellence. The purpose of the Institute is to study the structure and properties of materials, to educate in the sciences of materials, and to serve Oregon as a resource in these sciences. Since its founding the Institute has more than tripled the size of its research program, developed four new graduate programs in materials, and contributed to the State's prosperity through collaboration with more than 25 Oregon companies. Dr. Johnson has taught at the university since 1986 after receiving a B.A. from Rutgers University in 1978 and completing a Ph.D. and Postdoctoral work at Cornell University in 1984. His research interests are in novel approaches to solid state synthesis of new materials and are supported by the National Science Foundation, the Office of Naval Research, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
The Forum on Sustainability and the Economy is a monthly discussion series about issues related to livability and economic development in the Portland-Vancouver metropolitan region. In this case, we are using the term livability broadly but specifically to bring issues of environmental quality, social justice, and evolving urbanity specifically into conjunction with economic prosperity. We seek to bring together community members, faculty, and students to critically reflect on the interplay between sustainability and the economy. Our objective is to seek greater public understanding and discussion of sustainability as a foundation for rather than merely a byproduct of sound economic growth.
More information on the series or to view a video archive of previous Forums please visit our website at http://www.upa.pdx.edu/IMS/about/events.html
Web Workshop: Building America’s Future Through Equitable Development Dec 9
Participate in Enterprise's on line workshop: Building America’s Future Through Equitable Development on Tuesday, December 9, 2003 10:03-11:00am.
The debut of Enterprise's Learning Edge Live, this session is about daring to dream—to move beyond what is to what could be. That simple notion is at the heart of equitable development. Equitable development takes a comprehensive approach to economic development to enable low-income and low-wealth residents to participate in and benefit from local and economic activities in regions. Equitable development is more than a concept; it provides tools to achieve equity and develops policies that can provide for sustainable change.
The four basic principles of equitable development are to: (1) integrate people and place, (2) reduce local and regional disparities, (3) ensure double bottom line benefits, and (4) provide meaningful participation in community.
The speaker will present the concepts of equitable development, promising practices, and encourage discussion about projects that are successfully employing the principles.
Expected Outcomes: It is hoped that the participants will respond to the speaker’s ideas by sharing information from their own experience or observation about promising practices, and be motivated by knowing that, though the work is hard, it is accompanied by great opportunities to make significant and positive changes that can benefit everyone.
Who should attend? Everyone interested in a vision of society that works for all citizens.
Presented by: Angela Glover Blackwell, President and Founder, PolicyLink
Cost: With generous funding from Living Cities, there is no registration fee for members of The Enterprise Foundation’s Network. Becoming a member is free. Get details at http://www.enterprisefoundation.org/join/join.asp.
To Register & Join: You must do a Setup process prior to joining the event. See the next section for Setup details. There is no pre-registration. 20 minutes before the start of the event, registration opens. At that time, go to http://www.enterprisefoundation.org/training/events.asp to register for and join. As long as space is available, you will be able to register online, and the password for joining will be provided to you online and in an immediate email.
If you have any questions about the setup process or joining, please contact Kathy Holmes at 410.772.2411 or kholmes@enterprisefoundation.org.
Set Up Your Computer Prior to Joining: A simple setup is required to join an event. Doing it ahead of time will make it easier to be on time. This does not guarantee you a spot in the event. We strongly suggest you do the setup process one or more days prior the event. For fast connections this usually takes just a couple of minutes. For dial-up connections, this step often takes fifteen minutes and can take longer.
PC users, go to http://enterprisefoundation.webex.com/ and click on "Setup," then "Meeting Manager." When prompted, click the Setup button.
Mac OS 9 and OS X users, go to http://enterprisefoundation.webex.com/ and click "Assistance" in the box on the left, then click "Support." Scroll down to Downloads, and find "Meeting Manager for Mac OS." Click on the download for the appropriate operating system, and follow the instructions.
What are Learning Edge Live and Live Online Classes?
Learning Edge Live events feature groundbreaking, visionary, and/or bold ideas and people in the community development industry. Live Online Classes feature programmatic and skill-building topics. Both types of events reach people spread among many locations.
Online events involve participants gathering at a specific time on a specific Website to take a class, usually from their own desks. The visual part of the presentation appears on participants’ computer screens. This can involve slides, documents, web tours, and software demonstrations. The sound for an online event is handled with a telephone conference call. This enables verbal dialogue, questions, and answers. To participate, you may use a PC or Mac computer. You must have a Web browser, and Internet Explorer v. 5 or higher is recommended. You must be able to be on the Internet and speak on the phone at the same time.
Upcoming Online Events:
For a list of future Learning Edge Live events and Live Online Classes, go to
www.enterprisefoundation.org/resources/trainingconf/training/elearning/events.asp
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