Affordable Housing Now! Community Forum December 4
Affordable Housing Now!, a movement of affordable housing advocates whose goal is to secure new resources for affordable housing, is hosting a Community Forum Wednesday December 4 to discuss and identify new resource generating initiatives to increase funding for affordable housing. Housing Advocates, your input is needed!
For too long, our region has watched others lead the way throughout the country. Seattle voters have passed housing levies on three separate occasions to address their housing crisis. Florida has a real estate transfer tax supported by realtors, bankers, and housing advocates alike. California requires that 20% of Tax Increment Funds be spent on affordable housing. Los Angeles appropriated $100 million to a housing trust fund amid a post 9/11 fiscal short fall. Now, it's our turn.
The Affordable Housing Now! campaign will identify, select and launch new resource-generating initiatives. If you are sick and tired of trying to figure out how you are going to pay for next month's rent, JOIN US. If you are a housing advocate fed up with dwindling resources and continued cutbacks, JOIN US. If you live in the Metro area and you believe that families with children, seniors and people with disabilities deserve, safe, stable and affordable housing, JOIN US. Wednesday, December 4, 2002 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The location will be posted on the CDN website by November 22. Childcare will be provided upon request. Bring yourself, bring a friend.
If you have questions, or would like to get involved with Affordable Housing Now!, call Michael Anderson at CDN at (503) 335-9884 or email Mike@cdnportland.org.
Strategic Planning Meeting for the Real Estate Transfer Tax December 19
Affordable Housing Now! invites individuals and organizations that have the Real Estate Transfer Tax for affordable housing on their legislative agendas to a strategic planning session December 19, 7:00-9:00 p.m. at the Metro offices, 600 NE Grand, Room 370. Affordable Housing Now! is a movement of affordable housing advocates whose goal is to secure new resources for affordable housing.
Perhaps the makeup of our next legislature or the magnitude of the coming fiscal crisis will provide a unique opportunity to gain ground toward passing a RETT. In any case, the session is quickly approaching and collaboration among our organizations before the legislative session is more important than ever and will help maximize our impact. Please join us to plan and coordinate RETT strategies for the legislative session.
Agenda items will include:
1. Legislative overview and (brief) history of RETT
2. Update on organizations RETT strategies
3. Legislative bill options
4. Opportunities for collaborative advocacy strategies
If you have questions, or would like to get involved with Affordable Housing Now!, call Michael Anderson at CDN at (503) 335-9884 or email Mike@cdnportland.org.
NPF Hosts Statewide Alliance and Communications Workshop for CDCs
The Neighborhood Partnership Fund is hosting a workshop December 16 entitled Building Statewide Alliances and Communication Strategies for Affordable Housing and Community Development Issues.
As times are changing – so is the climate around community development. With a new Governor at the helm and the Legislative Session soon to begin it is more important now than ever that community development issues be presented with a united voice.
Please join us for a session on how to develop a strong unified voice for the community development field. This day includes presentations and discussions with policy makers and political strategists on how to create effective messages and advocacy campaigns.
This workshop will focus on getting the message you want legislators and voters to hear about community development and how to get that message to the right people at the right time. It will also help evaluate the CDC industry’s assets, resources and challenges and work with you to design the strategies you need to get what you want in your community. Laurie Glenn Gista will facilitate this important workshop. Laurie brings a broad range of public policy, media and strategy development experience as President of Thinkinc. For a number of years Laurie has worked to bring increased public attention to issues relating to affordable housing, community and economic development, regionalism, education and the environment. Laurie provides critical political savvy, which she developed as a California-based political consultant. She has a strong history of developing strategies, enabling people to level the playing field of ideas.
The workshop takes place December 16, 2002 from 9:00 to 4:30 at the Governor Hotel. The cost is $45. To register, call Jackie Sanders at (503) 226-3001 or info@tnpf.org.
PDC Offers Two Public Forums on Its Fiscal Year 2003-2004 Budget
The Portland Development Commission (PDC) will hold two public forums in November to gather public input to its fiscal year 2003-2004 budget (which runs July 1, 2003 to June 30, 2004). Citizens will be briefed on PDC projects and programs in ten urban renewal areas in the City as well as programs the Commission offers that are city- and region-wide. The forums are:
Thursday, November 7, 7:00-9:00 p.m., Multnomah County Board Room, 501 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd. and
Saturday, November 16, 10:00-12 noon, Mt. Hood Community College, Maywood Park Campus, Room 125, 10100 N.E. Prescott
PDC senior executives are also using the budget forums and community meetings to update citizens on challenges and opportunities facing the Commission. Specifically, those attending receive an overview of the Commission's current budget, an overview of future funding challenges (including the effects of the Oregon Supreme Court decision in Shilo Inns vs. Multnomah County et al), and efforts toward development of new funding resources.
For citizens who are unable to attend any of the budget meetings and have Internet access, all the budget information is available on PDC's main website. There they can view the entire community meeting schedule, view potential projects and programs in the various urban renewal areas, give input via an input form, and can read about PDC's budget challenges and funding opportunities. There are also links to PDC's current budget and a new publication describing PDC and urban renewal.
This stage of public input to the fiscal year 2003/04 budget will conclude in December after which the various departments at PDC will work with internal Finance staff and the Executive Director on a Proposed Budget - to be presented to the PDC Board in March 2003. In March and April 2003 PDC project staff will also take the Proposed Budget back out to key constituent groups for their input. Public budget forums will again be scheduled to obtain additional public input. In May 2003 the budget will be approved by the PDC Board, and in June 2003, after a hearing with the Tax Supervising and Conservation Commission, the budget will be formally adopted.
PDC's Adopted Budget for the current fiscal year, 2002/03, is $211 million.
For more information contact: Julie Rawls, PDC, 503-823-3294
ONI to Coordinate a Citywide Discussion on Public Involvement
Commissioner Jim Francesconi announces effort to develop citywide public involvement standards taskforce including citizens and city staff will make recommendations to City Council Commissioner Jim Francesconi has directed the Office of Neighborhood Involvement to develop citywide standards for involving the public in all major projects and policy discussions. In a memo to Council members, Chief Administrative Officer Tim Grewe, and Bureau Directors, 2001, Francesconi reiterated a Council-accepted 2001 recommendation from the City's Administrative Services Review plan to encourage ONI to coordinate a citywide discussion developing common terms, understanding and expectations for outreach processes along with standard guidelines.
"The need for consistent standards to involve the public in city discussions and projects has been brought up to me numerous times during my visits with neighborhood activists," states Francesconi. "I have often heard concerns about inconsistent approaches by bureaus on issues important to community members. For both public involvement and public information, we must look at developing clear guidelines or standards that are applied consistently across the city."
To implement this Council-accepted recommendation, Francesconi has asked the Office of Neighborhood Involvement to initiate a citywide discussion that will include city, neighborhood coalition, and other external public involvement staff. This process will look at:
* Reviewing best practices and current city and bureau policies around public involvement
* Establishing recommendations for clear, consistent standards to meet the public expectation for public involvement practices across the City,
* Developing policy recommendations and public involvement standards for Council adoption.
Francesconi emphasized that the development of clear, consistent public involvement standards "can reaffirm and improve upon Portland's strong history and commitment of involving citizens in decision-making and help us work together to ensure that the city continues to be the City that works."
For more information, contact: Cristina Germain, Office of Commissioner Jim Francesconi, 503-823-3008, cgermain@ci.portland.or.us; or David Lane, Ph.D., Director, Office of Neighborhood Involvement, 503-823-4519; dlane@ci.portland.or.us
It's Our City: Making Our City Neighbor-Business Friendly
Commissioner Jim Francesconi is seeking nominations for participants for a dialogue with neighborhood and business leaders to improve collaboration between neighborhood associations and neighboring businesses. On Saturday, November 16, 2002, a half-day discussion will bring together neighborhood and business leaders to discuss a variety of challenges that affect their communities, such as parking demand, crime, trash, community resources, among others. Nominations are being solicited for people interested in participating.
In announcing the event, Commissioner Francesconi is building on other City efforts, including the recently formed Small Business Advisory Council, to support a positive climate for small businesses and, in particular, neighborhood businesses.
"Portland is known for its unique web of neighborhood businesses located where people live and work. We also have a well-respected neighborhood association system. This day of dialogue is an effort to recognize the complex challenges that arise in business districts and adjacent neighborhoods and to improve working relationships that enhance the vitality of each area," comments Francesconi.
The November 16 dialogue will extend from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Organized by Jennifer Johnson, Small Business Advocate with the Portland Development Commission, and David Lane, Ph.D., Director of the Office of Neighborhood Involvement, attendees will focus on identifying common interests, looking for increased opportunities for partnerships, developing a specific action plan for increasing neighborhood-friendly business practices, and identifying specific recommendations for City Council.
Contacts: Cristina Germain, Office of Commissioner Jim Francesconi, 503-823-3008, cgermain@ci.portland.or.us; Martha Richmond, Portland Development Commission 503-823-3296, richmondm@pdc.us; David Lane, Ph.D., Director, Office of Neighborhood Involvement, 503-823-4519, dlane@ci.portland.or.us
Office of Mental Health and Addiction Services Host Housing Conference December 10 and 11
The State of Oregon, Office of Mental Health and Addiction Services is pleased to invite the members of the Community Development Network to their Fall Housing Conference Tuesday, December 10 and Wednesday, December 11 2002 at the Doubletree Hotel, Jantzen Beach. The conference will focus on services that help persons with mental health and addiction disorders to live successfully in the community, resources and strategies for developing additional affordable housing opportunities, and consumer choice, perspectives and self determination.
For more information, please check http://omhs.mhd.hr.state.or.us/, or call Steven Borcherding, Housing Specialist, Office of Mental Health and Addiction Services, 503-945-2346 or steve.borcherding@state.or.us
The Home Depot Corporate Contributions Program Funding Resource for Affordable Housing
Funding is available to nonprofit organizations that develop and sustain affordable housing in low-income neighborhoods in communities where Home Depot has a presence. Organizations directly involved with the creation or rehabilitation of low-income housing, community development organizations, neighborhood housing service organizations, and neighborhood revitalization groups may apply.
Funding is also available to programs that assist at-risk youth and to organizations that direct efforts toward green-building design, recycling, lead poisoning prevention, and protecting the environment.
There are no application deadlines. For further information, visit the above website (www.homedepot.com) or call Cathi Uitermark, Contributions Coordinator: 770-433-8211.
Office 2000 is *so* 2000; why not upgrade?
When was the last time you upgraded your office suite? Be honest. You probably don't even think about this option until you buy a new machine, right? Well, with new features like smart tags, which allow you to more quickly complete your tasks, task panes, and document recovery, your mind-numbing office tasks have never been simpler or more fun. Of course, some of you may miss the roller coaster ride-reminiscent, gut-wrenching feeling of having your computer crash just as you were pleasantly tapping out your final sentence. This auto recovery feature is standard in Microsoft's Office XP Professional. It lets you choose how often files are saved. If an error occurs, you can discard the recovered file, save it in place of the original, or keep it as a separate file.
Need another reason to upgrade? In addition to the core Office XP programs -- Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint -- Office XP Professional includes Microsoft Access 2002, the Office XP database program that helps users store, access, and analyze their data.
You can get all this for the affordable administration fee of $60 (compared to $579 retail). Additional one-user licenses (up to 10 available per fiscal year) cost $40 each ($579 retail).
Order this and other discounted Microsoft software packages here: http://www.techsoup.org/discountech.cfm?id=29
Emerald Valley Development Professionals Present "Essentials of a
Successful Board"
Half-Day Workshop for: Development Professionals, Executive Directors, Board Members, and Fund Raising Staff.
Date: November 12, 2002
Place: Eugene Hilton & Conference Center - 66 E. 6th Ave., Eugene
Time: 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 PM (lunch included)
Cost: $10 each for EVDP, WVDO, MVDP members & colleagues from their organizations, $25 each for others.
Speaker: Sharon Gibson Alexander, Director, United Way of Benton Co.
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM THIS WORKSHOP: Sharon Gibson Alexander will provide valuable training regarding the role of the non-profit Board, and how the board members, executive staff and fund development professionals can effectively work together. This is a opportunity to provide vital education for your non-profit's Board and executive staff. Due to multiple registrations expected from organizations, this workshop will fill up quickly. SPACE IS LIMITED. PLEASE REGISTER EARLY! You may register on-line at www.evdp.org. REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS NOVEMBER 5, 2002. Cancellations after that date will not be refunded.
Why YOU should come to the Affordable Housing Now! Community Forum on Wednesday December 4
What does it mean when we can’t find affordable housing in our communities?
* When workers or students cannot affordable housing in the communities in which they work or go to school, their commute time increases, reducing time for families and civic activities; traffic congestion increases, creating more pollution and longer commute time for everybody; and household budgets are stretched to pay for additional transportation costs.
* When rising housing costs force low-income families, the disabled, seniors and long time community residents out of their neighborhood, often they have to move to places with fewer community services, less public transportation service, less local employment opportunities and poorer housing. People who are displaced lose contact with long-time neighbors or fellow church members who may assist with shopping, home maintenance, and trips to the doctor.
* When families with children cannot find stable, quality housing, children tend to perform poorly in school.
The time for action has come!
For too long, our region has watched others lead the way throughout the country. Seattle voters have passed housing levies on three separate occasions to address their housing crisis. Florida has a real estate transfer tax supported by realtors, bankers, and housing advocates alike. California requires that 20% of Tax Increment Funds be spent on affordable housing. Los Angeles appropriated $100 million to a housing trust fund amid a post 9/11 fiscal short fall. Now, it’s our turn.
The Affordable Housing Now! campaign will identify, select and launch new affordable housing funding initiatives. We need your help to best determine what funding initiative to pursue. And we need you aboard to help build our movement.
If you are sick and tired of trying to figure out how you are going to pay for next month’s rent, JOIN US. If you are a housing advocate fed up with dwindling resources and continued cutbacks, JOIN US. If you live in the Metro area and you believe that everyone deserves, safe, stable and affordable housing, JOIN US.
Join the movement to end our Affordable Housing Crisis
Wednesday, December 4, 2002
7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
PSU Smith Center, Rms 234-236
1825 SW Broadway, Portland OR 97201
Bring yourself, bring a friend
Childcare will be provided upon request. The Smith Center is accessible to people with disabilities. If you have questions, or would like to get involved with Affordable Housing Now!, call Michael Anderson at CDN at (503) 335-9884 or email Mike@cdnportland.org.
Workshop on Reasonable Accommodations in Housing for People with Disabilities December 3 in Portland.
The Fair Housing Council of Oregon will hold a day-long teleconference on the reasonable accommodation rights of people with disabilities on December 3 and December 5. The December 3 conference will include workshop sites in Portland, Salem, La Grande, Klamath Falls, Medford and Coos Bay. The December 5 conference will include workshop sites in Salem, Eugene, Bend, Tillamook and Ontario. The conference will run from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. both dates.
The conference will provide technical information from experts on fair housing, ADA and 504 on the rights and responsibilities of persons with disabilities, as well as providing facilitated small group discussion and strategy sharing among participants throughout the state. This is a great opportunity for housing providers to get up to speed on the law.
The Portland conference location is at PCC Rock Creek. Registration is $20. Call or email Diane Hess to register: (503) 412-6000 or dhess@fhco.org.
Sustainable Construction Practices Conference December 3 and 4
"Sustainable Construction Practices: Concrete & Asphalt" conference will be at Portland's Embassy Suites Hotel December 3 and 4. Come meet and network with people who are using sustainable technologies in construction. Hear from successful practitioners in the Pacific Northwest. Learn from regional case studies and local practices.
For additional information - Contact Alex Keith / Lauren Heine, Zero Waste Alliance, 503-279-9383, akeith@zerowaste.org or Stephanie Sanford, Center for Water and Environmental Sustainability, Oregon State University, 541-737-5861, stephanie.sanford@orst.edu
This conference is being hosted by the Oregon State University's Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering, the Zero Waste Alliance and the Center for Water and Environmental Sustainability (CWESt)at OSU.
"Urban Sprawl - What's Health Got to Do with It?"
Come hear Dr. Dick Jackson discuss the intersection between modern health problems and smart growth Thursday, December 5 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm at the Multnomah Athletic Club, 1849 SW Salmon.
In the 21st century, the nation must confront a dramatic increase in chronic diseases that include hypertension, cardiovascular disease, depression, type 2 diabetes and ailments of aging like arthritis and osteoporosis. The severity and frequency of these diseases could be modified or reduced by more physical activity, which smarter built environments can promote. At the same time, a doubling of the US population in this century will require smarter building and far more thoughtful resource preservation. Dr. Dick Jackson, MD, MPH, Director of Center for Disease Control's National Center for Environmental Health, will discuss the ways our built environment shapes the health of each of us.
The cost is $25* ($20 for OEC members & nonprofit). Must RSVP by November 29. Call Cheryl at (503) 222-1963 x100, or email cheryl@orcouncil.org.
Office of Mental Health and Addiction Services Host Housing Conference December 10 and 11
The State of Oregon, Office of Mental Health and Addiction Services is pleased to invite the members of the Community Development Network to their Fall Housing Conference Tuesday, December 10 and Wednesday, December 11 2002 at the Doubletree Hotel, Jantzen Beach. The conference will focus on services that help persons with mental health and addiction disorders to live successfully in the community, resources and strategies for developing additional affordable housing opportunities, and consumer choice, perspectives and self determination.
For more information, please check http://omhs.mhd.hr.state.or.us/, or call Steven Borcherding, Housing Specialist, Office of Mental Health and Addiction Services, 503-945-2346 or steve.borcherding@state.or.us
Public Comment Sought on Final Administrative Rules to Implement 2002 Land Division Regulations
Portland's Bureau of Environmental Services is proposing final Administrative Rules to comply with the June 2002 City land division regulations. The proposed final rules are open for public review and comment from December 12, 2002 through December 30, 2002. Environmental Services will host a public meeting on December 17 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in Room B on the second floor of the Portland Building, 1120 SW 5th Avenue in downtown Portland.
Administrative Rule proposals cover Environmental Services implementation of: drainage reserves, utility easements, storm-water management regulations; documentation of Environmental Services technical decision-making, and public comment on these decisions.
For an information packet on proposed changes, please call Loretta Behrendt-Tolson at 503-823-5522 or email lorettab@bes.ci.portland.or.us. Information materials are also online at www.cleanrivers-pdx.org/tech_resources/notice.htm.
Oregon Community Protection Coalition Seeking Presenters
Measure 7, the extreme property compensation measure that would have required payment to developers, corporations and wealthy landowners for virtually any land use regulation, was thrown out recently by the Oregon Supreme Court. But that doesn’t mean it’s dead. During this past campaign season a number of candidates were advocating for a "Son of Seven" in the next legislative session. If they can’t get the Legislature to do their work for them, Bill Sizemore and his friends have vowed to bring a similar initiative forward in 2004.
Oregon Community Protection Coalition is a coalition of conservation groups who intend to be prepared for the next assault on our land use and environmental regulations. We’re working to disseminate information that stresses the benefits of sound planning while highlighting the dangers of property compensation schemes.
As part of our effort we are looking for spokespeople who are willing to educate Oregonians about the positive impacts of land use and environmental regulations that protect our air, water, land and neighborhoods. We are especially interested in finding people with stories to tell. We’re looking for people whose health or property has been damaged by the impacts of neighboring development that didn’t follow the rules. These are the stories we will use to show voters the consequences of a scheme that makes it too expensive to enforce the safeguards most Oregonians support. If you have such a story or know of someone who does, please contact OCPC.
If you know of a group that would like to learn more about this issue, we would be pleased to make a brief presentation at a future meeting or other function. In the meantime, keep your eyes and ears peeled for Sequel to Seven, and be prepared to talk to everyone you know about why this scheme is dangerous to the quality of life we have worked so hard to attain.
Oregon Community Protection Coalition iP.O. Box 14842 Portland, OR 97293. Call 503-232-3211, or on the web at www.protectoregon.org
Affordable Housing Now! Hosts 2nd Community Forum in Gladstone Dec 10;
Over 50 Attend Forum in Portland Dec 4
Affordable Housing Now!, a movement of individuals and organizations acting to address the affordable housing crisis in the Portland metro area, is holding a Community Forum at St. Stephens Church in Gladstone Dec 10 at 7:00 p.m. The purpose of the forum is to bring concerned community members together to discuss the affordable housing crisis and build momentum for a campaign to gain a new, ongoing funding source for affordable housing by May, 2004.
Over fifty people attended Affordable Housing Now!'s Community Forum in Portland December 4. Attendees included community development staff, public officials, service providers, and tenants.
For too long, our region has watched others lead the way throughout the country. Seattle voters have passed housing levies on three separate occasions to address their housing crisis. Florida has a real estate transfer tax supported by realtors, bankers, and housing advocates alike. California requires that 20% of Tax Increment Funds be spent on affordable housing. Los Angeles appropriated $100 million to a housing trust fund amid a post 9/11 fiscal short fall. Now, it’s our turn.
The Affordable Housing Now! campaign will identify, select and launch new affordable housing funding initiatives. We need your help to best determine what funding initiative to pursue. And we need you aboard to help build our movement.
If you are sick and tired of trying to figure out how you are going to pay for next month’s rent, JOIN US. If you are a housing advocate fed up with dwindling resources and continued cutbacks, JOIN US. If you live in the Metro area and you believe that everyone deserves, safe, stable and affordable housing, JOIN US.
Join the movement to end our Affordable Housing Crisis
Tuesday, December 10, 2002
7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
St. Stephens Church
290 W Gloucester Rd., Gladstone
Bring yourself, bring a friend
Childcare will be provided upon request. St. Stephens Church is accessible to people with disabilities. If you have questions, or would like to get involved with Affordable Housing Now!, call Michael Anderson at CDN at (503) 335-9884 or email Mike@cdnportland.org.
Fannie Mae Foundation Provides Grant to CDN to Fund Affordable Housing Initiative
The Fannie Mae Foundation approved a $20,000 grant to the Community Development Network (CDN) to support CDN's resource generating initiatives project, a collaborative, multi-year public education campaign that will result in new sustainable revenues for affordable housing development in the Portland metro area.
"The Fannie Mae Foundation realizes that the region's affordable housing crisis must be addressed now," said Sam Chase, CDN's executive director.
CDN began work on the resource generating initiatives project in September 2002 by forming Affordable Housing Now! in collaboration with the Coalition for a Livable Future and the Community Alliance of Tenants. Affordable Housing Now!, is a movement of individuals and organizations acting to address our region’s affordable housing shortage and the devastating impact it has on our families and communities. Affordable Housing Now! plans to secure a new, ongoing source for affordable housing funding by may, 2004.
CDN is an association of nonprofit community development organizations in Multnomah County with the mission of strengthening non profit community development organizations and to provide a collective voice for healthy, diverse communities. Since 1995, CDN has been working to increase public awareness of the need for an adequate stock of affordable housing.
"Choices for Our Future": 1000 Friends of Oregon’s 2002 Citizens' Land Use Conference Dec 7
For all those interested in building knowledge, skills, etc. about land use, here's the premiere annual conference. "Choices for Our Future," December 7, 2002, 9 am to 5 pm at the LaSells Stewart Center, Corvallis, Oregon.
Oregonians are facing our first new governor in eight years, and a fresh legislature under newly-drawn district boundaries. Meanwhile, 1000 Friends of Oregon has a fresh face at our helm –- Executive Director Bob Stacey. What will this mean for Oregon, and the work that we all do in the land use arena? "Choices for Our Future" is designed to begin that discussion.
Why You Should Attend
Whether you’re a community activist, local official, planner, or an interested citizen, the annual Citizens’ Conference will provide you with the practical understanding and skills needed to influence the decisions shaping your community. You’ll also have a chance to meet and learn what other activists and local officials are doing to meet the challenges of growth.
What You Can Learn
1000 Friends of Oregon’s Tenth Annual Citizens’ Conference will bring together experts from around the state to discuss their cutting-edge work. Sixteen workshops will be offered, covering broad subjects and detailed technical skills.
You’ll find workshops on everything from good urban design to lobbying, transportation advocacy to farmland protection, organizational development to protecting forestland. A tour of the downtown Corvallis riverfront redevelopment is also offered.
We will also listen to the reflections of former DLCD Director Richard Benner, hear from Wilsonville Mayor Charlotte Lehan, learn about the 2003 legislature, and recognize some of the great citizens, local officials, and developers around the state.
The schedule:
Morning Plenary 9:00 – 10:25
The Future at 1000 Friends: Executive Director Bob Stacey
The Post-Election Political Landscape
Awards for Local Officials, Citizen Activists, and Developers
Community Design and Human Health
First Sessions 10:35 – 11:55 (choose one)
Wildlife, Natural Resources, and Goal 5
Fighting Houses in Forestland
Land Use 101: An Overview of Oregon's Land Use System
LUBA Appeals: Representing Yourself
Challenging Urban Growth Boundary Expansions
Lunch 11:55 – 1:00
Second Sessions 1:00 – 2:20 (choose one)
Creating New Choices in Housing
Big-Box Battles
Creating an Organization that Can Get Things Done
Participating in Local Land Use Decisions
The Legislature: Our Agenda, and How to Lobby Yours
Tour of the Corvallis Riverfront Park* (starts at 12:30)
Third Sessions 2:30 – 3:50 (choose one)
Choosing Our Future: Willamette Valley Alternative Futures Project
Emerging Choices for Small Cities in Urban Design
Effective Transportation Advocacy
Influencing Local Decisions: Effective Lobbying & Testifying
The Value of Oregon’s Farmland and How to Challenge Non-farm Uses
Afternoon Plenary 4:00 - 4:45
Talking about the Value of Land Use: Charlotte Lehan
Keynote Address: Dick Benner
Reception follows
For registration information, visit: http://www.friends.org
Questions? E-mail andrea@friends.org
America's Working Families and Housing Landscape Study Demonstrates Growing Affordable Housing Crisis
America's Working Families and Housing Landscape is a study released last week by the Center for Housing Policy at the National Housing Conference (NHC). The study found that in two years there has been a dramatic 30 percent rise in the number of working families that spend more than half their income on housing. It reaffirms that working the equivalent of a full-time job does not guarantee American families a decent, affordable place to live. For more information about this study, go to the NHC Web site at http://www.nhc.org/nhchome.htm.
NPF's Statewide Alliance and Communications Workshop Postponed
The Neighborhood Partnership Fund's December 16 workshop entitled Building Statewide Alliances and Communication Strategies for Affordable Housing and Community Development Issues has been postponed until early 2003.Questions? Call Jackie Sanders at (503) 226-3001 or info@tnpf.org.
Office of Mental Health and Addiction Services Host Housing Conference December 10 and 11
The State of Oregon, Office of Mental Health and Addiction Services is pleased to invite the members of the Community Development Network to their Fall Housing Conference Tuesday, December 10 and Wednesday, December 11 2002 at the Doubletree Hotel, Jantzen Beach. The conference will focus on services that help persons with mental health and addiction disorders to live successfully in the community, resources and strategies for developing additional affordable housing opportunities, and consumer choice, perspectives and self determination.
For more information, please check http://omhs.mhd.hr.state.or.us/, or call Steven Borcherding, Housing Specialist, Office of Mental Health and Addiction Services, 503-945-2346 or steve.borcherding@state.or.us
New Columbia Open House
What is happening when?
Join us to hear more about the progress of the new neighborhood being planned to replace Columbia Villa. Bring your questions and comments! All ages are welcome. Local refreshments and interpreters provided.
Saturday, December 7, 1-4 pm, Portsmouth Middle School, 5103 N. Willis Boulevard
Schedule: 2 pm Project Overview, 3 pm Master Plan Progress
For more information, contact Housing Authority of Portland staff Leslie Esinga, 503/802-8365 or John Keating, 503/802-8522. Or, visit our web site at www.hapdx.org.
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Software Choices: Accounting, Fund Raising and Client Tracking
Nonprofit Fiscal Managers Association meeting December 19 featuring Kay Sohl. A huge topic in a very short network meeting! We’ll focus this session on learning what software nonprofits of varying sizes and types are using for accounting, fund raising, and client tracking, with heaviest attention on accounting products.
We need your help to prepare for this session! We will produce and share a simple directory of "who’s using what" --providing the organization name, contact information, and the software used for accounting, fund raising, and client tracking. We’ll also collect a very simple rating on each product (love it, it’s okay, not happy).
Help us create this valuable directory! Complete the survey by going to the link on our website www.tacs.org. Or fill in the attached survey and fax it to 503.236.8313.
Beyond the basic information the survey yields, we’ll draw on the substantial brainpower of NFMA to tackle the questions nonprofits need to answer when considering a software change, including:
How to assess the costs and benefits of changing software
Integration of accounting and fund development software –fantasy or reality?
Who should be involved in software decisions
Controls versus cost and ease of use: the QuickBooks dilemma
Complete the survey and come prepared to share your experiences, moan, and celebrate!
Location: Ecotrust Conference Center, 721 NW 9th Ave, on the 2nd floor of the Jean Vollum Natural Capital Center at NW
Irving & 10th Avenue in Portland's Pearl District
Time: 7:30 am - 9:00 am
Fee: For non-members, attendance is $16/prepay 5 days in advance or $18/door. Includes continental breakfast.
To prepay: Send a check to: 1903 SE Ankeny, Portland Oregon 97214 (The participants’ name and network date are required. Please include this information with the check); or call 503.239.4001x102 and pay over the phone with a Visa or MasterCard.
Special Note: Parking is limited. Visit www.tacs.org for transportation options. Change for parking meters will be available at the check-in table.
We need your help in planning for food, seating, and handouts! Please RSVP/prepay at least five days in advance. Call 503.239.4001x102, send check as described above.
1000 Friends of Oregon Award Hacienda CDC Developer of Year
CDN Member organization Hacienda Community Development Corporation was honored by 1000 Friends of Oregon for its work in developing the Baltazar F. Ortiz Community Center and several nearby affordable housing projects in Northeast Portland. Established in 1992, Hacienda CDC empowers and develops the potential of the Latino community by integrating access to health, education and social programs with safe and affordable housing.
The Ortiz Community Center combines community revitalization efforts with smart growth principles such as land efficiency, affordable housing and access to multiple transportation options. The center and the affordable housing projects were designed with cultural sensitivity by Carleton Hart Architects in their detailing, color, and provision of gardens, play areas for children, pleasant walkways and welcoming entries. Located along Killingsworth Street, a major transit corridor, the completed projects are part of a broader neighborhood master plan including the renovation of 178 units of Villa de Clara Vista and 71 new units combined at Villa de Sueños and Los Jardines de la Paz. The community center includes a health clinic as well as counseling, educational and youth facilities.
This ambitious project at the heart of the re-emerging Cully neighborhood has transformed one of the most crime-ridden areas in Portland. The project has been a catalyst for strengthening neighborhood stability and safety.
This year 1000 Friends presented two awards focused on the theme of community to emphasize that community and neighborhood building are fundamental elements of "smart growth." In addition to Hacienda CDC, 1000 Friends also honored the Bank of Astoria for its Manzanita branch, an outstanding commercial infill development project that integrates smart development and community sustainability.
Affordable Housing Now! Community Forum in Gladstone a Success
Twenty-five people participated in an Affordable Housing Now! community forum on the Metro region's affordable housing crisis in Gladstone on December 10. The purpose of the forum was to bring concerned community members together to discuss the affordable housing crisis and build momentum for a campaign to gain a new, ongoing funding source for affordable housing by May, 2004. Participants identified a wide range of needs for housing, including housing for people with the lowest incomes, housing with supportive services, and promoting home ownership opportunities for people with lower incomes, specifically through land trust housing.
Fifty-five people attended Affordable Housing NOW's Community Forum in Portland December 4.
Affordable Housing Now! is a movement of individuals and organizations mobilizing to secure a new, ongoing source of funding for affordable housing by May 2004. The Affordable Housing Now! campaign will identify, select and launch a new affordable housing funding initiative in the Spring of 2003.
We need your help to best determine what funding initiative to pursue. And we need you aboard to help build our movement. If you would like Affordable Housing Now! to hold a forum in your community, or if you would like someone from Affordable Housing Now! to speak to a group or organization about the campaign and get your input on the housing need, call Michael Anderson at CDN at (503) 335-9884 or email Mike@cdnportland.org.
Join the movement to end our Affordable Housing Crisis
New Study Says Minorities and Poor Harmed by Anti-Sprawl Policies
Policies to combat sprawl penalize minorities, the poor, urban families and the young, says a new econometrics report being released at a November 21 Washington policy conference by the Center for Environmental Justice of The National Center for Public Policy Research. Moreover, such policies do not generate the expected environmental benefits.
The study, "Smart Growth and Its Effects on Housing Markets: The New Segregation," used as a baseline the "smart growth" policies of Portland, Oregon, considered by many the nation's best, and asked: if cities nationwide had adopted these policies ten years ago, how would America's most disadvantaged populations been affected?
The study also examines the impact of sprawl restrictions on commuting times, congestion, the need for new infrastructure and the preservation of "green" space. The study concludes that "smart growth" hurts the underclass at disproportionately high rates.
If Portland-style policies had been adopted nationally ten years ago:
1) 260,000 minority homeowners would not own their own homes today;
2) one million homeowners of all races would not own their own homes today;
3) the average home price would have increased by $10,000 in 2002 dollars;
4) the average cost of renting a home or apartment would have increased six percent.
Sprawl restrictions did not achieve their environmental objectives, actually increasing suburbanization rates while failing to reduce vehicle miles traveled or congestion.
"Restricted growth policies can be dubbed 'the new segregation,' as they deter minorities from the housing market at disproportionate rates," said Amy Ridenour, president of The National Center for Public Policy Research. "Homeownership is key to realizing the American Dream and equity in a home is a widespread as a way for the working and middle classes to amass wealth and build a retirement nest egg. We have government polices that promote homeownership. It is ironic that other government policies are working against it."
The study was completed by QuantEcon for the Center for Environmental Justice of The National Center for Public Policy Research, a non-profit, non-partisan Capitol Hill think-tank established in 1982. No corporate or housing industry funds were used to finance the study.
For a copy of the study, please visit http://www.nationalcenter.org/Sprawl.html, or contact David Almasi at 202/371-1400 x106 or Christopher Burger at 202/371-1400 x107 or e-mail press@nationalcenter.org.
Oregonian Reports: 'Most vulnerable' Face Eviction
By Julie Sullivan
The woman in Room 27 of the Hoodview Residential Care Home in Gresham didn't hear Gov. John Kitzhaber's historic apology Monday for the state forcibly sterilizing her and 2,600 other Oregonians over a 60-year span.
Her delusions are too strong, her mental illness too disorienting, for her to understand.
But even as Kitzhaber was saying sorry, the state of Oregon was moving to evict her from her home of 23 years -- the only home she's had since being transferred from a state institution. Money for her care and that of 121 other Oregonians identified by the state as "most vulnerable" has been whacked from the budget.
In the sputtering economy, with state coffers running short for more than a year, legislators have ordered across-the-board cuts in general fund programs to balance the two-year budget, including human services.
The evictions will save the people of Oregon $426,277 by June 30, state officials say.
And the woman in Room 27? By February, caseworkers say, she'll likely be on her own in a hotel room.
"We would not do this to 122 people if we had any choice. There are no hidden pots of money to fix this," said Bob Nikkel, manager of community services for the state Office of Mental Health and Addiction Services.
The state has cut $56 million in human services from the $2.4 billion general fund budget and plans an additional $88 million in cuts unless voters approve a tax increase in January.
But even if the tax measure passes, Hoodview and William Elaine Care Center in Southeast Portland will close Feb. 1 unless the Legislature intervenes. Some beds at the Pioneer Guest Home in Enterprise also will be emptied.
"Virtually all these people are going to be moving, and it's really a question whether we'll find anywhere else for them to land," Nikkel said. "The resources going into these facilities are gone -- there is no question about that."
The homes' owners, who learned of the cuts in late November, called the news shattering.
"We're not eliminating beds here, we're eliminating people," said Dennis Murphy, who's owned Hoodview for 24 years.
At his meeting with state officials, he presented a small photo and hand-written biography of each resident: Many have lived at the home more than a decade, take as many as 12 pills a day and are on oxygen support. They have chronic, severe mental illness, and most are schizophrenic. Most also need help coping with basic tasks such as bathing and eating.
The 122 people to be evicted are among about 600 statewide whose severe mental illness puts them in danger of harming themselves, harming others, or being hospitalized, state officials say.
Some have never lived anywhere else outside state institutions, and others' attempts to live independently, with family or in small foster homes, have failed. Many residents told The Oregonian they were stable for the first time in their lives because of the centers.
Hoodview residents have been openly agitated and anxious since receiving a 60-day eviction notice Nov. 26, staff members say. One elderly man offered to get a job cutting grass, as he did as a boy. Another followed around administrator Shannan Mays, desperately hugging her.
Resident Nancy Henderson, 55, who also has severe rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis, wept over the prospect of leaving after 15 years.
"It's my home here," Henderson said. "I don't want to go."
Terry Ellis, 54, has lived at Hoodview for a decade.
"I have no place else to go," he said. "If I leave here, I will be dead on the streets."
The care being eliminated is among the least expensive residential care the state has for the mentally ill. At Hoodview, the state pays $613 a month for services, and the client's Social Security checks cover an additional $424, for a total of $1,037 a month per person for room, board, round-the-clock supervision, recreation and transportation.
But the centers' size made them targets for the cuts.
The centers get no federal matching funds because each houses more than 17 people. At that size, the federal government considers them to be state hospitals and, under an 1852 law, will not contribute to their costs.
As a result, the centers are more dependent on the state general fund than facilities that receive federal dollars.
"My parents have been taxpayers in Oregon for more than 40 years and my grandparents before them," said Jerry Surber, 39, who has been unable to work because his schizophrenia causes him to hear voices. He said he has been stable for more than seven years at Hoodview.
Staff at Hoodview say they've been asked to identify which clients could live in other situations such as a hotel. Nikkel said "one or two" beds might be available through county programs but nowhere near the more than 100 slots needed.
Pam Troxel, whose family co-owns William Elaine Care Center in Southeast Portland, said she thinks such clients will die if they wind up in residential hotels without 24-hour monitoring.
"Where is the war? In Iraq or here? You are accepting their deaths due to the state not taking care of people properly," Troxel said.
State Sen. Randy Miller, R-West Linn, said he sympathizes with the residents who are to be evicted. He contends state officials could have prevented the situation by cutting other general fund spending, such as in cultural programs. He also advocates cutting the capstones of Oregon's school reform law: the Certificate of Initial Mastery and Certificate of Advanced Mastery programs -- the academic mastery certificate in effect and a second career-oriented program that is under development.
Kitzhaber spokesman Tom Towslee defended the state agencies, particularly the Office of Mental Health and Addiction Services, as struggling to do their best.
"The people doing this are more aware than anyone that these people could very well be in life-threatening situations," Towslee said. "The money simply is not there to do the things Oregon has traditionally done to take care of its citizens, and that is a pretty sad state of affairs."
In his apology Monday, Kitzhaber spoke of the state's progress in moving those with disabilities and mental illness out of rambling old institutions into more humane settings in the community.
The woman in Room 27 at Hoodview was one of them.
She sat before the television in the recreation room for hours Thursday, smiling at the screen, unaware of the apology, the eviction, or where she will live next.
Julie Sullivan: juliesullivan at news.oregonian.com; 503-221-8068.
Urban Growth Boundary Expansion Approved by Metro Council
On Dec. 5, the Metro Council updated regional growth policies to protect existing neighborhoods and additional industrial land, and to improve community centers and main streets. The Council approved the expansion of the region’s urban growth boundary by 16,300 acres for future housing and by 2,400 acres for employment purposes.
The UGB, in place since 1979, marks the separation between rural and urban areas in the urban portions of Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties. State law requires Metro to maintain a 20-year land supply within the boundary. The UGB already contained 236,000 acres before the Council’s latest actions.
The boundary expansion includes the following areas:
Damascus/Gresham – 13,000 acres surrounding the unincorporated town of Damascus, stopping short of the community of Boring. Also, 377 acres southeast of Gresham for industrial purposes.
Rosemont/West Linn – 373 acres next to the West Linn civic center and Rosemont Middle School, bounded on the west by South Wisteria Road.
Forest Park – an area between Thompson and Northwest Laidlaw roads at the east end of Bethany and 517 acres northeast of Northwest Skyline Road, currently within city of Portland boundary.
Tualatin/Wilsonville – 183 acres north of Southwest Boeckman Road located northeast of Wilsonville; 62 acres north of Southwest Tonquin Road, between Tualatin and Wilsonville; 216 acres generally north of Southwest Clutter Road northwest of Wilsonville and a small area (15 acres) south of Highway 99W west of Tualatin.
Sherwood – 85 acres east of Southwest Elwert Road and 231 acres south of Sherwood, bounded on the south the Southwest Brookman Road.
Cornelius – 16 acres for employment south of Tualatin Valley Highway on the east end of the city.
Oregon City – 703 acres from four areas: east of Highway 213 to serve as part of a connector between South Holcomb Boulevard and South Redland Road, area west of South Beavercreek Road and south of South Thayer Road and two areas on the southwest corner of the city, served by South End Road.
Beaverton/Tigard – two areas totaling 520 acres west of Bull Mountain in Tigard along Southwest Roy Rogers Road and west of Southwest 150th. Another 507 acres west of Beaverton and south of Southwest Gassner Road and additional 384 acres west of Southwest 209th Avenue.
Hillsboro – 88 acres south of Tualatin Valley Highway, adjacent to an earlier UGB expansion area (55 west) currently being planned by the city.
In other UBG decisions, the Metro Council finished work on the following areas:
Beaverton school site – a specific land-use request for a 10-acre school site for the Beaverton School District in Bethany.
Shute Road and Evergreen Parkway – the Council included 200 acres on Shute Road and Evergreen Parkway inside the UGB, including an extensive list of stringent conditions. The land can only be used for parcels 50 acres or larger and only to support high-tech industry with special needs.
The Council also preliminarily approved a number of additional areas, pending the completion of legal findings to support the decisions.
Bethany town center – 1,400 acres in the Bethany area, including the Beaverton school site.
Forest Grove – a swap of environmentally constrained areas out of the UGB for a similar size site of developable land north of Forest Grove.
Sherwood – 23 acres near Sherwood for a connector road involving Tualatin-Sherwood Road and Highway 99W.
The Council will finish work on the UGB recommendation on Thursday, Dec. 12. The final area to be addressed will be near Tualatin, comprised of parcels owned by Tigard Sand and Gravel Co. If approved, the site will bring in an additional 225 acres for employment.
A map is available on Metro's web site at www.metro-region.org. For more information, call John Donovan, (503) 797-1942.
The Cost of Sprawl: How Much Does it Cost to Drive to Work?
As bigger and cheaper homes pull people ever farther from their jobs, they pay the hidden sprawl price in commuting costs, not realizing or not caring that the combined cost of owning and operating a new car was put by the American Automobile Association at 50.2 cents a mile, including loan interest, tax, registration, insurance, gas, maintenance and depreciation. According to U.S. Department of Labor 1999-2000 data, this translates to an average of $6,829 (18.1%) in annual household spending for transportation across the Atlanta metro area, compared to $8,254 (21.9%) for housing, with equivalent national figures of $7,118 and $7.114 (both 18.7%). But many Atlanta families in outlying suburbs are paying more for transportation than for housing, reports Atlanta-Journal Constitution writer Janet Frankston, with Carrie and David Wolford of Hiram, Paulding County, calculating their commuting costs at $1,230 a month versus a $1,100 mortgage, and Misuk and Michael Rodgers of Stockbridge, Henry County, citing theirs as $898 and $858, respectively. Although transportation takes a big bite out of family budgets, some mortgage lenders, including Bank of America, gloss over its impact on borrowers' cash flow. Not the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta, whose chief economist Richard Fritz stresses the need to ask not only ''where people are going to live and can they afford it,'' but also ''where they are going to work and can they afford to get there?'' Consumer driving needs are also important to many car insurance companies that offer low-mileage discount rates, in the case of Allstate Insurance Co. for driving fewer than 7,500 miles a year. Still, owning a suburban home, which ''will increase massively in value over time,'' is part of the American dream, says Rutgers University urban policy professor Robert Burchell, and that's why people are ''absolutely willing to do it.'' -- Atlanta-Journal Constitution 12/9/2002
Resource(s): www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/business/horizon/
The National Neighborhood Coalition Releases "Smart Growth Tool Kit"
The National Neighborhood Coalition has developed a "Smart Growth Too Kit" designed to guide neighborhood advocates on how to foster sustainable community revitalization effectively within a regional dynamic. The kit provides a big-picture explanation of how neighborhood development and regional growth affect one another, as well as a checklist for action. For a copy or more information, contact Leah Kalinosky at 202.408.8553 or go to http://www.nationalcenter.org/Sprawl.html.
City Issues Annual Call for BEST Business Award Applicants
Businesses will be Recognized for their Sustainable Practices and Products
The eleventh annual BEST Business Awards will be unveiled next April. Portland area businesses that want to be among the winners need to apply. Applications will be accepted until February 20, 2003. The awards will be issued at a breakfast on Friday, April 18, 2003 in the Grand Ballroom at the Governor Hotel.
The BEST Business Awards are issued annually to Portland area businesses with notable energy and environmental accomplishments. BEST stands for Businesses for an Environmentally Sustainable Tomorrow. BEST is a City of Portland program to recognize area businesses that:
* use energy efficiently,
* conserve water,
* reduce waste (prevent pollution),
* use efficient transportation options, and/or
* develop environmentally-beneficial products and services.
To recognize these leaders, BEST Business Awards have been issued annually since 1993. Since then, 70 BEST awards have been awarded to businesses in the Portland metropolitan area. As a result of their actions, these companies have reduced their operating costs by more than $12 million per year. As just one example, their annual energy savings add up to 46 million kilowatt-hours and nearly 7 million therms - enough energy to power nearly 21,000 typical Portland homes for an entire year.
The BEST Awards are co-sponsored by the Portland Business Alliance (PBA), the Oregon Environmental Council (OEC), Earth Share of Oregon, Portland Tribune, and the US Green Building Council. Both small and large businesses are encouraged to apply. Applications are available from the Portland Office of Sustainable Development. To request an application - by mail or e-mail - or to get more information, please call 503.823.7222 or email at oninotification@ci.portland.or.us.
Internet information with more details about the upcoming awards event and downloadable application forms will be available soon on the Office of Sustainable Development web site, <www.sustainableportland.org>.
Active Living by Design Awarding Grants to Community Design that Promotes Physical Activity
Active Living by Design, a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, aims to promote changes in local community design, transportation and architecture to make it easy for people to be physically active. Grants of up to $200,000 over five years will be awarded to 25 interdisciplinary, community-oriented partnerships. Brief preliminary proposals may be submitted online from January 6-31, 2003. For the complete call for proposals, see www.activelivingbydesign.org/proposals/cfp.htm.
Leadership for a Changing World Accepting Nominations for Fellowships
Leadership for a Changing World is a program to recognize, strengthen and support leaders and highlight the importance of community leadership. Twenty outstanding leaders or leadership groups are chosen annually for their work on such issues as economic and community development, human rights, education, and sexual and reproductive health. Awardees receive $100,000 over two years plus a $30,000 Independent Learning Account to support their activities. The program is an initiative of the Ford Foundation in partnership with the Advocacy Institute and the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service at New York University. Deadline for nominations is January 7, 2003. For guidelines, contact http://leadershipforchange.org/.
Relax and Enjoy th
