Buckman Neighborhood Association
By Susan Lindsay
Buckman Community Association meets the second Thursday of the month, 7-9 pm. Currently we are meeting virtually, as our regular meeting hall, the Multnomah County Board Room is still pandemic closed. We hold lively and informative meetings online and want to welcome you. Do you live or work in Buckman? Are you interested in projects related to sustainability and community engagement? Join us at our next meeting Thursday, October 14. Email the BCA buckmanboard@googlegroups.com for the link and check our website buckmanpdx.org for more information.
The Portland Marathon is coming through Buckman Sunday, October 3 and we’d like to get a Cheer Squad organized for the runners. Contact BCA Board Member Scott Robinson for information at ssdotty@gmail.com.
Interested in getting street sign caps to help identify our Historic Buckman neighborhood? The BCA has a committee forming to look into a design and fundraising effort for the caps. Contact BCA Board Member Christina Westbrook at christina@cwestbrook.com to get involved.
Portland is a bit of a hot mess right now and that’s putting it mildly. Public safety conflicts, homelessness, untreated mental illness, scores of gun killings and woundings, a once clean city littered and soiled – quite a challenge. Still the people here, our neighbors and friends are wonderful, caring, creative and want things better for everyone in Portland. Come share your ideas and plans. Learn about new developments and public works projects. Plant trees with your neighbors (contact Jeff Burns at organicmodern.com). Plant plants in those new 16th Ave barriers. Organize a clean up. Your project here ______________.
See you October 14!
HAND
By Jill Riebesehl
A couple items are big on the Hosford-Abernethy Neighborhood Board’s plate, some requiring quick response, others a more long-term strategy.
For four years, the city and members of the community have been at work revising amendments to the code that regulates historic resource uses. Ladd’s Addition is a large section of HAND and is officially designated a national, as well as city, historic resource. City Council will be briefed on this progress November 3. Suggestions from the public will be heard and a final product is expected March 1. The Bureau of Planning and Sustainability is taking the lead.
The other issue we feel needs urgent attention is usage of a small piece of city property commonly referred to as Avalon, where SE 19th Ave. is stubbed after crossing SE Division St. Gifted to the city long ago, it has seen several uses. Changes, which could possibly include a community garden, are needed. At present people without houses have taken it over. Drug use is common and this month, a camper’s propane canister exploded into flames and the Fire Bureau responded. An adjacent preschool business, among others, is asking for help.
Further along, the Board will focus on the parking buffer zone near the Central Eastside Industrial District and freight movement in that area. We are strategizing on how to encourage more neighborhood involvement and will be analyzing our relationship with Southeast Uplift, the coalition of neighborhoods under the umbrella of Bureau of Community and Civic Life.
The next meeting is Tuesday, October 19, 7 pm, most likely via Zoom. Information can be found on Facebook, NextDoor and our website, handpdx.org. Everyone who lives, owns property or is interested in what we are doing and learning about is welcome. At the next meeting, we hope to delve further into the problem of the train traffic that cuts through our neighborhood and affects us in so many ways.
Montavilla Neighborhood Association
By Jacob Loeb
On Monday, October 11 the Montavilla Neighborhood Association will hold Board member elections. Three new candidates and two returning Board members are running unopposed for open seats. Attendees at the online general meeting will receive a link to the ballot at the beginning of the meeting.
First-time candidate, Scott Simpson, is running for Land Use & Transportation Chair. Simpson hopes to make Montavilla a more walkable, bikeable, sustainable, safer and inclusive place. Both Ben Weakley and Holly Wilkes are running for Member at Large positions. Weakley recently moved to Portland and currently works as a physical therapist. Wilkes is a Principal in the David Douglas School District.
Sarah Hartzel is the acting Treasurer and is seeking election to that position for a two-year term. Hartzel brought her extensive finance and accounting background to the Board in May to fill a vacancy. Matt Moore is seeking another term as Outreach & Communications Chair. He intends to continue providing design support to MNA communications and assist in community engagement.
Candidate statements are on the Montavilla Neighborhood Association website (montavillapdx.org/2021-mna-election). SE Uplift will create an online ballot and count votes. If possible, election results will be available by the 7:30 pm Board meeting.
The upcoming General Meeting and the election is on Monday, October 11, 6:30 pm. Details are available at the MNA website, montavillapdx.org/mna-calendar.
North Tabor Neighborhood Association
By Robert Jordan
The North Tabor Neighborhood Association held its regular monthly Board meeting September 21. This is the last full meeting of the current Board, as elections for a new Board are scheduled for Tuesday, October 19, 6:30 pm via Zoom (zoom.us/j/99699816373). All North Tabor neighbors are invited to attend and encouraged to get involved.
As Portland emerges from the pandemic in 2022, and as the city faces enormous challenges and perhaps fundamental changes in governance, neighbors working together can accomplish a great deal for the betterment of all. Please join us. More information about our activities can be found at our website, northtabor.org.
Richmond Neighborhood Association
By Allen Field
The Richmond Neighborhood Association held its monthly meeting September 13. Meetings are held via Zoom the second Monday of the month, 6:30-8:30 pm. Preregistration is required; the link to preregister is on the Agenda, which is posted to the RNA’s website, richmondpdx.org, and sent out to the RNA Announce listserv. To be added to the listserv, email richmondnasecretary@gmail.com.
The RNA Chair gave a brief update on the proposed development at 1812/1822 SE César E. Chavez Blvd., next to Central Christian Church. The developer, Steven Fang, is waiting on permits to be approved by city, so he did not attend. He will come back to update the Board once permits are issued. The number of units proposed was reduced from 50 to 40 units. Squatters were in the building, so he got a trespass agreement with the police to allow them to enter the property to evict squatters.
Kathryn Doherty-Chapman, PBOT, presented on the 5 Minute Fast Stops Pilot Program being tested on Division (30th-36th Aves.) and in four other neighborhoods. It is to provide data for updating policy on managing curb zones for very-short term parking. There will be one, five-minute spot for every block face. Email kathryn.doherty-chapman@portlandoregon.gov or see portland.gov/transportation/parking/faststop for more information.
The Board voted to co-sponsor with HAND neighborhood association, an Oregon Health Authority presentation on the Bullseye Glass draft public assessment. Details will be posted to the RNA listserv and website.
The next meeting is Monday, October 11. Please attend if you want to be more involved in and informed about your community.
Sunnyside Neighborhood Association
By Gloria Jacobs
The Sunnyside Neighborhood Association held its first meeting with the newly-elected Board members September 9 via Zoom.
Doug Klotz from Inner Southeast Action presented information about their petition to persuade the city to deny Fred Meyer’s application to permanently close the pedestrian entrance and to persuade Fred Meyer to fully re-open this entrance. The petition will be sent to the Mayor, Commissioner Ryan and the Director of Bureau of Development Services. You can add your name to it at change.org/SaveTheFredMeyerHawthornePedestrianEntrance.
We ended the General meeting with an open forum – speaking with attendees on efforts they would like to see the SNA work towards in the coming months. Topics mentioned included hosting more community events to connect on a local level with other neighbors and coordinating a neighborhood clean-up like we’ve held in past years.
The SNA Community Cares Committee has recently been blessed by a lot of donations of both funds and toiletries for their shower project. They discussed the possibility of a vaccine mandate for those who come for showers. They held a vaccine event for the houseless at the Sunnyside Methodist Church.
Our next meeting will be Thursday, October 14. Meeting details and the agenda will be posted on the SNA website, sunnysideportland.org, the Monday before. The Board meeting is 7-8 pm and is open to the public. The General Meeting follows directly, 8-9 pm. We encourage you to join us.