Buckman Community Association
By Susan Lindsay
Thursday, June 20 is Election Night at the BCA!! We have four open Board positions, each available for a two-year term. The only requirements are that candidates commit to monthly meetings and work on either a BCA committee or project. Board service is rewarding and a good way to meet neighbors and get involved in projects that interest you. All Buckman residents or those with a strong connection to the neighborhood are encouraged and welcome to run for the Board.
We meet in person every second Thursday of the month (with this June 20 an exception) at Hinson Church, 1137 SE 20th Ave. Enter using the posted code on Salmon St., just past the tool library entrance. We also offer hybrid connection to the monthly meetings. Contact us directly for the link.
Also at the June 20 meeting will be three candidates for the upcoming fall District 3 elections for the new City Council! Dan Gilk, Jesse Cornett and Rex Buckholder will all join the meeting to answer your questions and let you know why we should support their candidacy. We will have groups of the District 3 candidates each month until the election in November, so plan to come by or Zoom in to meet them.
This July and August mark the BCA’s event summer, both at Colonel Summers Park. Thursday, July 18 is Buckman Movie night (“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”) and Sunday, August 4, 4-8 pm is the Buckman Picnic. We need volunteers for the picnic! Contact buckmanpicnicteam@googlegroups.com. To reach the BCA anytime, email buckmanboard@googlegroups.com, connect with us via or the Facebook group or visit our website, buckmanpdx.org.
HAND
By Jill Riebesehl
Before the Hosford-Abernethy Neighborhood Association’s (HAND) May general meeting, a few folks braved the rain for a tour of Avalon Village. WeShine’s Jan McManus said it is 90 percent finished. There will be a “soft opening” June 29 and it might be ready for residents by late July. Estimated stays are nine to 18 months; no smoking, no hard drugs.
Hank Smith from the city provided a one-year update on the Clinton Triangle TASS, a “low barrier” sanctuary aimed at the “toughest cases.” He gave residential statistics, described in detail how the site is being run and enumerated ways the city, with neighborhood residents, are tackling associated problems. He cautioned that the crisis is not going away and, because of homeless migrations, a national solution is needed.
Preston Greene shared copies of the OMSI Master Plan and talked about two projects, one already begun. A new road, New Water St., will have step-down access to the river. The project will involve nine public agencies. A new Waterfront Education Park will be returned to its indigenous roots under the direction of tribal planners. OMSI is financed by its classrooms, retail and government grants—no taxes. The long-term goal is to develop a revenue stream and new infrastructure on its 24 acres for housing and commerce, plus more entertainment and outdoor activities. We discussed returning access to the river lost by removal of the Holman Dock.
Membership on the HAND Board lasts two years. Those up for renewal chose to re-up and were approved with a unanimous vote.
HAND meets 10 months out of the year at 7 pm every third Tuesday at St. Philip Neri. All are welcome.
Montavilla Neighborhood Association
By Louise Hoff
Montavillans are happily gathering on Sundays at the Farmers Market on SE Stark St. and in our many excellent coffee or tea cafes, our many restaurants featuring international cuisine, top notch pizzerias, breweries, specialty stores and delicious food cart hubs. We also have our beautiful, retro Academy movie theater, craft shops and great tofu bakeries. If you add in our Hong Phat supermarket, arts academy, colleges and wide range of health care, self-care, beauty care and pet care, Montavilla is actually a cross section of all of Portland within a few walking blocks.
Plans are in the works for the annual Montavilla Street Fair Sunday, July 28; a family movie in Berrydale Park Friday, August 2; and the annual Montavilla Jazz Festival, Friday, August 30-Sunday, September 1.
Montavilla neighbors and businesses continue to have regular meetings with city and county officials about Good Neighbor Agreements with the homeless shelter on 82nd Ave. and at the nearby PDX Love Outreach facility. They are seeking more than token support for the needs of residents, as well as those seeking shelter, needing clarity from the city and county about ordinances which might be insufficient or sporadically enforced. We are a very caring community and seeking the best path forward.
The next MNA meeting will be Monday, June 10, 6:30 pm. See montavilla.org for more.
Mt. Tabor Neighborhood Association
By David Petrozzi
Congratulations to new and returning Board members resulting from our annual elections! Our Mount Tabor Neighborhood Association (MTNA) Board now consists of eight dedicated individuals, led by Paul Leistner, unanimously voted in as President of MTNA. Conversations continued regarding resubmission of our articles of amendment to allow for future 501(c)3 status if so chosen, as well as official notification to our membership regarding a minor change to our organizational bylaws.
The annual neighborhood cleanup was a resounding success, serving over 250 households and promoting sustainability by keeping reusable items out of landfills and facilitating the safe disposal of bulky materials and electronic waste. This event showcases the power of successful partnerships between neighborhood associations and our ability to deliver valuable services to the community.
Have you ever felt uncertain of your surroundings? We’re pleased to announce a neighborhood safety training on Wednesday, June 26, 6-8 pm at Taborspace, designed to help you feel more secure. The training will include essential topics such as increasing situational awareness, detecting potential trouble signs before problems occur, and mastering techniques to ensure your personal safety and peace of mind.
Starting next month, we’re introducing a hybrid format for our monthly meetings. Drop by to meet neighbors in person or continue to log in from the comfort of your home, we’ll have options to accommodate both modalities. Our monthly meetings take place on the third Wednesday of every month, so mark your calendars for our next session on June 19. For meeting links and more information, please visit our website, mttaborpdx.org.
North Tabor Neighborhood Association
By Kim Kasch
North Tabor Neighborhood Association (NTNA) held a hybrid meeting Tuesday, May 21. Discussions included the changed zoning for North Tabor in 2020, followed by the nearly 400 new apartments proposed or developed in the neighborhood within the past two years and the impact this has had on our neighborhood. We discussed creating a subcommittee to discuss this topic and other land use/ transportation issues. We will continue that discussion at our next meeting on June 18.
Other topics included: 1) the recent North Tabor/Mount Tabor Neighborhood Cleanup and ways to improve next year; 2) local events, such as the Portland Rose Festival in Portland May 21-June 9 (rosefestival.org); and, 3) we had a guest speaker, Sameer Kanal, Advisory Boards and Commissions Manager of Portland, who joined the meeting to announce multiple opportunities to provide community input through volunteering on Community Safety boards. If you are interested, check out portland.gov/advisory-groups.
Please join our next neighborhood meeting Tuesday, June 18th, 6:30 pm via Zoom or in person. For more information, please visit our website at northtabor.org.
Richmond Neighborhood Association
By Allen Field
The Richmond Neighborhood Association (RNA) met on May 13. Meetings are the second Monday of the month, 7-9 pm, held at Central Christian Church, 1844 SE Cesar Chavez Blvd. The link to pre-register for Zoom attendance is on the agenda, posted to richmondpdx.org and the RNA Announce listserv. To be added to the listserv, email richmondnasecretary@gmail.com.
The Board mostly discussed the annual Board election and the Richmond Spring Clean Up. The Board election will be Monday, June 10 and Tuesday, June 11, 6-8 pm, at Central Christian Church. The four candidates running for the Board are Fran Davison, Allen Field, David Michelson and Elijah Wood. Each candidate’s election statement is at richmondpdx.org/candidates.
At the June 10 RNA meeting, the candidates will be invited to give a short statement at the beginning of the meeting. People can then go outside and vote. People can also hear the statements via Zoom and vote on June 11.
Ballots will be on the website and sent out via the listserv on June 3, and they will be available at the church as well. People must drop off their own ballots and ballots cannot be mailed in.
Anyone 18 and over who resides or owns property or a business in Richmond can vote. Richmond’s boundaries are the south side of Hawthorne Blvd. to north side of Powell Blvd., and SE 29th to 50th/52nd Aves. See richmondpdx.org/rna-board-election-process for more details.
The May 18 Spring Clean Up and Metro’s CFL-Meds-Small Battery-Sharps collection was a huge success. We had record attendance with 318 cars and filled six, 40-yard dumpsters with bulky waste and a 40-yard container with metal recycling. Green Century Recycling took an enormous amount of electronics and Styrofoam for recycling. Four teams of volunteers also picked up items from people over 70 or who could not drive to the event. The U-Price-It Plant and Rummage sales were larger than ever and unsold items went to Community Warehouse and other thrift stores. Contact richmondcleanup@gmail.com to get on the volunteer list for next year.
The next RNA meeting is Monday, June 10. Everyone is welcome. Check out a meeting and learn about ways to get more involved in the community.
South Tabor Neighborhood Association
By Cathy Kudlick
Come find hidden gems at the South Tabor Neighborhood Association’s fourth annual Yard Sale and Garden Tour, Saturday, June 8, 9 am-3 pm. Printed and digital maps will be available that day showing sale sites, gardens and–yes–live music! The map will also guide you to which items you’ll find where.
If you live in South Tabor (SE 52nd Ave. to 82nd Ave. between SE Division St. and SE Powell Blvd.) and would like your sale or garden to be included on the map, please register by Sunday, June 2 at southtabor.org.
We’re also excited to welcome our favorite Crow back to the neighborhood with the revival of The South Tabor Crow, a local newsletter that will fly out electronically once a season. Our first issue goes live in early June. To catch the Crow and be in the know, sign up for our mailing list at southtabor.org. We’re looking for anyone who wants to contribute content or other skills.
Last but not least, we are seeking volunteers who love South Tabor to join us as Board members. Anyone 16 and over who calls South Tabor home (whether you own, rent, couch surf, etc.) can serve and/or vote in our June election. We’re a laid back, friendly group that meets monthly on the third Thursday of the month. Join us! Visit southtabor.org for more.
Sunnyside Neighborhood Association
By Gloria Jacobs
Welcome to three new Sunnyside Neighborhood Board members: Crystal, Tim and Dresden.
This summer we plan to repaint the Sunnyside Piazza at SE 33rd Ave. and Yamhill St. If you want to help with planning, email sunnyside-piazza@googlegroups.com.
We will be back in September for our next General meeting, but the Board will continue to work through the summer.