Buckman Community Association
By Susan Lindsay
Thursday, February 12 marks the next Buckman Community Association (BCA) meeting and we will host two sitting District 3 City Council members. Angelita Morillo will be our guest for the first hour at 7 pm, and Steve Novick the second. Councilor Morillo, born in Paraguay, is the youngest council member at age 29, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America and part of the “Peacock” faction on council. Councilor Novick, age 62, is a lawyer and held an elected City Commissioner position in the past as head of Transportation. Their attendance at this meeting continues the BCA’s efforts to bring civic leaders to the neighborhood to hear directly from residents their concerns and wishes, and for neighbors to learn their perspectives, ideas and priorities. The third District 3 councilor, Tiffany Koyama Lane will be our guest March.
As a reminder, District 3 positions all expire at the end of this year with an election for a four-year term to be held this fall. All current District 3 Councilors have filed their intent to run again.
Recently members of the BCA Board and interested community members toured the new Grand Ave. Shelter being run by Transition Projects in the former US Bank Building on SE Grand Ave. and SE Alder St. The all gender, pets welcome, recovery-based, 200-bed capacity shelter is up and running, clean, warm and safe. It starts receiving at 9 pm every night with everyone leaving at 7 am. Inclement weather declarations by Multnomah County will allow for 24-hour operations. A shuttle run by Urban Alchemy provides shelter residents rides to the day center and places that serve a free and hot breakfast.
Nearby City Teams shelter offers beds for 80 men and a hot meal. Volunteers are encouraged to contact both organizations if interested in helping. County Commissioner Megan Moyer would like to see changes to the Deflection Center, otherwise known at the Coordinated Pathways Center, located at SE Pine St. and SE 10th Ave. Several community members involved with the center met with the Commissioner to hear and discuss her proposal and this will be reported on at our February meeting. Her plan involved greatly increasing allowed services and loosening drop off intake criteria. The deflection center and sobering beds will be moving from the current leased building in Buckman fall of 2027 to a larger, permanent site near Goodwill on SE MLK Jr. Blvd.
Sheridan Fruit recently announced present business struggles. This important produce and grocery store on SE MLK Jr. Blvd. and SE Oak St. has been a staple in our neighborhood since opening in 1916. Our support is critical to ensuring it stays open, so please consider stopping in regularly and getting some produce or other items so we do not lose this valuable business.
BCA meetings are held every second Thursday of the month, 7-9 pm, 1137 SE 20th Ave.; enter on SE Salmon St. at keypad. A hybrid option is also available; find the link on our website, buckmanpdx.org. Contact us at buckmanboard@googlegroups.com.
HAND
By Jill Riebesehl
Lots of folks in our neighborhood have been busy this winter. The Hosford-Abernethy Board in January heard from Ladd’s Addition neighbors who may ask the city to set up a tow zone during leaf days; another neighbor thanked city employee Debbie Caselton for help with Ladd/Tamarack alley sewer work; and Lauren McCune from the Abernethy PTA shared ways people can volunteer at the school, such as on the garden committee and with the upcoming carnival and bike fair. Elsewhere, the HAND Board agreed to support a grant request by the Human Access Project for its ongoing cleanup work on the Willamette River. And in response to a return of disruptive campers on SE Clay St. behind Safeway Hawthorne, representatives from HAND, Safeway, Portland Police and the city office (PEMO) agreed to opt for barriers between SE 27th and 29th avenues. Safeway will also make a crucial remodel behind its store.
But, again, most of the Board’s meeting was taken up with how to weigh in on the expected establishment of a bottle drop at SE Brooklyn St. and 11th Ave. For now, it was decided to request a traffic study, including truck movement; require right-of-way improvements at the site be completed by denying access to a Public Works Alternative Review; and require any other building modifications related to safety.
In order to make it easier for more neighbors to participate in the Board’s actions, discussions and decisions, we are experimenting with a hybrid virtual option. We meet every second Tuesday on the St. Philip Neri campus, 7-9 pm. Welcome, one and all.
Mt. Tabor Neighborhood Association
By David Petrozzi
This month, MTNA heard from the local nonprofit Store to Door. This organization supports independent living for homebound seniors and adults living with disabilities in the Portland Metro area. They provide food security, social connection and community support through outreach like their friendly caller program, shopping and delivery and no to low cost home services. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and their assistance to those in need strengthens our community as a whole. Check out storetodooroforegon.org if you’d like to help by becoming a volunteer.
MTNA is pleased to host District 3 City Councilor Steve Novick, scheduled to attend next month’s meeting. We invite you to take this opportunity to hear directly from your city representative on issues of governance, bureau policies and his priorities for Portland in the coming year. Don’t forget to come prepared with a few thoughtful questions or gentle suggestions for what you’d like to see improve.
Our popular neighborhood cleanup returns Saturday, April 25 in conjunction with our friends from the NTNA. Let us help you get rid of that old mattress, oversized and bulky home waste or even pass along household items that may still have a little life left in them. Stay tuned for updates, and please drop us a line if you’d like to help out; we’re currently looking for a few helping hands to assist with check-in, unloading and similar activities during the day.
We received a flurry of updates on our various projects including the Dairy Queen on SE Division St., Pedestrian Safety Project, Tabor for All and more. For the details and to get involved, join us at our next monthly meeting Wednesday, February 11, in person at Taborspace and online via Zoom. Sign up on our website, mttaborpdx.org.
Richmond Neighborhood Association
By Allen Field
The Richmond Neighborhood Association (RNA) does not have a Board meeting in January. Instead, the Board has its annual retreat December 8 via Zoom. All other months of the year, Board meetings are in person at Central Christian Church, 1844 SE Cesar Chavez Blvd. the second Monday of the month, 7–9 pm. Everyone is welcome to attend in person or via Zoom. The Zoom registration link is at richmondpdx.org and on every agenda, which is sent to the RNA listserv. Meetings are recorded and posted on the RNA’s website, richmondpdx.org. To join the listserv, email richmondnasecretary@gmail.com.
We are always in need of volunteers to help deliver the quarterly Richmond News newsletter. If you do not receive it, that means no one delivers to the route you live on. Contact rnanewsletter@gmail.com if you want to help with deliveries or place an ad in the newsletter.
The next meeting is February 9. Attend a meeting to learn about your neighborhood association and how to get more involved in the neighborhood.
South Tabor Neighborhood Association
By Cathy Kudlick
The STNA opened 2026 with a discussion of what we call small-scale projects: neighborhood issues/improvements that are too insignificant to involve the city but too large for one person to handle on their own. Such an approach has the benefit of getting the work done, bringing neighbors together and showing the city that we care about our neighborhood. Attendees considered everything from pruning parties to pulling down business advertisements from street poles. A sub-group will continue to collect suggestions and come up with solutions that bring neighbors together.
Future meetings (always the last Thursday of the month) will bring city council candidates running for District 3 and more. We welcome you and your ideas.
Join us by visiting southtabor.org and signing up on our low-traffic mailing list.