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| At the Aug. 25th grand opening, a man and his dogs take advantage of the Glenhaven Off Leash Dog Park’s fenced 1.7-acre playground. |
| MEMO PHOTO: TIM CURRAN |
The three main rules were waived on the 25th, and the 1.7-acre park was alive with furry critters that seemed to enjoy each other’s company on the whole. According to Madison South Neighborhood Association President Ruth Hander, one golden retriever took it upon himself to pick up a smaller dog, who seemed to be struggling in the park’s small pond, by the scruff of the neck and deposit him on dry land.
There was also human speech by dignitaries who helped create the facility. Commissioner Sam Adams, who had helped put the pieces together as chief of staff for former Mayor Vera Katz, said, “I was impressed by the passion of these people, by the kind of hospital this is. A park open to the public free of charge! How many companies go to this length to be good neighbors — good partners? It’s a good day to be a dog in east Portland.”
City visioning near-sighted
Some 90-community activists from across the city gathered last month at Concordia University at the invitation of Mayor Tom Potter. The purpose was to give input on three projects Potter’s office is pursuing: The Vision Project, asking people to give ideas on the direction the city should pursue in its future growth; Community Connect, the revamping of the Office of Neighborhood Involvement and the city’s methods for handling city-resident interaction; and the Charter Review Committee, considering changes to Portland’s form of government. A citizen committee has been working on Community Connect for more than a year. Elizabeth Kennedy-Wong, Potter’s policy manager for neighborhoods and education, said the committee would eventually produce three draft proposals for public consideration.
Russell Neighborhood Association chair Bonny McKnight said she enjoyed the opportunity to talk to community leaders from other areas. However, with regard to the gathering’s stated purpose, McKnight said, “It attempted to do too much too late. The (Community Connect) Committee has, to all intents and purposes, stopped meeting. The mayor’s office lost the opportunity to use this as a springboard into planning that project. Community Connect is the first priority for the mayor’s office and the last for most neighborhood people.” McKnight said the Charter Review effort was more important.
Hazelwood Neighborhood Association Chair Arlene Kimura said the gathering was “better than I thought it would be.” She was somewhat disappointed by the lack of specifics from the mayor’s office on what is being proposed.
Planning begins for 30 percent affordable housing fund
Last month, Opportunity Gateway Program Advisory Committee Chair Dorene Warner told her committee that according to the Portland Development Commission, the city is moving ahead with plans to set aside 30% of the revenues garnered from its urban renewal districts — including Gateway — for affordable housing development. The Gateway district is currently expected to spend $3,250,000 of the $18 million in tax increment funds it is expected to generate in the next five years on affordable housing. To meet the target, Gateway would need to increase its housing development budget by $1,308,000.
There appears to be some flexibility in the council’s mandate. In the Airport Way and Willamette urban renewal districts — where nearly all the land is zoned for industrial use, and housing development of any kind is illegal — council appears ready to exempt Airport Way and Willamette from the new rule. It has also indicated that it is prepared to ask a lesser amount from the Central East Side district, where council members are counting on the funds for special projects.
With regard to Gateway, however, Warner said, “The decision has already been made by City Council that they want (the 30% set-aside) to happen. It’s not a matter of ‘if,’ but ‘how.’ It will not help our case if our comments are along the line of ‘Gateway already has enough affordable housing.’” Moreover, citywide housing advocates seem to be receiving more of a voice on this issue than community spokespeople. “After being excoriated for not listening to the public, PDC is now being told they’ve been listening to the wrong people,” Warner said dryly. “It seems that (urban renewal advisory committees) have ‘ulterior motives’” for their recommendations.
The requirement is a particular hardship for Gateway. Not only does the Gateway urban renewal district have limited tax increment funds — due to a relatively small increase in property values — but also the mandate would divert funds away from projects likely to increase those values. “Most affordable housing is tax exempt for the first ten years,” Warner pointed out.
The city defines affordable housing as housing that is affordable to people earning 80% or less of median area income. In Gateway, most renters earn 50% or less of median income, Warner said.
The best approach for Gateway to take is to call for a “balanced” approach. “We have an excellent housing strategy,” Warner said. “I’d like to pursue that and not get caught in a citywide ‘cookie cutter’ approach.”
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