NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS | November 6, 2015 | PAGE 9
...Union Manor facelift
From Page 1
tems and greatly improved en-
ergy efficiency, fire safety, ac-
cessibility and seismic resist-
ance and the addition of 18
American Disabilities Act units.
Walsh Construction is the
general contractor under an all-
union project labor agreement.
The renovation is expected to
create approximately 290 union
construction jobs and 180,00
work hours over a 22-month
construction period.
The AFL-CIO Housing and
Investment Trust (HIT) is pro-
viding $26 million of financing
for the project using union pen-
sion funds. The HIT is a socially
responsible fixed-income in-
vestment company with a focus
on affordable housing and other
projects that generate employ-
ment for union members in the
construction trades and related
industries.
The HIT hosted an apprecia-
tion lunch for the construction
crew on Oct. 20. (See photo on
Page 1.)
The ULRA, with the help of
nonprofit consultant Housing
Development Center, also as-
sembled funding to preserve
long-term affordability for the
low-income seniors at the
manor — projected to be worth
$144 million over 40 years. The
average annual income of ten-
ants at Westmoreland Union
Manor is $18,500. Residents are
being temporarily relocated dur-
ing portions of the construction,
with no increase in rent.
“The renovation will improve
the lives of building residents
and prepare the property for
decades of additional service,”
said ULRA Board President
Larry Kirkland, Earl’s son. “Just
as important, the funding re-
sources we’ve secured will en-
able these 300 homes to remain
affordable to very-low-income
residents for the next 40 years.”
Other key funding partners
include Oregon Housing and
Community Services, the U.S.
Department of Housing and Ur-
ban Development, PNC Finan-
cial Services Group, and J.P.
Morgan Chase.
The ULRA and its entities
operate six affordable senior
housing projects in Oregon and
Vancouver, Washington: Kirk-
land Union Manors I, II, and III
in Southeast Portland, Marshall
Union Manor in Northwest
Portland, and Kirkland Union
Plaza in Vancouver. Westmore-
land Union Manor was the first
project developed by ULRA.
paInters UnIon comes to the rescUe. Scott Oldham and apprentice Blake Holmes of Painters
and Allied Trades District Council No. 5 prep a home in Northeast Portland for painting. The elderly homeown-
ers were taken advantage of by a rogue nonunion painting contractor more than eight years ago. Janice Cram
paid Nelson Painting $2,200 to paint her house and garage. Less than two years later the paint started flaking
and cracking. She called the contractor, Richard Nelson (who had changed the name of the company to B.
Nelson Painting), and he agreed to fix it for an additional $1,500. Cram paid Nelson upfront, but he never re-
turned. Now 80, Cram has been chasing Nelson ever since, even while dealing with her husbands’ bladder
cancer. She has won several court judgments, but Nelson has never appeared in court, nor has he paid a dime
to the Crams. In fact, Nelson’s wife filed a harassment complaint against Cram, who was constantly calling to
get her money. Despite winning in court, Cram said Multnomah County Circuit Court tells her it doesn’t issue
contempt of court notices, and that she’s on her own to collect the judgments. Nelson also has been fined
several thousand dollars by the Construction Contractors Board for various infractions. Meanwhile, apprentices
and journeymen from Painters Local 10 have been spending weekends prepping and painting the house. Ap-
prentices are learning to “brush paint” as part of their training, and journeymen are helping with lead paint
removal. Oldham said Janice Cram walked into the union hall one day seeking information about B. Nelson
Painting. “My father was a union man. I thought all construction workers were union,” Cram said. Her late father,
Issac ‘Ike’ Williams, was a longtime member of the Boilermakers Union at the Portland shipyards.
new joUrney-level paInters and tapers. The Oregon & SW Washington Painters and Dry-
wall Finishers joint apprenticeship training committees held a graduation dinner for new journeymen and
women and their families Oct. 28. Graduates received a completion certificate, along with a new Carhartt
jacket. The apprenticeship consists of 6,000 hours of on the job training and an additional 432 hours of related
classroom instruction. It takes approximately three years to complete the program. Pictured from left to right
are: John Killin, executive director of Associated Wall and Ceiling Contractors, Sam Hardaway, Jeff Brooke,
Local 10 Business Rep and JATC secretary, Erin Scott, Robert Graisbery, Daniel Vazquez, Dylan Stewart, Ryan
Ely, Sabrina Guardado, Brisheida Betancourt, Michael Henson Jr., Cristie Hughes, Scott Hayes, Daniel Beaty,
Joshua Caldwell, and Apprenticeship Coordinator James Phelps. Not present were Alberto Jimenez, Ethan
Darcey and Martin Daniell.