BY VANESSA SALVIA
Bricks in the Wall
Neighborhood development non-profit builds
communities and businesses.
T
ucked inside a nondescript building
at 775 Monroe in Eugene is a little
organization making a big difference
in the economic well-being of families and
neighborhoods throughout Lane County.
Neighborhood Economic Development
Corporation, or NEDCO, is a non-profit com-
munity development corporation, Oregon’s
oldest non-profit of that type. Founded by
some Whiteaker-area neighbors interested in
preserving the community’s history and devel-
oping its economic future, NEDCO is enjoy-
ing its 26th year in operation. Their vision
statement (not mission statement) sounds
rather featureless when read on paper:
“NEDCO collaboratively builds human and
capital assets to strengthen neighborhoods and
broaden participation in community owner-
ship and governance.” But seeing the popular
businesses germinated by NEDCO and hear-
ing the enthusiasm of new homeowners and
small business owners proves the results are
anything but bland.
From Blacksmith to Red Barn
Three years after inception, NEDCO over-
saw the purchase of the Hayse Blacksmith
Shop & Brogdon’s Hay, Feed & Seed Store at
357 Van Buren, known today as Red Barn
Natural Grocery. That same year, NEDCO
smoothed the way for New Day Bakery to
launch next door. Both are now outstanding
neighborhood landmarks, and thanks to
NEDCO’s efforts, are on the National
Register of Historic Sites & Places. Perhaps
the most dramatic change to the Whiteaker
neighborhood took place in more recent
memory, when in 1991 Safeway abandoned
its grocery retail spot at 6th and Adams.
NEDCO interceded, knitting together financ-
ing from US Bank and the city of Eugene to
purchase the property. Today the Bruns fami-
ly operates Red Apple in the space, providing
Whiteaker folks with another nearby grocer.
Neighborhood revitalization projects
include the 22-unit East Blair Housing
Cooperative. Completed in 1982, it is
Oregon’s first low-income co-op. NEDCO
accomplished historic renovations to Monroe
Street’s Baldwin Market in 1996 and in 1999
renovated the building at 325 Blair housing
O.U.R. Federal Credit Union, which serves
low-income households.
sional agendas all the while. Executive
Director Sandy Halonen, a silver-haired
dynamo with a kindly nature, is quick to point
out that she doesn’t use the word “client.” “I
always say ‘family,’ ‘household,’ ‘people,’”
she said. In the 2003/2004 fiscal year, 192
families completed homebuying workshops.
Of those families, 74 percent (143) were low-
income and 13 percent (25) were Hispanic,
with only 4.6 percent of Lane County house-
holds identifying as Hispanic. Five percent of
those households identified as black, 2 percent
as American Indian or Alaskan Native, 2 per-
cent as Asian or Pacific Islander, and 1 percent
as multi-racial. A striking 31 percent are single
female heads of households.
Ricardo
Cárdenas
Not giving it away
NEDCO is a multi-faceted organization
with low-income homeownership programs,
small business development programs and
matched savings accounts for helping individ-
uals meet personal goals. They also build new
homes, which they sell at reduced cost. While
anyone can benefit from NEDCO’s budgeting
classes or home-buying workshops, those
seeking financial help must be dedicated to
specific goals. NEDCO is not a “give-away”
organization. The people it serves must com-
plete months of classes and training in person-
al finance, developing personal and profes-
Easing into business
One of the most visible projects NEDCO
has taken on is the seasonal Mercado Latino,
which ends its run this year on Sept. 2. The
Mercado is an open-air Latin American mar-
ketplace, located at Broadway and
Willamette on summer Fridays, where artists,
musicians and food vendors gather. Kate
Coddington, NEDCO’s Mercado coordina-
tor, said the Mercado was a response to a
need it saw. “We had a lot of Latino clients
NEDCO Expands Housing Options
N
EDCO’s presence is conspicuous in Whiteaker but its properties are sprinkled everywhere from Eugene’s West 11th Avenue
to Springfield’s 69th Street. The organization is responsible for several small housing areas, as well as Bethel’s 44-unit Field
of Dreams subdivision, complete with 1.2-acre Lark Park. NEDCO recently received funding from the City of Springfield and
US Bank to acquire and renovate four Springfield homes.
Evelia Saari and Kasey Galyon are proud new homeowners who each took about a year to complete their requirements before
they opened the door to their new lives. Saari, a vivacious woman with three children and a political science degree in her native
Mexico, declares that her life was “a soap opera tragedy” complete with divorce and bankruptcy before NEDCO came to her as “the
light at the end of the tunnel.” Her kids love their newfound stability and she loves her house. Achieving the goal of homeownership
has made her reach for a new goal — a college education she can use here in the states.
“The idea of homeownership at the beginning was overwhelming, but when you come in here they kind of take you aside and
look at everything with you,” said Galyon. She feared getting confused by the language and formalities of financial agreements. “But
NEDCO wants you to be successful,” she said.
Contact NEDCO at 345-7106 or on the web at www.nedcocdc.org
say to us ‘We would love to start a small
business but we don’t know what to do,’” she
said. “NEDCO’s intention in facilitating this
market is to help small businesses grow.”
Sandy Halonen understands that the Mercado
is no magic bullet for incubating businesses,
but, she said, “At least it lets them get their
toes in the water and say ‘Yes, this is for me,
or no, this isn’t for me.’” These small busi-
nesses don’t make headlines. “It’s not like
Hyundai coming in, with lots of workers. But
they’re really contributing both to their fami-
lies and to the community in diversity and
income,” Halonen said.
It’s all about support
Ricardo Cárdenas, an established radio
personality and classical guitarist in his native
Chile, came to Eugene with his wife and three
children in 2002. He sold all of his musical
equipment — including his guitar — to pay
for the trip. Never having heard of NEDCO,
Cárdenas visited the Mercado and asked how
he could participate. “It was explained to me
that NEDCO supports small businesses, so I
felt, ‘Oh, I am a musician, this is my work, my
small business,’” he said. “They told me I
needed to take classes about business plans
and everything.” Cárdenas successfully com-
pleted the classes and opened an IDA, or
Individual Development Account. This
matched savings account allowed Cárdenas to
purchase everything he needed to represent
himself as a working musician, from record-
ing equipment to a fine new acoustic guitar.
Cárdenas has sent CDs to Chile, where his
music is once again on the radio.
“It’s wonderful,” he said. “[NEDCO] sup-
ported me economically and I have now all
the stuff that I need to record music, compose
music, and work every day in my home
office.” Now, Cárdenas has professionally
made CDs, a website (www.ricardocarde-
nas.net), and income to support his family.
Peruvian native Patricia Tarrillo’s art career
began by successfully selling items at the
Mercado. She wanted to expand her business
after finding a market for her jewelry boxes,
mirrors and greeting cards embellished with
pre-Incan designs. Her IDA helped her buy
signs and a van for transporting her wares,
allowing her to travel to fairs and festivals
throughout Oregon. After being in Eugene less
than four years, Tarillo has found financial
independence. “I feel I am not alone,” she said.
“I found very nice people and they gave me a
lot of information and help.”
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