Page 2 Portland Observar, January 12.1983
Economic development brings community ownership
by Fritz Silbtr
Pacific Ntun Service
B E R K E L E Y . C M — A n unusual
experiment in neighborhood *elf de­
termination is underway in this San
Francisco Bay city known for its un­
o rth od ox ways. The outcom e may
p ro v id e one answer to w renching
changes besetting many other Am er­
ican communities today.
T h e " la b o r a t o r y " is the 3100
block o f Shattuck Avenue, a major
thoroughfare near the Oakland bor­
der The goal is to protect the neigh­
b orho o d's ethnic d iversity and its
own cherished sense o f community.
W hat threatens are commercial de­
velopment and " g e n trific a tio n " —
processes that o ften drive property
prices up and lo n g tim e residents
out.
The 3100 block is something spe­
cial here, a co n ten ted ly " m ix e d "
n eig h b o rh o o d in an area where
w hites. H isp an ics and blacks are
m ore o fte n fo u n d in separate en­
claves. Three blocks north, a small
but fashionable shopping center is
ris in g , o f the type th a t provokes
some anxiety over pressure on real
estate values, and the future health
o f modest local enterprises.
"Neighborhood improvement is a
desirable goal, but you have to ask
fo r w hom y o u 're im p ro v in g i t , ”
says D a le B ecknell. A n d t h a t ’ s
where Becknell's organization, the
N o rth e rn C a lifo r n ia L an d T ru s t
(N C L T ), comes in. Under its Model
Alternatives for Peace program, the
N C L T has made a down payment o f
$43.000 to buy a commercial b uild ­
ing on the Shattuck block. W orking
with a neighborhood association, it
is establishing a rental and use plan
to m ake the block an a ttra c tiv e
longterm base for small businesses
and local groups.
C o m m u n ity land trusts such as
the N C L T . Becknell explains, offer
n o n -profit alternatives to the usual
cycle o f neighborhood deterioration
fo llo w e d by sp eculation and d is­
placement o f people and businesses
serving local needs
The building is the th ird o f four
commercial structures on the block
to be bought by community groups.
T w o are occupied by La Pena and
the S ta rry P lo u g h , the fo rm e r a
Latin American bar, restaurant and
cu ltu ral center, the la tte r an Irish
bar catering to poets and musicians.
W hile the N C L T holds title to the
new ly purchased b u ild in g , the
neighborhood group w ill supervise
its use and assure access for m inor­
ity enterprises: Renewable leases at
b elo w -m arket rents p ro vide lon g ­
term security. C u rre n t tenants in ­
clude the N C L T itself, a half-dozen
other com m unity organizations, a
printing and publishing firm , an a t­
torney, and a liquor store; three ad­
ditional community groups have ex­
pressed interest in renting space.
Ahm ad H a k im , a p rinter who is
setting up shop in the building, was
searching desperately for a location
a fte r m oving his fa m ily fro m L o t
Angele;.
“ I don't think we could have got­
ten into a place like this without the
land trust bending over backw ard,"
he says. " W e see great possibilities
here. People in the area give us in­
spiration and let us know that we're
going to serve a purpose."
Adds M ary Carleton, who made a
loan fo r the building purchase: " I
was looking for an alternative place
to put my money, because w ith the
banks I e ith e r d id n ’ t know w hat
th e ir lending policies were or I
d id n 't agree w ith them . I w ant to
help create n o n -p ro fit, n eighbor­
hood-run ownership for buildings."
Glen Schneider, a gardener, land­
scaper, and a neighborhood associa­
tion founder, declares that " a big
factor is increased security, not hav­
ing to w orry about an unexpected
rent increase i f the building is sold.
Another is more control and a sense
o f stewardship. It w ill stabilize the
o lo ck , help develop a feelin g o f
com m unity."
In time, Becknell said, the neigh­
borhood group might establish a de­
velopment corporation which could
buy the building w hile leaving the
land in trust with the N C L T . Such
an arrangem ent could provide tax
incentives for future investment and
enable the N C L T to recapture and
recycle funds originally assigned to
the project.
" T h e r e is a conscious e f f o r t to
deal with more than one aspect o f
the comm unity— for example, lin k ­
ing land ownership, economic devel­
opment. and democratic community
s e lf-m a n a g e m e n t," said Bob F a ­
bian, a neighborhood activist in eco­
nom ic developm ent and energy
planning, and a founder o f the com­
m unity organization. " O u r organ­
izers are atte m p tin g to relate the
p ro ject to b ro a d e r, lon g term
change."
C PACIFIC NEWS SERVICE. 19«J
The new fashion direction: pleated pants in khaki or lead poplin white,
khaki or black shirt 55.00; aztec design sweater in red. 85.00; slate 95.00;
Men's Designer Collections. Downtown, Lloyd's, Washington Square.
GIORGIO ARMANI
Congressman Ron Wyden participates In announcement of Port­
land Community Collage's planned small business Incubator pro­
gram on the Cascade Campua.
(Photo: Richard Brown)
Project aids small business
P o rtla n d C o m m u n ity College's
Cascade Campus will be the site o f a
new small business incubator p ro ­
gram to help new businesses in
N o rth /N o rth e a s t P o rtla n d . The
project, which will be administered
by the Cascade Business Center
C o rp o ra tio n , (C B C C ), is intended
to foster the development o f viable
sm all businesses. P rio rity w ill be
given to m in o rity - and fem ale-
owned businesses.
A building will be constructed at a
coat o f 13.76 m illion, SI .291 mQUcr.
o f which w ill be provided by P C C .
The college is soliciting the remaind­
er from private corporations, foun­
dations and the federal government.
O f the 6 0 ,0 0 0 square fee t, tw o-
thirds w ill be available to house the
small businesses and the remainder
fo r P C C 's h>gh tech tra in in g p ro ­
gram.
PC C president D r. John Anthony
said the project is designed to house
from IS to 18 businesses, with light
m anu facturin g , high tech and ser­
vices given p rio rity . Rent w ill be
provided at less than the prevailing
rate and business will share such ser-
vices as accounting, ja n ito ria l, se­
c re ta ria l, legal, receptio n, e tc ., at
below m arket cost. Also available
w ill be the college's computer tech­
nology and la b o ra to ry resources,
ban king assistance fro m local
banks, P C C 's business course and,
i f fed eral funds can be o b ta in e d ,
train in g fo r em ployees. The busi­
nesses, which can remain in the pro­
gram fo r three years or less, must
sign " f ir s t source a g re e m e n ts ,"
agreeing to hire entry level persons
U u u u gii d ie v t iy 'a v t » A iwMS»«»*-
In n er N o rth ea st residents w ill be
given priority.
Carl Piacentini o f the P C C Board
o f Directors, called the program "a
unique public and private partner­
ship o f resources and fu n d in g " to
create new jobs in an economically
disadvantaged area.
C ongressm an Ron W yden said
this was the type o f innovative pro­
gram that is needed in "an area rav­
aged by unemployment and business
failures" and could become a model
fo r and an in c en tiv e fo r netded
changes in the Sm all Business A d ­
ministration's legislation.
Bethel AME honors citizens
tor.
Recipients are: C la ra M ae Peo­
ples, Paul K n au ls, James L o v in g ,
S .Q . B roado u s, C h arles J o rd an ,
Charles G a n te r, C a l R W illia m s ,
Gladys and Bill M cCoy.
The church is located at 3828
N .E . 8th Avenue.
Bethel A M E C hurch w ill recog­
nize individuals whose actions have
answered the question: " A m I my
brother's keeper?” Comm unity Ser­
vice Recognition Day w ill be Jan ­
uary 16th at 7 p m ., according to
Reverend Matthew A . W atley, pas-
It took 1,800 years to complete the Great Wall of
China.
Americans George Harbo and Frank Samuelson in
1896 became the only two men in history to row across
the Atlantic.
•
Batting helmets were introduced in major league
baseball by the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1941.
In Tahiti the temperature rarely rises above 94°F.,
even in the summer months of February and March.
We do »sot do business w ith South Africa
American State
Bank
AN IN0EPEN0ENT BANK
Mead Office
2737 N. E. Union
Portland, Oregon 97212
meierTfrank
OREGON'S OWN STORE