Page 4 Portland Observer May 18, 1989
NEIL KELLY
REMODELING
RESIDENTIAL/
«©* N alberta P ortland /
FMHA
WYDEN BILL
REACHES OUT
BOLSTERS
TO MINORITY
NEIGHBOR­
FARMERS
HOOD HOUSING M inorities interested in farming
want to inquire o f any one o f 19
REHABILITA­ may
F M H A county offices about a farm
ownership loan under a new program
TION
designed to reach out to “ socially
288-7461
COMMERCIAL
T his is the 42nd year fo r the N eil K e lly Company and the 22nd year that
we have been located in the inner North/Northeast area. 1 see some positive
things happening in this part o f town, and some not so positive. First, the
North/Northeast Business Boosters Land Use Com m ittee has been w orking
w ith the C ity Planning Department, the Portland Development C om m is­
sion, and the city C ouncil to get a planning study o f the zoning and land use
in the area N orth o f Broadway, between 1-5 on the W est and N E 15th
Avenue on the East. The area extends from Broadway to the C olum bia
River. The Boosters w ill w ork closely w ith neighborhood associations to
achieve a consensus. One o f the issues w ill be transportation - specifically,
lig h t rail. The question under discussion is that o f the proposed route to the
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Congress­
man Ron Wyden (D-O R ) has intro­
duced a b ill that targets distressed
neighborhoods across the country for
housing rehabilitation. W yden’ s b ill
w ill extend and expand the Nehemiah
grant program which aims to revital­
rail to Vancouver.
1 was glad to play a part on the com m ittee fo r renaming Union Avenue,
Changing it to M artin Luther K ing, Jr.Blvd.! That has already given hope fo r
a positive rejuvenation o f not only the street, but the neighborhoods w hich
ize neighborhood housing.
* ‘The Nehmiah program currently
provides grants to rehabilitate hous­
ing on a Neighborhood wide basis.
The beauty o f the program is that it
redevelops a neighborhood as a whole,
anddoesn’ tre b u ild ju s ta fe w houses
adjoin i t
A third force fo r positive change is the “ JobNet” program, a jo in t
venture which links m etropolitan area employm ent and training services
w ith the business development activities in the area. It also provides a
regional forum to identify and analyze long-term w orkforce development
on a block,” said Wyden.
“ But in my home town o f Port­
land, the Nehemiah program ignores
neighborhoods that are invaded by
issues.
Seven organizations have joined together to form “ JobNet” . They arc
the Private Industry C ouncil o f Portland, Portland C om m unity College, M t.
Hood C om m unity College, Clackamas C om m unity C ollege, Em ploym ent
T raining and Business Services (Clackamas County PIC), the Oregon
Em ploym ent D ivisio n and Portland Development Commission. The staff
fo r the w ork o f “ JobNet” is provided by Portland Development C om m is­
sion.
Fifteen Companies are currently w orking w ith the “ JobNet” program to
plan hiring and training programs. In addition to that the new Convention
Center and the Urban Renewal D istrict projects are w orking w ith the
program to target their jobs to North/Northeast Portland residents. S taff
members are assisting the Northeast C oalition Job Com m ittee in surveying
employers accessible to North/Northeast residents w ith the plan to develop
a prom otional campaign.
Several com m unity programs are grow ing and w ill enhance the strength
o f the North/Northeast area. Com m unity p olicing has a potential fo r an
im provem ent in the relationship between the police force and the neighbor­
hoods. The C oalition o f B lack M en, chaired by Usine Perkins, is m aking a
strong mark. That group is made up o f a number o f active com m unity
leaders: the com m unity is very fortunate to feel their im p a ct
On the down side, I was disappointed at not being able to get the Urban
Renewal boundaries extended out Martin Luther King Blvd. to Killingsworth
Street. The North/Northeast Boosters were supporting the extension o f
boundaries 200' on each side o f M artin Luther K in g B lvd. W hile we got
support from the E llio t Neighborhood Association, we were not able to get
the support from the other affected neighborhood associations. Perhaps
those groups did not really understand the potential fo r neighborhood
development down the line.
The decline in property values and the increase in the number o f vacant
houses are the tw o largest negative factors w ith which we must be dealing.
The only homes that arc being sold are those w hich investors w ill buy. There
are very few home sales to homeowners. Lenders are not loaning. I know o f
an older woman who has lived in her home since 1957. Five years ago the
disadvantaged groups” in Oregon,
David T Chef, F M H A state director
said today.
Mandated by the Agricultural Credit
A c t o f 1987, the program is in its
second year o f operation. Under the
program, F M H A again encourages
eligible m inority farmers to apply
for a farm ownership loan for the
purchase o f farm land. Applicants
who are unable to obtain credit elsew-
ere and can meet other credit q u a lifi­
cations for a loan, including a deter­
m ination that the application has a
reasonable chance to succeed in fann­
ing, should contact any o f the F M H A
offices listed below.
F M H A defines socially disadvan­
taged population groups as Hispan­
gangs and drug-dealers -where there’s ics, Native Americans. Blacks, Asians
a lo t o f housing decay but a ll the and Pacific Islanders.
buildings are not abandoned,” Wyden “ E ligible applicants can acquire a
home was appraised at about $40,000. M y friend owes $5,000 on a fixed rate
mortgage, on a home w hich is in good condition. She would like to sell and
move to Mississippi to be near her d aughter. M y guess is that she w ill be
lucky to sell for $15,000. W ith real estate closing costs, paying o ff the
remainder o f her loan, and her m oving costs, she w ill net very little . The
current housing m arket conditions in North/Northeast hurts residents. We
are a ll affected.
Portland is changing rapidly. Tw enty years ago the Northwest neighbor­
hood o f Portland was experiencing many o f the same problems we see in the
North/Northeast today. The residents o f that area pulled together fo r change,
and along w ith the partnership o f business and government, they made it
happen. We can too. The development o f the Convention Center and all o f
the related change around the L lo y d Center, the extension o f that growth
N orth along M artin Luther K in g Blvd. and in the near North/Northeast
neighborhoods w ill be very visible.
We have problems, some o f them very serious, but we also have ideas
toward solutions - -we have energy - we have creative leaders active in our
com m unity - we have the resolve to come up w ith ways in w hich every
resident o f North/Northeast w ill benefit from the change in our city. I f wc
a ll take an active part and give the skills we have, wc can make positive
change happen.
explained.
W yden’ s b ill eases the e lig ib ility
standards fo r Nehemiah grants so
that neighborhoods that are s till v i­
brant can receive federal monies for
rehabilitation, even though many
houses are abandoned.
The b ill maintains the sp irit o f the
program by requiring that rehabilita­
tion be done at a neighborhood level.
But it expands the scope o f the Ne­
hemiah program to account fo r the
development potential o f neighbor­
hoods that have suffered from sig­
nifica nt decay.
“ I t ’ s possible to save the thou­
sands o f distressed neighborhoods
around the country w ith a dose o f
federal creativity and local in itia ­
tive. M y b ill is a small step to give
comm unities greater access to the
Nehemiah program - a proven w in ­
ner in revitalizing our neighbor­
hoods,” Wyden said.
loan in two d ifferent ways. An appli­
cant can find suitable farm property
and then come to us to finance it.
F M H A also has property in inven­
tory in many counties and a list o f
available property is maintained in
every office. In cither case, they should
come to see us about now to apply,”
Chen said.
“ We have helped a lo t o f farmers
w ith leased operations to establish
themselves in ownership positions.
We have also kept a lo t o f other
farmers in business when they could
not obtain credit elsewhere. This is
an attempt to encourage qualified
m inorities who may have fe lt ex­
cluded from opportunities to enter
farming, to at least explore the chance
w ith us,” Chen added.
Last year, Oregon F M H A made
the first loan o f this type in U m atilla
County. The County office in Pendle­
ton assisted a m in o rity applicant in
purchase o f 80 acres o f farm land.
PORTLAND OBSERVER
"T h e Eyes and Ears o f »he C o m m u n ity ”
288-0033
OWN A HOME FOR ABORT
$ 3 0 0 PER MONTH
LOOKING FOR THE
BEST HOMEBLYING
VALLE?
LICKY VOL.
IT’S HLD
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nrPHOMK
W hen you see our sign up in your
real estate agent's w indow , y o u 'll know
that this is a place that can make b uying
your next home both easy and fast.
Your agent w ill tell you that H U D
homes arc priced to be te rrific values.
A nd w ith F H A M ortgage Insurance, a
buyer’s dow n payment can be just 3% .
So watch the Friday and Sunday
Oregonian fo r our w eekly H U D home
listings, and then loo k fo r our “ Buy a
H U D home here" sign.
For people w h o want a good deal
on a good home, it's a beautiful sign
o f the times.
HEBE
HUD
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING
AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
’ 989 by MUO ‘ N x î 'A'XS O *xe
Equal Housing Opportunity
b m rrurai
?»
•
Choose Your H o m e M ay 2 0 .
How Do I Sign Up?
The City of Portland Homestead
Program is offering seven homes to
people who might not otherwise be
able to afford their own home.
On Saturday, May 20,1989, from
1:00 to 4:00 p.m., these homes will
be shown at a special one-time
Open House. You must visit the
homes you are interested in during
this Open House to be considered
for ownership.
It's simple. Just attend the Open
House on May 20. You'll fill out an
application and tell us which houses
you re interested in We ll have
advisors at each home that can
answer your questions about
eligibility requirements. Drop by,
you may be able to own a home for
about $300 per month.
The seven homes that will be
shown on May 20 are:
4808 N.E. 11th 8857 N Wilbur
5906 N.E. 18th 7235 N. Richards
N.E. Liberty 7051 N. Albina
N.E. Cleveland
3714 N.E. Cleveland
PDC
PORTLAND
DEVELOPMENT
COMMISSION
It you would like more information
about eligibility requirements or
want to be notified of future Open
Houses, call Frances Walker at
230-2691.
g get
R em odel
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