A pril 06, 1994 • T he P ortland O bserver
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Do The Damage,
Pay The Price
Training Project Helps Land
Lords Act Against Drug Houses
The Planning & Support D iv i­
sion o f the Portland Police Bureau
w ill open a new series o f the Landlord
Training Program on Friday, A p ril 8,
9 :00 a. m . to 4:00 p. m ., at the Portland
Building, Room C, 1120 SW 5th
Avenue. This is the tirs t o f three
training to be held at various Portland
locations between A p ril 8 and 28,
1994.
Over 5,700 landlords and prop­
erty managers have taken the course
in Portland since it began in 1989.
Reactions are consistently strong and
positive: landlords and managers
overwhelm ingly agree the training
increased their confidence in screen­
ing rental applicants and their a b ility
to recognize warning signs o l drug
activity.
The program was developed tor
the Portland Police Bureau by John
H. Campbell o f Campbell DeLong
Resources, Inc., and is funded by the
C ity o f Portland. This program has
now been replicated in many jurisdic­
tion across the country, and the U.S.
Department o f Justice is developing a
national program to encourage still
broader implementation.
The training are open to the pub­
lic, and property owners and manag­
ers from all areas o f town arc encour­
aged to attend. Space is lim ited, so
advance registration is requested. For
inform ation and registration, please
call the Planning & Support D ivision
at 823-6868 (TD D ).
sues recovery o f damages for any de­
structive incident where a guilty party
is determined. That way, tax money
does not pay when negligence is in ­
volved. Every cost is itemized, right
down to the last guard rail post and
traffic reflector disrupted by an acci­
dent. Cleanup, traffic control and dam­
age to road signs is also recovered.
I f an individual or company re­
roadways, and signs.
1993 was a lo w e r than a v e r­ fuses to pay, the Department o f Justice
age year fo r c o lle c tio n s , w ith $8.3 w ill seek a judgm ent through the
m illio n d o lla rs the average o ve r courts. I f it ’ s obtained, they have the
the last 10 years. The m ost c o l­ authority to garnish wages, w ithhold
lected so fa r is $1.38 m illio n re ­ tax returns and suspend driver licenses.
covered in 1988, the year an in ­ Hall says most people are surprised to
surance co m p an y p aid fo r damage find they can lose their license i f they
done by a cargo ship that h it the don’ t pay up. Court judgments also
include attorney fees and court costs
A s to ria b rid g e .
The Department o f Justice pur­ tacked onto the original damage costs.
I f you’ re at fault for damage to
Department o f Transportation prop­
erty in Oregon, you w ill pay the price
o f repairs. More than 470 individuals
and (in many cases) their insurance
companies learned thatexpensivc les­
son last year, as the Department o f
Justice collected $734,634 in claims
for damage to bridges, guardrails,
President's Plan Provides /T
Monthly Payments For
Low-Income Workers
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Nearly 20 m illio n low-incom e
workers may receive up to $100 a
month from the government this year
thanks to President C lin to n ’ s expan­
sion o f a special tax break. In a recent
speech, the President launched a major
campaign to educate the public about
the expansion o f the earned Income
Tax Credit, which w ill benefit an
additional six m illio n low -incom e
workers over three years.
C alling the credit a benefit to
w orking Americans liv in g in p ov­
erty, the president said, “ The earned
income tax credit can help to improve
the lives o f w orking people all across
the country by liftin g them above the
poverty line. ..If you w ork fo r a livin g
you shouldn’ t be in poverty.”
The Adm inistration has also ex­
panded the “ advance payment op­
tio n,” w hich allows recipients to re­
ceive payments throughout the year
rather than w aiting u ntil tax time.
The m a jo rity o f Am ericans w ho
qualify fo r the Earned Income Tax
Credit currently receive their money
in one payment after filin g their taxes.
But under the advance payment op­
tion, applicants who have at least one
child at home could receive this ben-
Statement From
Robert H. Elrod
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F ollow ing is a statement from
Robert H Elrod, president o f the Na­
tional Association o f Realtors, re­
garding changes to the Federal Hous­
ing Adm inistration (F H A ) announced
by the U.S. Department o f Housing
and Urban D evelopm ent (H U D ).
N AR , “ The Voice fo r Real Estate,” is
the nation’ s largest trade association,
representing nearly 750,000 m em ­
bers involved in a ll aspects o f the real
estate industry.
We stand firm ly behind H U D ’s
decision to lower the mortgage insur­
ance premium charged to home buy­
ers who use the F H A single-fam ily
program. Transaction costs have a l­
ways been a m ajor barrier to home
ownership, and this action attacks the
problem head on.
H U D ’s decision is truly s ig n ifi­
cant. We estimate that low ering the
premium from the current rate o f 3.0
percent to 2.25 percent w ill open up
home ownership to between 200,000
and 270,000 additional households
nationwide who would other wise
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have been closed out.
We congratulate the department
and F H A fo r finding a balance be­
tween housing affo rd ab ility and the
financial solvency o f the insurance
fund.
The department also has made a
wise move in revising F H A ’ s (2O3)k
loan program. By stream lining this
product and making it easier to use,
H U D w ill help the program realize its
potential as a m ajor rehabilitation
e fit in their regular paycheck. The
president noted that qualifying appli­
cants “ m ight literally get another $100
a month to help feed children, or
clothe them, or meet basic fam ily
expenses.”
T re a s u ry S e cre ta ry L lo y d
Bentsen noted that those eligible could
register for advance payment simply
by fillin g out a W -5 form and present­
ing it to their employers. Q ualifying
workers could receive 60 percent o f
their tax \cre d it on a regular basis
throughout the year. The remaining
40 percent would be received as a
lump-sum credit at tax time.
Secretary Bentsen said although
80 percent o f eligible workers already
claim the tax credit, only one percent
use the advance payment option. To
increase the rate, the Adm inistration
is spearheading a national e ffo rt to
inform employees and employers
about the new opportunity, beginning
w ith the federal government itself.
I f you expect to earn under
$23,755 this year you may qualify for
the tax credit or advance payment.
Ask your employer for more inform a­
tion or call the 1RS at 1-800-829-
Open Mon. - Fri. 9:00am to 5:00pm
Saturday 10:00am to 2:00pm
Sunday Closed
So please. . .
Talk in normal tones • no yelling or swearing.
Free Estimates
Keep the bus lookin' good • don’t litter or damage It.
Keep the aisle free • and keep feet off the seats.
(503)289-7434
No fighting, wrestling or arguing.
(Before 8am & After 6pm)
your fellow passengers and your driver.
mHSi
Bpc-3oreC by ttw Black United Front,Vfope and Handwork Can-pa, jn
DREAM S
FO R SALE.
t f y o u 'v e a l w a y s h a d t h e d r e a m
o f o w n in g y o u r o w n h o m e , y o u r
m a y h a v e ju s t o o m e tr u e .
F o r a s l i t t l e a s y o u ’r e p a y i n g in
m o n t h ly r e n t a n d a m o d e s t d o w n
p a y m e n t , y o u c o u ld b u y a H U D H o m e . T h a t s r ig h t. T h e
U .S . D e p a r t m e n t o f H o u s in g a n d U r b a n D e v e lo p m e n t
T H E B R E A M O F O W N IN G Y O U R O W N H O M E C A N C O M E
T R U E FOR A B O U T W H A T Y O U ’RE PA Y IN G IN R EN T.
( H U D ) h a s p r o g r a m s t h a t m a k e o w n in g a h o m e e a s ie r
t h a n y o u th in k . P r o g r a m s t h a t
w ill e v e n h e l p y o u c o v e r m o s t if
n o t a ll o f y o u r c l o s in g c o s t s .
If y o u ’d lik e m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n
a b o u t t h e h o m e y o u 'v e a l w a y s
d r e a m e d o f, c o n t a c t y o u r r e a l
e s ta te a g e n t. O r, fo r a fr e e
b ro c h u re o n h o w to b u y a H U D
h o m e , c a ll 1 - 8 O O - 7 B 7 - 4 H U D .
COMMISSION MEETING
Date: A p ril 13, 1994
Place: Portland Building
1120SW Fifth Ave., 11 th Floor
Portland, Oregon
Time: 8:00 a m.
finaincng tool.
we look forward to w orking w ith
H U D to implement the F H A changes
announced today. It is clear that the
C linton adm inistration realizes the
importance o f making F H A a m ajor
Commission meetings are open to
the public. A complete agenda is
available at PDC or by calling
823-3200. Citizens w ith disabilities
may call 823-3232 or T D D 823-6868
for assistance at least 48 hours in
advance.
vehicle for promoting home owner­
ship among low-and m oderate-in­
PDC is the Q ty of Portland's urban
renewal, housing and economic
development agency.
come Am erican families.
Ranges From s 129°°
Licensed & Bonded Upon Request
Cut & Trim Tree's & Hedges
Clean UP & Hauling Yard Debris
How To Select A
Home Alarm
System
PORTLAND
DEVELOPMENT
COMMISSION"
Refrigerators From s129°°
Lawn Service
d re a m
roc
UJasher & Dryer $199' 100
J & M
1040.
The P o rtlan d P o lice Bureau
Alarm Information O ffice w ill be spon­
soring a How to Select a Home Alarm
System class. This class w ill be held
Wednesday, A p ril 6lh, from 7:00 p.m .
- 9:00 p.m. at the Justice Center, lo ­
cated at 1111 S. W. Second Avenue,
12th floor.
Instructing theclass w ill be Alarm
Inform ation O ffice r Bob T ille y o f the
Portland Police Bureau. O ffice r T ille y
w ill discuss home security and how to
select a home alarm to fit your needs,
as w ell as how to prevent false alarms.
This is an excellent opportunity to
become an informed consumer, espe­
cia lly i f you are considering purchas­
ing a home alarm system.
You can resister by calling the
Alarm Inform ation U n it at 823-0031
or by m ailing your name, address and
phone number to:
O fficer Bob T ille y
c/o Portland Police Bureau Room
1202
1111 S. W . Second Avenue
Portland OR 97204
McMurphy's
Rpplionce Center
T h e r e ’s n e v e r b e e n a b e t t e r
t im e t o fo llo w y o u r d r e a m , b e c a u s e n o w y o u c a n a ff o r d it
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5?
EDM
opportunity
w e ’ ll H elp you o w n a piece
O f A merica
To qualified buyers only on homes with FHA insured financing Closing costs and fees additional
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