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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (April 30, 2003)
®I|e ^îartlanh ©bst wer April 30. 2003 Page A7 H ousing S potlight PCRI Offers Rental Housing Well Below Market Rate P R C I te n a n ts m u st m ake less than F itz p a tr ic k gave the m a cha nce to 80 p e rc e n t o f the m e d ia n f a m ily in b u ild up g o o d re n ta l h is to ry . M a n y but not when it causes mass displacem ent o f indigenous residents.” com e to be a b le to re n t p ro p e rty f o r as lo w as $ 3 3 0 f o r a tw o -b e d ro o m a p a rt w o u ld o th e rw is e have to liv e at hom e W h e n P C R I p u rc h a s e d the h o u s in g u n its in 1991, m o re tha n 100 w e re m e n t and up to $ 9 0 0 f o r a fiv e -b e d - ro o m hom e. va ca n t. T h e y w e re in bad need o f re p a ir and m a n y w e re u n in h a b ita b le . P C R I r e b u ilt th e ho m es, m a in ta in in g “ M o s t p e o p le c a n ’ t get an a p a rt continued from Front la n d re s id e n ts w h o w e re fo rc e d to _ th e y b o u g h t th e m , fix e d them - PCRI Director Maxine Fitzpatrick up and so ld th e m f o r fo u r tim e s as m u c h .” ---------- hoods. “ B e fo re w e cam e in and to o k care o f the w o rs t hom es, th e re was no d e s ire to liv e here,” F itz p a tric k said. “ Then p e o p le s ta rte d c o m in g P C R I’ s lo w -c o s t re n ta ls. O th e rs are lo n g tim e n o rth and n o rth e a s t P o rt re lo c a te w h e n th e ir la n d lo rd s e v ic te d a ro u n d and s a y in g , ‘ H e y , these are g o o d houses and th e y ’ re o n ly $ 3 5 ,0 0 0 ,’ so n o r th e a s t n e ig h b o r w ith th e ir parents i f it w e re n o t f o r F itz p a tr ic k s a id . “ I th in k o f h o u s in g Some gentrification is good, but not when it causes mass displacement o f indigenous residents. and T h e c o m p e titio n to b u y hom es be p a re n ts w h o m ent fo r the p ric e w e re n t c u r houses,” th e ir o rig in a l P o rtla n d charm , and in d o in g be cam e a c a ta ly s t fo r r e v ita liz a tio n in n o rth re s id e n ts are s in g le “ W e tr y to g iv e these p e o p le a place to sta b iliz e ,” F itz p a tric k said. “ Y o u ’ re c o n s ta n tly s tr u g g lin g i f y o u ’ re p a y in g 80 p e rce n t o f y o u r in c o m e .” Soon P C R I w i l l be m o v in g in to a new ho m e o f i t ’ s o w n . In O cto be r, F itz p a tric k ’ s o ffic e s w ill m ove fro m its cu rre n t lo c a tio n , b as such an e s s e n tia l and the w a y we th e m , som e tim es a fte r decades o f te n a n c y , to s e ll the house o r raise the re n t fo r the n e x t ten ant. on the c o m e r o f W ygan t and N o rth - east M a rtin L u th e r K in g Jr. B o u le vard, to a m ore expansive h is to ric pro pe rty at 63 29 N .E . M L K J r . B lvd . In the mean tim e F itzpatrick is w o rkin g cam e so s t i f f f o r a w h ile th a t p ro s p e c tiv e b u ye rs w o u ld c a ll F itz p a tr ic k and go a b o u t p r o v id in g u n tra d itio n a l.” v e ry on aC om m unity Economic Expertise A ct, a three-year in itia tive designed to provide y e ll at h e r f o r m o n o p o liz in g a ll the T o d a y m o st o f P C R I’ s p ro p e rtie s are f ille d , w ith the e x c e p tio n o f a fe w com m unity capacity bui Iding corporations federal funding. I f the act is approved by va ca n cie s. Som e o f he r c lie n ts are fa m ilie s w h o has fo rm e rly liv e d in cars Congress, com m unity developm ent cor p ro p e rty in the area. B u t P C R I stayed tr u e to its m is s io n s ta te m e n t and re n te d its u n its o u t at less tha n f a ir m a rk e t rent. o r d ila p id a t e d it is b u ild in g s b e fo r e porations like PCRI w ill get addition sup port fo r the ir enterprises. Website Connects Homes with People A website called H ousing Connections is m atching people lo okin g fo r a home w ith residences that fit th e ir needs and bud gets. , The service, found on the Internet at w w w .housingconnections.org, lists over 36,000 rental units in the Portland M etro area, g iv in g a detailed search w ith o u t Northeast Artist Sandblasts Graffiti Northeast Portland artist Manda Beckett stands in front o f the first of nearly1,000 art glass panels TriMet is installing along the Eastside MAX line between Hollywood and Gresham. Beckett created the "Blackberry Deco" design to reflect the style o f older parts of the Hollywood neighbor hood. Three more of her designs will be installed along the line during the next several weeks. The panels are more difficult to vandalize and save TriMet money by reusing graffiti-ridden glass. Damaged panels are sand blasted with designs that cover graffiti. Census: Blacks Made Housing Gains (A P ) — Hom eownership rates fo r culled from a M arch 2002 survey, covered blacks have surged over the last 12 years, a m yriad o f other statistics on the na tio n ’s black population. aided by rising incomes in a boom ing m aking lots o f phone calls and d riv in g Those w ith o u t access to a com puter around fo r hours. H ousing Connections also lists some and those w ho speak another language can call 503-802-8562 and someone w ill translate and perform a H ousing Connec affordable homes fo r sale. Private owners and realtors can list homes fo r sale at or below $ 175,000. T o view what units are for sale, include “ fo r sale units” in you r ad vanced search. tions search over the phone. Landlords can lista ffo rd a b le rental va cancies free o f charge. Formore information, call 503-823-4141. housing m arket, according to new fig ures by the Census Bureau. C e n su s B u re a u d ir e c t o r L o u is Kincannon released the report Friday at a O ver48 percent o fb lacks owned their homes in 2002, up from 42 percent in 1990. m eeting o f the Conference o f Black M a y o rs in H o u s to n . The mayors group w ill use the inform ation However, black hom eow nershipstill trailed the national rate o f 68 percent. The latest Census Bureau report. to lobby fo r better transportation, educa tion al opportunities and housing in black communities. Get A Home Loan With Big Buying Power and a really small rate. PCRÍI FLEX ARM Home Loan Rate as low as 1 % APR* Fixed fo r TWO YEARS! This special offer isn't just for teachers! Even though this offer is for PTCll members only, don't worry. PTCU isn't just for teachers anymore. To ask about membership eligibility or to apply for membership, visit us online at www.ptcu.com, call Member Services at (503) 228-7077 or (800) 527-3932 (M-Th 8-5:30, Fri 8-6) or stop by any branch today. Already a member? Call PTCU Real Estate Services at (503) 273-1755 or (800) 527-3932 x 5220. PORTLAND TEACHERS CREDIT UNION www.ptcu.com • Initial N o » Rate « 4 0 0 % I t » Initial N o » R a » « a discounted i a » lo t an initial period of tw o ye an . Thereafter. i t » N o » Rate w ill be b a w d on the index ol th e constant m aturity one year Treasury index v d ik h n currently 1 330. plus a m argm The Annual Percentage Rate m ay increase or decreaw alter the initial tw o years based on th e terms o , th e loan and changes to the applicable index Consult PTCU Real E s ta » Services lo r specihc program terms and conditions $ I Portland Community Reinvestment Initiatives, Inc. 4829 NE MLK, Portland, OR 97211 wvvw.pcrlhome.org PCRI’s VISION is to provide affordable housing and associated services that achieve family stability, self-sufficiency and resident wealth creation. * *N 0 W TAKING APPLICATIONS* * MONDAY FRIDAY 8 :3 0 a m 5 :0 0 p m 503 288 2923 K EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY