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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