Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (March 16, 2005)
Page A 7 œiîe^Jortlanh O bserver March 16. 2005 H ousing Home Buying Help Offered Free workshops at Reflections B u ying a hom e ju s t got a little less in tim id a tin g . A fre e w o rk sh o p s p o n sored by broker L oretta C h an d le r and John L. S cott Real E state is o ffered to p ro sp e c tiv e hom e b u y ers on T h u rs day, M arch 24 from 6 to 8 p.m. at R e fle c tio n s C o ffe e and B ooks lo cated at 455 N.E. K illin g sw o rth St. A hom e b u y ers p re se n ta tio n w ill c o v e r fin a n c in g q u a lific a tio n s, FHA and VA fin a n c in g , title and escrow pro ced u re, fix ers, investm ent p ro p e rty , and m ore. An array o f p ro p erty c u r re n tly on the m ark et in select P o rtla n d n e ig h b o rh o o d s and s u r r o u n d in g c o m m u n itie s w ill be on d isp lay . A m o rtg ag e b ro k e r w ill be a v a ila b le to d isc u ss fin a n c ing and to start the hom e loan p re -q u a lific a tio n pro cess. F or m ore in fo rm a tio n , call 503-435-7280. ' cl I JJ. Land Trust Program Keeps Homes Affordable Brings down the cost of a purchase Harmonia Murray w on’t sugar- coat herexperience of looking for a house. “It was depressing,” she said. “There is a lot of anticipation in home buying.” The homes Murray could afford on the open market were “fixer- uppers,” houses that would take a lot of money and time to make liv able for her and her three teenage daughters. While taking a Home Buying class at Portland Housing Center, Murray learned about the Portland Community Land Trust (PCLT). PCLT is a nonprofit, community organization that safeguards land in the Portland community to pro vide affordable hom eow nership opportunities. PCLT creates per manent affordability by bringing the land under the house into trust, thus the purchase price and mort gage payments are 30 to 40 percent below market value. When a family decides to sell a Portland Commu- After all of her hard work, Murray said that she “likes the feeling of independence when she com es hom e,” and that “this home means freedom.” Sales prices are set at levels that give income qualified buyers a rea sonable monthly mortgage pay ment. Homes currently for sale in n o rth and n o rth e a st P o rtla n d through PCLT include newly con structed two bedroom town homes for $ 109,900, a duplex that is being built on the Interstate Max line, and a newly renovated four bedroom older home in the Kenton neigh borhood. Portland Community Land Trust is committed to increasing the op portunities for low and moderate income residents to achieve the freedom of homeownership. Free orientations are held regularly to introduce interested home buyers to the program and the homes that are currently available. The next one is W ednesday, M arch 23 from 6:30 to 7:30 pm at the PCLT office, Harmonia Murray (center) found a home for her family through Portland Community Land Trust. 3109 B N.E. B roadw ay. If you Using her personal savings and ment and fireplace, access to bus w ould like to learn m ore about nity Last Trust, the home is resold to another family with limited in PCLT funds, Murray closed on a stops, and close to work, schools PC L T ’s hom es for sale, please come, thus keeping the house af home that met all of her priorities: a and affordable grocery stores. It contact 503-493-0293 or check out Concordia bungalow with a base also met her need for affordability. w w w .pclt.org fordable for future generations. MMMHNM New Columbia: Fresh start for an old neighborhood continued from 45 already gentrified Alberta Street, it makes one wonder where the "diversity” of the neighborhoods come in. “If it happens slowly nobody pays at tention,” Wilhelm said. “It’s got to be tough for people who have lived there for generations.” Arbuthnot said that hopefully with New Columbia, this w on’t happen and resi dents will begin their new lives with the old sense o f community. “We would like to see the residents be empowered to have a say in how the formation of their community goes,” she said. “To also be mindful of what was there before, what were the strengths, the safety of the children, of people looking out for each other?” Appeal of new homes Siblings Brenda and Gordo Prestegui were residents o f Columbia Villa before the reconstruction. photo by The hurdles seem somewhat fragile at times, but thankfully the Housing Author ity of Portland has made a conscious effort to stay in touch with all the former resi dents during their displacement. “T hey’ve continued to offer the ser vices and help to keep them readjusted so that it doesn’t feel that these people are abandoned so that this isn't a big land grab,” Arbuthnot said. “I do think that systems are putting put in place. It feels like it has a pretty good chance." While the neighborhood was greatly affected by a temporary move, many are looking forward to coming back. “There are some people who have never lived in a brand new home,” Arbuthnot said. “From the moment we began talking with people, they said it's going to be M ark W ashington /T he P ortland O bserver The New Columbia site will feature 850 units, including public housing, affordable rental housing, elderly housing and homes for sale. great,” Wilhelm added. “W e’re going to have parks, w e're going to have open space. W e’re going to have our neighbors around us again. I think there are enough people that are going to come back to find if not their old neighbors, they ’ 11 find simi larities in their new neighbors. It’s the people’s will to make this work." Arbuthnot credited the Housing Au thority for listening to the residents. “They are empowering the residents,” Arbuthnot said. "There is a great sense of hope that a lot of people are express ing.” W ilhelm hopes that with the docu mentary. a project sponsored by the O r egon Film and Video Foundation, the old residents of Colum bia Villa can come to understand them selves better and be aware o f the changes coming. "T h ere's a theory out there in physics. Every time you observe som ething it changes that thing. I think by us observ ing (the people im pacted by the reloca tion) there may have been some positive change,” W ilhelm said. “ W e’re interview ed m ore than 75 people,” he said. “W e’ve been able to help ou, a little bit, a small way to maybe push for a higher rate o f success for this.” For more information on New C olum bia, visitw w w .hapdx.org. For more infor mation on the documentary, call 503-287- 3731. Dreaming of owning your own home? You can buy a h o m e through th e Portland C om m unity Land Trust loan of Owning Your Own Home? Portland Community Land Trust offers: . Quality homes at affordable prices (income qualifications apply) . Shared appreciation that ensures affordability for the next buyer . rvices Support through the home buying process Want to learn more? Attend a free PCLT Homeownership Orientation: Wednesday, March 23rd, 6:30-7:30 pm Thursday, April 7th, 6:30-7:30 pm Tuesday, Apri, 19th, 6:30-7:30 pm Advertise with diversity in ffl,*$ 3 o rtla n b <Obscvuev ( all 5O3-2KX-OO33 ads@portlandob scia e i.eo m C all for more inform ation: 503-493-0293 or visit our website at w w w .pelt.org
