íl*‘’^ßortlanh (©bserUer
PageA2
December I9. 2007
Rockwood Site to Serve Growing Population
With social-service providers, housing
BY R aymond R endleman
Human Solutions Executive Director Jean DeMaster overlooks a
proposed building site in Rockwood for a center that would
provide services for a growing low-income population in east
Multnomah County. Kiele Fletcher, 5, who attends Davis Elemen­
tary School, was among the group touring the site.
T he P ortland O bserver
T he first urban-renew al district
in east M ultnom ah C ounty has
transformed much o f the area’s land­
scape since its creation in 2003, but
even more dream s wait to be ful­
filled for a grow ing population that
needs social services and afford­
able housing.
Human Solutions, one o f the
area's largest com m unity-develop­
m ent organizations, envisions a
Rockw ood International Building
at Northeast 181 st and C ouch that
w ould provide the group and at
least six other social services agen­
cies with needed space.
The five-story project aim s to
provide fam ilies w ith a clinic, bill­
paying assistance, jo b training and
em ergency m eals all in one site,
including 90 low -incom e ap art­
m ents in the upper floors.
M ost o f G re sh a m 's poverty-
stricken households, nearly 58 per­
cent, consist o f fam ilies, and more
than 38 percent o f G resham ’s ch il­
dren live in poverty, according to
2(XX) census statistics.
Poverty has continued to in­
crease in the area as indicated by
the exponential ju m p in the num ber
o f East County children qualifying
for free or reduced-cost lunches
between 2001 -02 and 2005-06.
Jean D eM aster, executive direc­
tor o f H uman Solutions, do esn ’t
mince words in identifying the trend
as a civil-rights issue.
“ It is unjust for families to be
hom eless, doubled up with other
fam ilies or living in other danger­
ous situations,” says D eM aster.
photos by R aymond
R endleman /T he P ortland O bserver
A Multi-Service Center in what would be called the Rockwood International Building is planned for
this site on Northeast 181st and Couch, providing space for a half dozen social-service agencies
and 90 units o f low-income housing.
“The challenge is that the num ber
o f fam ilies in desperate circum ­
sta n c e s h as g o n e u p , b u t the
am ount o f dollars avai lable to serve
them has stayed the sam e.”
D eM aster has advocated for the
H um an Solutions structure to be
part o f a “three-pronged approach"
to n ew d e v e lo p m e n ts in th e
Rockw ood Tow n C enter area. One
o f the first o f those developm ents
will be the construction next year o f
a $ 14.3 m illion M ultnom ah County
Justice C enter with four new court­
room s, offices, holding cells and
processing space.
A s crim in al-ju stice d ev e lo p ­
m ents are on the fast track in East
County, Gresham Police C hief Carla
P ilu so jo in ed in callin g fo rah o listic
approach to preventing crim e and
increasing the quality o f life for
everyone.
Piluso told the Portland Observer
in O ctober that " it’s a challenge for
all those pieces to the puzzle” when
so c ial-se rv ice bu d g ets stag n ate
am id a quickly expanding popula­
tion.
D eM aster dream s o f a self-sus­
taining com m unity that prom otes
a llia n c e s am o n g im p o v e rish ed
peoples.
“T h is co m m u n ity b rin g s to ­
gether a num ber o f diverse tradi­
tions,” she says. “W e think diver­
sity is a real strength that we want
to promote with a m ulti-service cen­
ter.”
O v e r th e p a s t fiv e y e a rs ,
D eM aster has turned H uman S olu­
tions from a sm all rental-assistance
MMMMRHMMi
NMMMNMMM
agency into one o f East C o u n ty ’s
largest charities, serving more than
6,(XX) households a year. She has
m ore than 35 years o f experience in
advocating for services and hous­
ing for low incom e people.
D eM aster warns that the effects
of im poverishm ent could spiral out
o f control through future genera­
tions if social-service organizations
fail to work closely together in pro­
viding com prehensive assistance.
By creating acentralized and con­
venient hub for access to a multitude
of services, she hopes to more effi­
ciently stabi I i ze I i ves and he 1 p people
become self-sufficient. “W hat w e’ re
trying to do is break through that
cycle o f poverty and homelessness
in the East County and Rockwood
area," says DeMaster.
BMMNHMI
Paramedic Charged with Sex Abuse
A M R a f te r sh e
passed out at her
hom e on Dec. 8 and
her children called
911.
A Portland param edic
In her lawsuit,
accused o f sexually abus­
Herring claim s that
ing a local African-Ameri­
H aszard to u ch ed
can w om an during an am ­
h e r p u b ic a re a
b u la n c e tr a n s p o r t to
while she was semi­
Legacy Em anuel H ospi­
conscious. She al­
tal is facing a lawsuit and
leges battery and
tw o counts o f first degree
Lannie Haszard
negligent retention
sexual assault.
and supervision by
Lannie L. Haszard, 61,
was fired Dec. 17 as an A merican AM R with dam ages to be deter­
M edical Response param edic after m ined at trial.
T he police investigation began
Portland Police arrested him for the
when N ortheast Precinct officers
Dec. 8 assault.
T he victim. R oyshekka Herring, were called to m eet the H erring at
filed a lawsuit Thursday against the hospital. She provided inform a­
th e a m b u la n c e c o m p a n y and tion leading officers to believe that
H aszard, claim ing she was groped she had been sexually assaulted by
w hile she was being transported to Haszard.
Police say he adm itted touching
the hospital.
H errin g w as tra n sp o rte d by H erring inappropriately and wrote
Patient files
lawsuit
College is closer than you think. It may also be more expensive
than you realize. So plan for your future now by investing with
the Oregon College Savings PlanSM.
Investors enjoy these benefits:
Celebrating KWANZA A
con tin u ed
• Contributions are Oregon state tax deductible up to $2000*
• Tax-free growth
• Tax-free withdrawals for qualified expenses
• Use your savings at schools nationwide
Call toll free today or visit our website for your free enrollment kit.
1 .8 6 6 .7 7 2 .8 4 6 4
fro m Front
each o f the Seven Principles o f
Kwanzaa.
U nder the auspice o f T he Center
for Black Studies at Portland State
U niversity, Senator Avel G ordly,
Reverend Dr. W.G. Hardy Jr., and
Dr. Dalton M iller-Jones share their
Advertise
photos from a recent trip to G hana.
The w orks will be on view in the
Gallery from 11 a.m .to6p.m ., Tues­
day - Friday, and from 11 a.m. to 4
p.m. Saturday and Sunday, through
D ec31.
F o r m o re in fo rm a tio n , v isit
portlandparks.org or ifcc-arts.org/
kwanzaa.htnf.
in îlK |Jnrtlanh COhsmu'v
503-288-
OregonCollegeSavings.com
OREGON 529
OppenheimerFunds
o rm i
COLLISE SAVINES PLAN
Christmas
has a different
meaning to everyone,
This Plan is an easy and effective way for Oregon families
to save for college It combines outstanding tax benefits,
Rondali Edward»
smart investment choices and flexible control features
O rego n State Treasurer
to help investors reach their goals
State Treasurer Randall Edwards. Plan Administrator
and that meaning can change
from year to year, depending on what fate
has brought your way. For some, it has been a year
of prosperity... for others, it has been a year o f loss.
Fortunately, time has a way o f healing, and letting us
Not FDIC insured nor guaranteed and may lose value ’Subject to recapture under certain circumstances
go forward— to celebrate again.Whatever the year
The Oregon College Savings P la n * is administered by Oregon State Treasurer Randall Edwards and distributed by
has brought your way, we want you to know our
Oppenheimerf unds Distributor. Inc Non-residents of Oregon should consider whether their state offers a 529 plan with tax
family’s thoughts arc with you.
T erry
advantages and should consult a tax advisor. Carefully consider Plan investment objectives, risks, fees and expenses. Plan
documents contain this and other info. Investors should read these documents carefully before investing. OCopyright 2007
2337 N Williams Ave
(503) 249-1788
www.terryfamilyfuneralhome.com
OppenheimerFunds Distributor. Inc. All rights reserved.
© ttdhmly
an apology after an interview with
detectives.
T h e note said: "I am very sorry
I did th is to y o u ___P lease accep t
my d ee p est ap o lo g ies fo r m y a c ­
tio n s d u rin g o u r c o n ta c t
I w ill
attem p t to seek som e help so I do
n ot e v e r do an y th in g like this
ag a in ,” acco rd in g to co u rt d o c u ­
m en ts.
A n o th er w om an had rep o rted
a sim ila r in cid en t w ith the sam e
p aram ed ic in A pril, but the p olice
in q u iry w as su sp en d ed afte r a
m onth. P ro secu to rs w ill be lo o k ­
ing at that co m p lain t again. P o ­
lice d etectiv es are cu rren tly se ek ­
ing in fo rm atio n on o th e r w om en
w ho m ay have been v ictim s d u r­
ing em erg en cy m edical care from
H aszard.
A n y o n e w ith in fo rm atio n is
a sk e d to ca ll D e te c tiv e T o d d
Prosser at 503-823-9320 or D etec­
tive V incentC ui at 503-823-0466.
Mayor’s Award
Edna R ob­
e rtso n w as
re c e n tly
honored by
M ayor Tom
Potter with a
S p irit
of
Edna Robertson
P o rtla n d
award. H er nam e was m isspelled
in a headline and photo caption
about her many contributions to
the com m unity in last w eek 's is
sue. We regret the error.