Minority & Small Business Week
September 24. 2008
PageAI5
ODOT
Reinstates
Disadvantaged
Contracting
Increasing
business
opportunities
Colas Construction owner Hermann Colas (left) goes over the plans for new housing. The company builds about 100 units
per year.
•
B u ild in g H o m e s and Dreams
continued
it
from A ll
ropolitan area. The company fo­
cuses on commercial multi-fam­
ily units and residential custom
homes. According to Colas, his
c o m p a n y ’s su ccess has d e ­
pended on recognizing the im­
portance of homeownership and
delivering a product buyers can
be
proud 1« of.
• • I* Ft t 1 «
» t It H H I
»il I
With his com pany’s core val­
ues in mind, Colas began look­
ing for ways his company could
give back to Portland and in
2007 he found HOST Develop­
ment. As O regon’s largest non­
profit homebuilder focused on own­
ership, HOST was the perfect
partner for Colas Construction -
togetherthey're building high-qual­
ity housing for working Portlanders
earning 70 to 100 percent o f the
median family income.
Colas Construction is currently
building homes in HO ST’S south­
east Portland planned community,
Raymond Park Place. The first
units are already finished.
“Colas Construction is the type
of company we love working with,”
said Ted Salter, HOST’s deputy
director. “Not only do they build
superior housing units, but they
understand that a house is so much
more than walls and a roof. It’s a
chance to help families and local
communities prosper.”
With the helpof community-con­
scious firms like Colas Construc­
tion, HOST continues to provide
affordable home ownership oppor­
tunities aud build strong, vital neigh­
borhoodsA nd thanks to companies
likeColas.HOST’sBuilding Blocks
campaign focréate T.flbtVnewliome
because of their backgrounds,
couldn't afford a house finally
becom e hom eow ners,” Colas
said. “In America, 1 believe the
best way to attain wealth is to
own a home. By working with
HOST, w e’re helping people
build equity, wealth and the
American dream .”
For more information about
HOST Development or Raymond
Park’Place, call 503-331-1752 or
owners by 2017 is moving steadily
forward.
“My favorite ¿»art of working
with HOST is helping those who.
due to,lack of funds, education or
visit hostdevelopment.com. For
more details about Colas Construc-
tio n , Inc. visit the web at
colasconstruction.com or call 503-
292-4025.
The O regon D ep artm en t of
Transportation is reinstating a nar­
rowly-tailored goals program in­
creasing business opportunities for
A sian-A m erican and A frican-
American-owned businesses in the
Portland metro area
U.S. Secretary of Transportation
Mary Peters announced Sept. 9 that
the Federal Highway Administra­
tion has approved ODOT’s request
for a waiver allowing ODOT to
implement changes to its Disadvan­
taged Business Enterprise Program.
The changes allow ODOT to re­
quire that prime construction con­
tractors use more minority-owned
small businesses in ODOT contracts.
“This waiver allows us to get
back to business,” said Matthew
Garrett, ODOT director. “ODOT
remains committed to using well-
qualified, diverse small businesses
representative of the public we serve.
This is a major next step in fulfilling
our commitment.”
The U.S. Ninth Circuit Court ruled
in May 2005 that a state department
of transportation could not have a
race-conscious disadvantaged busi­
ness program without a disparity
study demonstrating inequity in con­
tracting opportunities.
The issue was addressed in a
2007 study that concluded that in the
Portland metro area, Asian-Ameri­
can and African-American-owned
firms were under-utilized as con­
struction subcontractors.
" * ’T5DOT used the conclusions and
recommendations of the report to
modify its Disadvantaged Business
Enterprise Program, and requested
that the Federal Highway Adminis-
continued
on page A17
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I
We W ant To Do Business W ith You
We are striving to increase the numbers
of minority-owned, women-ownfcd, and emerging
small businesses that provide services to us.
We have opportunities for consultants across a range
of professional services, including the technical,
creative, finance, and legal fields.
We can help businesses and individuals enter the
construction industry with resources such as the
Sheltered Market, Technical Assistance, and
Workforce Hiring and Training programs.
Contact our agency at the number listed below for
specific opportunities. You can also visit our website
for more information on our programs to support
diversity in contracting.
»
Housing Authority of Portland
Jerry Walker 503.802.8509
Cinna’Mon Williams, CPPB, MCA 503.802.8533
David Delk 503.802.8517
www.hapdx.org
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