March II. 2009________________________________
^orttani» Observer_________________________ Pa«eA3
County Report: Substandard
Housing Growing Problem
A rep o rt re c e n tly re le a se d by the
Multnomah County Health Department states
that substandard housing in the area is con
tributing to health problems of tenants. Dete
riorating housing contributes to ailments such
as asthma, heart disease, and unintentional
injuries.
The report attributes the growing problem
to the lack of quality affordable housing in
the area. It also blames the soaring housing
prices and the city’s tight control of growth
as contributing to the issue. Low-income
people are particularly impacted.
Mold growth, lead poisoning from paint
chips, and pests were cited as common prob
lems.
“Maintenance coupled with education for
renters and landlords is critical to healthy hous
in g ,” said L isa W ickham , m anager o f
Multnomah County Health department’s Envi
ronmental Services, in a statement
The Multnomah County Health Department
convened a summit in 2007 to address the is
sue. It recommended an overhaul of the city
housing code, using incentives to steer market
forces toward creating affordable housing, edu
cating landlords and tenants about their rights
and obligations, and creating coalitions between
developers and community organizations to ad
dress the issue, among others. The report also
stated that more people are renting because of
problems in the mortgage industry.
I r iO O K
l/V IL
CASINO RESORT
photo by
M ake W ashington / T he P ortland O bserver
Marwan Granville gets his blood pressure taken by Clark College Nursing students
during the Men's Health Awareness Fair at Mt. Olivet Baptist Church in north Portland.
Men’s Health Awareness Fair
The event not only raised of sponsors and donors.
A local o rg a n iz a tio n has
the
aw areness of im portant
W ith the sharing o f indi
made good in prom pting A f
vidual
experiences and per
health
issues,
it
was
a
plat
rican A m erican men to p re
form to show m ales o f the sonal coping mechanisms, the
serve their health.
The M en’s Health Project c o m m u n ity how to b e tte r fair ended by discussing how
hosted a health fair on Feb. 28 maintain their health for the to move forward not only as
at Mt. Olivet Baptist Church sake of them selves and their individuals, but collectively
as a community as well.
in north Portland to address family.
For more information, call
the disparities and inequali
The effort included the par
ties in healthcare which im ticipation of many event vol C h u c k S m ith at 5 0 3 -7 2 5 -
pact African American males. unteers and the contributions 4815.
M arch
13 & 14, 2 0 0 9
ON SALE NOW!
PPS Holds College Night
Portland Public Schools will
hold a free college-prep event
— with food, beverages and
transportation to and from some
schools — for all juniors and
their families from 5 p.m. to
8:30 p.m. Thursday, March 19,
at Madison High School.
Students and fam ilies can
meet representatives from a
variety of colleges and attend
workshops on financial aid, es
say writing, athletics, campus
visits, interviews, early action
and early decision, learning dis-
abilities and more.
Free bus transportation will
be provided from and back to
the F ra n k lin , Je ffe rso n ,
Marshall and Roosevelt cam
puses; school counselors have
more information on bus sched
ules.
PPS high school co u n se
lors, led this year by Madison
coun selo rs R oberta C ooper
and Kelly Schafer, organized
the symposium. Its purpose is
to make college representa
tives and information acces-
sible to all junior students and
families.
Cooper says: "This sympo
sium will be helpful for students
regardless of whether they've
decided to go to college. It will
provide a look at what many
colleges have to offer, and will
help students gain admission --
and learn how to pay for — the
school of their choice."
This is the second year for an
all-district college night. The
event was held last year at Grant
High School.
ON THE BEACH IN LINCOLN CITY
1 -8 8 8 - C HI N 0 0 K
K
FEEL FREE TO ADD
“SAVE THE EARTH
TO YOUR JOB DESCRIPTION
First step: Contact the Recycle at Work team for free, customized assistance.
Soon, you’ll be reducing waste, saving natural resources and preventing
pollution - all pretty impressive on the resume.
Our Recycling Specialists can help you:
Baby's Garden Blooms
• Identify items that can be recycled
4 space for children ages 3 and younger to play, develop and explore gets a first
look at the Portland Children's Museum. The new Baby's Garden is designed with
a young child's development needs in mind, a quiet inspiring space that 's Filled
with flowers, a climbing tree and slide, a babbling brook and an aquarium.
• Get tips on reducing waste and purchasing sustainable products
• Set up recycling service or work with your janitorial staff
• Form a “green team” to motivate co-workers
• Earn recognition for your recycling success
Get free recycling boxes and other resources for your business
at 503-234-3000, or visit
RecycleAtWork.com
State Representatives Hold Town Hall Forum
Democratic State Representatives Tina Kotek and Chip Shields, who repre
sent North and Northeast Portland, will hold a town hall meeting on Saturday,
March 14 to discuss the state budget, the 2009 legislative session, and con
cerns from constituents about district issues. It will be held from 10 a.m. to
noon at the Portland Cascade Campus in Terrill Room 112.
I
Recycle at Work
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