January 22, 2020
Page 3
INSIDE L O C A L N E W S
The
Week in Review
M ETRO
page 2
page 6
An artist’s rendering shows proposed caps over I-5 in the Rose Quarter area that could only support a
park or plaza. The Oregon Department of Transportation will now consider making the caps suitable
to hold buildings after complaints by advocates for the African American community who want
buildable lots to restore historic displacement going back decades.
Back to the Drawing Board
ODOT to
consider
buildable lots
over I-5
Arts &
ENTERTAINMENT
by b everly C orbell
t he p ortland o bserver
The proposed widening of I-5
in the Rose Quarter area to include
new access roads and freeway
caps has received a lot of press
lately, as state and local govern-
ments and community leaders de- Winta Yohannes
bate how to help heal the destruc-
tion of much of the old Albina
neighborhood more than 50 years
ago. The estimated cost of adding
a 1.7-mile-long lane in both direc-
tions already has risen dramatical-
ly, adding about $295 million to
the 2017 estimate of $500 million,
but could go higher if buildable
caps are added to the plans.
The caps or covers are meant
to reconnect the community that
was destroyed when hundreds of
Albina neighborhood homes and
C ontinued on p age 4
page 7-8
‘Squad’ Progressive to Talk Housing
O PINION
C LASSIFIED /B IDS
pages 9
pages 10
U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, a
voice for the most progressive
wing of the Democratic Par-
ty and one of three new African
American members of Congress
who have gained notice for being
members of ‘The Squad,’ will be
in Portland Saturday to address
housing justice.
Rep. Earl Blumenauer, Port-
land’s representative in Congress,
is bringing Tlaib to Jefferson High
School in north Portland to hold
an open forum to discuss solutions U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib
for the country’s most vexing son High School auditorium.
housing challenges. It will begin
As a progressive champion for
at 1:30 p.m., Jan. 25 in the Jeffer- social justice, Tlaib uses her po-
sition on the Financial Services
Committee to advocate for fair
housing policies, and Blumenau-
er has long been an advocate for
affordable housing, addressing
homelessness and ending housing
discrimination.
The two representatives have
partnered on legislation along
with other progressive members
of Congress to address the gov-
ernment’s failed federal housing
policy, which provides housing
for some at the expense of others.
The forum is open to the public,
but registration is requested at blu-
menauer.house.gov.