Black History
FROM THE
ARCHIVES
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L OST N EIGHBORHOODS
Families
continued from page 6
mainly because funding sources still are
being
developed,
Willer
said.
“Housing Our Families is here to be part of
the community,” she said. “We have 163
units, and problems do arise in buildings.
There’s always room to hear how we can do
better.”
Housing Our Families is a women’s com-
munity development corporation providing
affordable rental housing in nine North/
Northeast Portland neighborhoods. It man-
ages homes, duplexes and
apartment complexes such as the
Maya Angelou Apartments near
Unthank Park.
Its three-story Betty Campbell
building has nine units on a busy
intersection
of
Mississippi
Avenue. It was built a year and a
half ago on a lot Multnomah
County donated using public and
private funds for families earning
--City Commissioner Erik Sten no more than 50 percent of medi-
an income.
Many who’ve written opposi-
Willer said some people were confused by tion letters to City Commissioner Erik Sten,
certain terminology. If given a chance, the the Bureau of Housing and Community
nonprofit organization wants to work with Development and others said they think
neighbors to ensure the development is Housing Our Families is more concerned
what everyone envisions, she said. with its own growth than livability. Kay
The rowhouses will be three- and four-bed- Newell, neighborhood association secretary
room units and rent for about $700 a month. and owner of Sunlan Lighting Inc., which is
The project is a joint effort with developer a block from the Betty Campbell building,
Tom Walsh Jr., son of the former Tri-Met has gathered opposition letters and faxes
general manager, who is the landowner. from 20 to 30 residents and about 20 peti-
The project has been planned for several tion signatures.
However, neighbor Charles Ford said he
months. No date is set to begin construction,
Housing Our Families screens tenants by
doing criminal background checks, review-
ing housing histories and getting references
from
past
landlords,
she
said.
“I think the neighbors felt we didn’t act fast
enough,” Willer said about the problem ten-
ant. “I think the police records will show
that we did call the police quite a few times
and tried to handle it ourselves.”
As for accusations of misrepresenting how
the Fargo Street project would be marketed,
‘I think it’s wonderful there’s
new interests and people
moving in. But you don’t
want to say people who live
on a fixed income should
not be there’
Earlier this month, wrecking crews pulled down what a neighbor described as
“one of the last Black-owned homes on Mississippi Avenue.”
appreciates what Housing Our Families
does by providing affordable housing. The
active community member has lived near
the Maya Angelou apartments since 1967.
Ford also doesn’t think the neighborhood
has an over-abundance of low-income hous-
ing. “I think it’s about keeping a certain
ethnicity from coming to the neighbor-
hood.”
Sten said his office has been working to
mediate the situation. He thinks the opposi-
tion group has some valid points about
Housing Our Families’ property manage-
ment skills, but he doesn’t agree with its
argument about the area having too much
low-income housing.
“I think it’s wonderful there’s new inter-
ests and people moving in,” Sten said. “But
on the other hand, you don’t want to say
people who live on a fixed income should
not be there.
“I think these things can be worked out
through communication. Something good
can come out of this fight.”
For more about your
neighborhood go online to
www.TheSkanner.com
February 22, 2012 The Portland and Seattle Skanner v BLACK HISTORY EDITION v Page 7