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About The skanner. (Portland, Or.) 1975-2014 | View Entire Issue (July 6, 2016)
JULY 6, 2016 Portland and Seattle Volume XXXVIII No. 40 25 CENTS News ........................... 3,8,9,10 A & E .....................................6-7 Opinion ...................................2 Minority Gap in Capitols ...10 Calendars ........................... 4-5 Bids/Classiieds ....................11 CHALLENGING PEOPLE TO SHAPE A BETTER FUTURE NOW PHOTO COURTESY OF PORTLAND POLICE BUREAU AFFORDABLE HOUSING The Albina Ministerial Alliance issued a statement Wednesday decrying the lack of African Americans among Portland Police Bureau’s command-level staf. Kevin Modica, who served as former Chief Larry O’Dea’s assistant chief in charge of outreach, was demoted last week to captain by incoming chief Mike Marshman. By Christen McCurdy Of The Skanner News T he Albina Ministerial Alliance Coalition for Justice and Police Reform wants the Portland Po- lice Bureau to hire more African Americans to its command staf, and is calling the demotion of assistant chief Kevin Modica “a step backward” for po- lice reform. Last week Chief Larry O’Dea – a Port- land Police Bureau veteran who was sworn in as chief at the beginning of 2015, and now faces three investiga- AP PHOTO/EBRAHIM NOROOZI See AMA on page 3 Iranian women pray during the Eid al-Fitr prayers in Tehran, Iran, July 6. Eid al-Fitr marks the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. World News Briefs Pistorius sentenced; Trump praises Saddam page 9 The ‘Vigilante Diaries’ Interview with Michael Jai White page 7 Richard Edwards speaks at the Yes for Afordable Housing Campaign kickof at the Buckman Cofee factory in Portland on Thursday, June 30, 2016. Edwards told the crowd about the challenges of inding housing when his family was homeless. Afordable Housing Tax to Go to Voters $258.4 million bond would allow city to build or buy 1,300 rental units By Arashi Young of The Skanner News T his November, Port- land residents will vote on new tax mea- sure to pay for aford- able housing. The $258.4 million bond would allow the city of Portland to ei- ther build or purchase 1,300 rental units to house those who are being priced out of the local housing market. Last Thursday, the Port- land City Council unani- mously voted to send this tax measure to the voters for the November 8 ballot. The city council chamber was packed to capacity and overlowing into the third story balcony. Maggie Tallmadge, rep- resenting the NE Coalition of Neighborhoods, talked about the disproportion- ate impact of housing on communities of color, who are more likely to ex- perience homelessness, cost-burdened households and displacement. “Our communities are steadily pushed to the fringes of cities, increas- ingly segregated, away from community, away from jobs and services and existing widespread disparities are exacerbat- ed,” Tallmadge said. “In- creasingly, African Amer- ican and Native American households are leaving the city entirely.” In her remarks, Tall- madge referred to the 2015 State of Housing in Port- land report which stated that the average Black fam- ily looking for a one-bed- room apartment or larg- er was priced out every neighborhood in Portland. Homeownership, without paying more than 30 per- cent of pretax income on housing, was also out of reach for most Black fami- lies. The 20-year bond would raise property taxes by 42 cents for every $1,000 of assessed value per year. A home assessed at $178,320 would pay about $75 more per year in property taxes. The assessed value of See HOUSING on page 3 Grants to Reduce Gang Violence $700,000 grant block will fund programs for youth at risk of getting involved with gangs T he Portland City Council voted to authorize $700,000 in grants to community organizations providing activities for at-risk youth to reduce gang violence. If approved, the grants will be of- fered to the Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center, the Immi- grant & Refugee Community Orga- nization - Africa House, Latino Net- work, Native American Youth and Family Center, the Boys & Girls Club of Portland Metropolitan Area, Self Enhancement, Inc., and REAP, Inc. “Last year we had more than 12,000 kids using free access to our com- munity centers and to our teen pro- gramming, so obviously there was and is a great need out there in the community,” Mayor Charlie Hales told the council. The funds will be allocated over two years, and will fund socializing activities for youth outside of school and during the summer. The funds are part of Mayor Charlie Hales’ on- going $2 million Community Cen- ters Initiative and will be dispersed through Portland Parks & Recreation department. Parks and Recreation department See GRANTS on page 3 PHOTO COURTESY OF CHARLIE HALES VIA FACEBOOK Group says PPB needs Black voices among command-level staf PHOTO BY ARASHI YOUNG AMA Criticizes Demotion On June 14, Mayor Hales visited the Montavilla Community Center and spent time with Portland Parks staf and volunteers. The visit was in support of the Community Centers Initiative to provide free access to recreation and deter young people from gang-related violence.