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About The skanner. (Portland, Or.) 1975-2014 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 14, 2016)
DECEMBER 14, 2016 Portland and Seattle Volume XXXIX No. 11 25 CENTS News .............................. 3,8-10 A & E .....................................6-7 Opinion ...................................2 Slager Mistrial ................9 Calendars ........................... 4-5 Bids/Classifieds ....................11 CHALLENGING PEOPLE TO SHAPE A BETTER FUTURE NOW PHOTO BY JERRY FOSTER SOUL CHRISTMAS The average monthly rent in Portland rose 7 percent between 2015 and 2016, with increases between 12 and 18 percent in 1, 2, and 3-bedroom units. Forty-five percent of households are renters with a median income just over $30,000 per year. State of Housing Report New report finds grim reality for renters, communities of color E arlier this month, the Portland Housing Bureau, led by Commis- sioner Dan Saltzman, released a State of Housing report for 2016. The document analyzes Portland’s housing affordability and encompasses 24 neighborhoods in the city. Despite definite wins such as the voter-approved Affordable Housing Bond, which allots $258 million toward affordable rental housing programs, the lifting of the state preemption on mandatory inclusionary zoning, and a 90-day notice for 5 percent rent in- See HOUSING on page 3 Howard Moore, Jr. to Speak at The Skanner Foundation Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast Attorney Howard Moore, Jr. earned is B.A. degree in 1954 from Morehouse College. He obtained his LL.B. degree from Boston University School in Law. In 1962 he joined the Atlanta law firm of Moore, Alexander and Rindskopf. As one of only 10 black lawyers in Georgia, Moore worked long hours and traveled on Sundays with Vernon Jordan. Moore has represented both Julian Bond (1966) and Angela Davis (1971-1977). Neo-Nazi Dropout Program page 10 PHOTO BY SUSAN FRIED By Melanie Sevcenko Of The Skanner News Children visited Santa at Northwest African American Museum Dec. 10 as part of the museum’s Soul Christmas event, held during the first two weekends in December. Work Begins on Alberta Commons Lot Plan Moving Forward for retail center for minority-owned businesses By Melanie Sevcenko Of The Skanner News I n early 2014, it seemed as though the long-va- cant lot at the intersec- tion of Northeast Mar- tin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and Northeast Alberta Street would remain in purgatory, after Trader Joe’s pulled out from nego- tiations amid community backlash. Critics of the grocery store deal, namely the Portland African Amer- ican Leadership Forum (PAALF), felt the Portland Development Commission (PDC), which owns the lot, was only furthering gentri- fication and displacement in the once-predominately Black neighborhood. PAALF, backed by a wealth of local activists, saw the lot as a ripe oppor- tunity to build much-need- ed affordable housing in the MLK corridor, which has experienced a decline in its African American population. But by mid-2015, the PDC had finalized a deal with the California-based devel- oper, Majestic Realty Co., who purchased the land for just over $500,000 — about $2.4 million under the appraised market val- ue. After securing the Col- orado-based Natural Gro- cers as the new anchor tenant — and a reshuffling of optimistic timelines that fell short by about a year — the hammers have finally fallen at the site, just weeks ago. Colas Construction, an African American fami- ly-owned company, is on board as the development’s prime contractor. “We’re tracking at about 50 per- cent minority business participation overall,” said Andrew Colas, president and COO. “That’s pretty un- precedented for a project of this size and this nature. Not only are we getting the opportunity, but we’re bringing a whole bunch of other minority sub-con- tractors and businesses along for the ride,” Colas said. Called Alberta Com- mons, the new develop- ment will dedicate 50 per- See VACANT LOT on page 3 Clark County Officials Seek Information on Cold Case Investigators are looking for more information about Martha Morrison, who was killed in 1974 By Christen McCurdy Of The Skanner News M artha Mare Morrison was just 17 when she disappeared. In October of 1974, hunters discovered a skeleton buried in a shallow grave in the hills of ru- ral Clark County — which were posi- tively identified with DNA testing as Morrison’s last year. At the time of her disappearance, Morrison had been living in Portland with her boyfriend and had not been in close contact with her family, so relatives were not able to provide in- vestigators with many details about her life. But deputies working with the Clark County Sheriff ’s Office are asking for public help with the case — and specifically, they’re looking for more information about Mor- rison’s boyfriend at the time of her See MORRISON on page 3 Martha Marie Morrison