November 20, 2006

MEDIA RELEASE

CONTACT:

Elissa Gertler, PDC (503) 823-3231

PDC ANNOUNCES FIVE COMMUNITY LIVABILITY GRANTS IN THE INTERSTATE CORRIDOR URBAN RENEWAL AREA

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Tax Increment Funds from the URA Are Reinvested Back Into the Community

The Portland Development Commission has awarded community livability grants totaling $50,000 to five non-profit organizations in the Interstate Corridor Urban Renewal Area (ICURA). The grants will be used for a variety of projects to improve livability in the ICURA including playground improvements, a new wheelchair ramp, exterior paint and repairs, and improvements to neighborhood community space. 

The five proposals awarded are:

1. Kenton Firehouse Improvement Project, 8105 N. Brandon Ave.:  An award of $27,000 to improve the functionality of the community space through acoustic upgrades, improved landscaping to attract more weddings and other ceremonies, a security partition to increase useable space and signage to improve the facility’s visibility. The proposal met multiple goals as a community facility and a historic building, is within proximity of the Kenton Station MAX Area, brings strong leverage of community resources, and is a unique facility meeting the needs of the Kenton neighborhood.

1. Humboldt Elementary School Playground Improvements, 4915 N. Gantenbein:  An award of $6,200 will be used to add trees to a stark asphalt play area at Humboldt School, providing shade for the play area and for the nearby classrooms. New benches will provide seating in this area for students, teachers, and parents. 
2. The North by Northeast Community Health Center, 4725 N. Williams Ave:  The new health center addresses a critical need for affordable healthcare in the Humboldt community. The project has garnered strong community (and broader) support for its mission. Up to $6,300 will be used to improve accessibility through a new wheelchair ramp, constructed by non-profit Unlimited Choices, and a widened doorway. An outside faucet will be improved to allow irrigation of landscaping.
3. Ethos Music Center Facade Improvement, 27 N. Killingsworth St.:  Non-profit Ethos brings musical enrichment to young people in the community. The Ethos facility has a prominent presence in two buildings located on N. Killingsworth Street and Williams Avenue. A grant of $5,250 will be used primarily to acid/chemical wash the brick facade of the building on the corner of N. Killingsworth and Williams.    
4. Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs (OAME) Center, 4134 N. Vancouver Ave.:  The OAME Center is an important business incubator for small, startup and minority businesses in NE Portland. It provides affordable rents, technical assistance, access to capital, and networking opportunities. The Center also houses several non-profit entities and community meeting spaces. A grant of $5,250 will be used to help fund re-painting of the exterior of the building.    

This was the first time PDC awarded these grants using a competitive process. PDC announced the availability of funds in June 2006 and received ten proposals. All ten proposals represented worthy projects that would positively impact the community.  Grant monies for the program come from tax increment funds generated by the urban renewal area. In this way, urban renewal funds are reinvested back into the community to do good work.

The proposals were geographically scattered in the urban renewal area and addressed varied community needs. The total dollar request from the ten applications was $307,806. An evaluation committee of PDC staff and representatives from the Interstate Corridor Urban Renewal Advisory Committee reviewed the proposals and recommended the distribution of the funds. 

The evaluation committee reviewed and discussed the strength of each proposal in supporting the ICURA Plan’s goals and principles, specifically as they implement the Community Livability Implementation Strategy. Preference was given to proposals that:

1. Maintain and enhance and/or increase useable space of existing community facilities;
2. Meet multiple goals of the Community Livability Strategy;
3. Support the goals of other ICURA implementation strategies;
4. Are located near light rail transit stations, along commercial corridors or along frequent bus routes;
5. Meet identified needs in the community;
6. Have not previously received community livability funding.

PDC expects to award Community Livability Grants in the Interstate Corridor Urban Renewal Area again in 2007. Questions about the program should be emailed to Susan Kuhn, PDC, or call 503-823-33406.

PDC was created by Portland voters in 1958 to serve as the city’s urban renewal agency as laid out in Chapter 15 of the City’s Charter. PDC provides comprehensive housing, development and economic development programs within the Portland region

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