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By Mac Larsen | CNA Media Team

When you search “catalytic converter theft” on Concordia Nextdoor.com, you’ll see countless posts of desperate neighbors dismayed that they, too, have been victims of the crime.

This form of petty theft is so common in the Portland metro area that many car owners see catalytic converter theft as almost inevitable, leaving many wondering, “Why does this seem to always happen?” and “What can be done?”

Michael French awoke in his home in southwest Concordia to discover his car was missing from the spot he’d parallel parked it the evening before.

“Generally thieves will cut the converter out of a car without taking the entire car,” he said. His experience was the opposite. Three days later police found his car not far from home. The catalytic converter was the only thing that appeared to be missing or damaged.

“The car, otherwise, was in good condition, and nobody had ever gotten inside it,” Michael said. “It was still locked.”

Auto mechanics are on the front lines of dealing with this problem. Ron Johnson, a local mechanic, has observed a steep increase in catalytic converter theft over the past few years. He said the shop is replacing the catalytic converters of about 50 Priuses a year.

According to Ron, for the Gen 2 Prius like Michael’s, it takes only three minutes to remove the catalytic converter if the thieves have the proper equipment and a makeshift tow jack. A neighbor who saw Michael’s Prius stolen noticed the thieves used the back of a pick-up truck to move the car away from the neighborhood.

Generally, thieves are stealing the converters for the rare metals they contain – palladium and rhodium – and a Prius converter can sell for about $1,200 as scrap metal.

Peter Keller in south central Concordia had his own experience with would-be thieves when he was awakened at 5 a.m. to what he said sounded like a train derailing. Using two hacksaws, the thieves were halfway through removing the converter when Peter made a commotion and scared them off.

The tide may turn Jan. 1 when Oregon Senate Bill 803 takes effect. It prohibits scrap metal businesses from purchasing or receiving catalytic converters, and it passed by a majority in both the Senate and House.

Mac Larsen is a graduate student at the University of Oregon, pursuing a master’s degree in journalism. He grew up in Concordia neighborhood and can be found frequently on Alberta Street, complaining about all the construction.

By Brittany van der Salm | CNA Board Member, AL6

COVID-19 doesn’t deter the Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA) from continuing to host NAYA Gala. The 18th annual gala and fundraiser is virtual for the second consecutive year.

The livestream event begins at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 5. Prior to this, bidding on auction items was scheduled to begin Friday, Oct. 29, and ticket sales for a raffle on Monday, Oct 25.

Registration for the event, raffle and auction is at NAYAgala.org. The page will be updated with more information as the event gets closer.

Despite the format change, events manager Vawn Borges reported the organization still recorded over 800 unique viewers and 250 registered auction bidders last year. They generated similar donations to what the organization normally sees at in-person events.

The 2020 move to the virtual format allowed attendees from as far as Australia and Germany to tune into the livestream, bid in the auction and make donations, Vawn said.

This year, NAYA will again offer guests the option of ordering a traditional Native-inspired dinner catered by ChefStable and delivered to their homes. They may also bid on an array of auction items, including a blue glass vase made by Lillian Pitt, Northwest Native artist and former Alberta Arts District gallery owner. Add to that a selection of jewelry from the Southwest, several travel packages and more.

Although planning for the event is still underway, some changes to the program of the livestream event are expected, including several live performances.

Vawn said he wants the gala to feature more entertainment by Native performers. “We hope our virtual attendees will find our program more engaging overall.”

Longtime gala emcee and NAYA board member Zeke Smith will again host the event, and he will be joined by Johnna Wells to run the auction.

The annual gala is NAYA’s largest source of unrestricted funding. Money raised through the event is used to fill budget shortfalls or gaps. That ensures programs not fully funded through government contracts or foundation grants can continue to run.

NAYA is located on Columbia Boulevard and 52nd Avenue. It provides educational, housing, community building, foster care, elder and other services each year to over 10,000 self-identified Native Americans across the Portland metropolitan area.

Brittany is a board member of the CNA, and has lived in the neighborhood since 2019. She works as a Medicaid disability policy consultant with a national nonprofit firm. Brittany loves to bake and bird watch.

By Brittany van der Salm | CNA Board Member, AL6

Hi Neighbors! I’m Brittany van der Salm, a board member of Concordia Neighborhood Association (CNA). I moved here in November 2019 with my husband Paul and our critters.

You can spot us at Alberta Park with our pups, Etta and Dobby, and grabbing cones at Salt & Straw. Or find us gardening in our yard with the help of our outdoor guard cats, Red and Fats Domino – in fact, you may have already met them. They love to greet people walking by.

Professionally, I work as a policy analyst, and I focus primarily on services and supports for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Outside of work – when I’m not planning my Halloween decorations – I like to read and bake. I love to bird watch, whether at my yard feeders, around the neighborhood or outside the city.

Several times a month I participate in and host virtual dinner tables through an organization called The Dinner Party. It provides community and support for people ages 20-40 who have lost someone significant in their lives.

On the last Tuesday of every month, I host a table for people all over the country who, like myself, have lost both parents. I love having this opportunity to connect with people who just “get it.’”

For me, showing up for the communities I’m a part of makes me feel more connected. That’s why I decided to run for election to join the CNA Board of Directors – to join others in my neighborhood and to help others to feel like a part of our community.

I’ve learned so much about the issues impacting our neighborhood by being on the board and attending meetings. On Nov. 3, we’ll have elections for next year. Board chair Peter Keller offers more details about that here.

If you’re interested in taking on a bigger role in our community, I urge you to consider running!

Local tree advocates met recently with city representatives to discuss how to protect and preserve the International Grove. A report on that meeting is at ConcordiaPDX.org/pbot-grove-trees. To learn more about the challenges to the 10-year-old grove and to tour it, meet Saturday, Oct. 2, at 10 a.m. at Holman Street and 41st Avenue.

Note the date change from what was announced in CNews at ConcordiaPDX.org/2021/09/tree-teams-celebrate-groves-10th and ConcordiaPDX.org/2021/09/advocates-rally-to-preserve-grove.

By Erin E. Cooper | Concordia/Vernon/Woodlawn Neighborhood Emergency Team

Although it’s still early in the summer season, 2021 is shaping up as a year with the potential for wildfires similar to those in 2020. Low precipitation levels have dried out the soil and vegetation, and high winds can spread fire quickly.

Fortunately, there are some basic steps you can take to minimize the risk of fires and things everyone can do to prepare for rapid evacuations.

Vegetation near the exterior of the house can spread a fire to your house. Remove it or consider replacing it with fire-resistant plants. Oregon State University Extension Service identifies those plants at Bit.ly/CNA-USDA.

Keep trees trimmed back at least 10 feet from the house, and don’t lean or pile flammable material such as firewood against the house. For more information, visit Portland.gov/fire/your-safety/reducing-risk-wildfire.

It’s important to gather supplies and pack a go-bag before the time comes to evacuate. Your bag should include three days of food and water for each member of the family, a change of clothes, personal hygiene items and any essential medications.

If you have babies or small children, don’t forget to pack diapers, formula and other items to keep them comfortable. Don’t forget water, food, litter and travel crates for pets.

Follow the evacuation notices and wildfire warnings from reputable sources, such as the county, city and Portland Fire & Rescue. There are three levels of warning:

• Get ready
• Be set
• GO!

As with all disasters, do not wait for official notice if you are in immediate danger. To avoid traffic jams, take only one car per family and plan several potential evacuation routes.

Wildfires have much in common with other disasters. By planning ahead and communicating with families and neighbors, you can minimize the damage and help the community recover.

Erin E. Cooper is a marine biologist living in Woodlawn. She spends a lot of time thinking about disasters and has been a NET member for many years. Contact her at OceanListener@gmail. com

By Garlynn Woodsong | CNA Board Member, SW1 CNA LUTC Chair

What if we were to allow retail on the neighborhood greenway system? Bicyclists wouldn’t need to leave the safety of bicycle infrastructure to visit a bicycle shop, go to a grocery store or visit a restaurant, cafe or pub.

Unfortunately for bicyclists seeking to not get hit by cars while going shopping, Portland’s neighborhood greenway system exists largely within a single-family zoning context, and these zones explicitly ban any sort of retail activities.

Given that single-family zoning was born out of a desire to practice racial exclusion through economic segregation, it’s certainly worth re-examining every aspect of this zoning. That includes its ban on commercial activities beyond home-based businesses that do not receive a significant volume of customers.

There are many existing examples – within our current single-dwelling zones – of buildings built prior to the imposition of the current zoning paradigm that included a retail component originally. They may be in the form of ground floor retail with apartments above, or street-facing retail with a residence adjacent.

Portland was built originally with a mix of the retail destinations people needed, with the residences where they lived in very close proximity. Within Concordia, there are a number of examples of buildings that featured commercial businesses originally, but are currently residential only. Most of these are in the oldest part of the neighborhood – west of 33rd Avenue and south of Killingsworth Street – which was built prior to the automobile boom of the 1920s.

In the racist fever of the 1940s and 1950s, zoning codes were used to separate white from Black populations within cities nationwide. Retail was also deemed to be a blight upon the purity of white-occupied, single-family zones, and they were segregated to retail-focused zones on main streets.

In the same way that accessory dwelling units (ADUs) have been used as the first baby step toward re-legalizing multi-family dwelling to single-family zones, accessory commercial units (ACUs) could be used to re-introduce retail to residential zones.

Accessory dwelling units – at least here in Portland – are confined to back yards, attics, basements and interior areas of houses where they are more difficult to see from the street. ACUs, however, depend on being visible from the street for their commercial success.

They therefore belong naturally within the front setback, taking over area currently allocated to driveways and front lawns. They repurpose the spaces for use as neighborhood-serving destinations that cater to clientele that arrives primarily by foot or bicycle.

The form of ACUs could be similar to that of ADUs: a maximum of 800 square feet and either separated from the main home by sufficient fire separation to satisfy the building code or attached.

Garlynn Woodsong lives on 29th Avenue, serves on the CNA board and is an avid bicyclist. He also is a dad who is passionate about the city his son will inherit. He is the planning + development partner with Cascadia Partners LLC, a local urban planning firm. Contact him at LandUse@ConcordiaPDX.org.