By Brittany van der Salm | CNA board vice chair

The Concordia Neighborhood Association’s general meeting March 1 drew a number of speakers addressing a variety of topics, including the following:

Neighbors for Clean Air [NCA]

Morgan Towle noted NCA has been operating in Portland for 12 years. “Big diesel” is a major pollution issue for Portland, she said, and Multnomah County is one of the top five counties in the country for high diesel pollution.

NCA claims that 65% of this comes from construction and off-road equipment. Diesel vehicles used in construction release particulate matter into the air that causes health issues, Towle said.

Towle said that Oregon House Bill 2396, the Indirect Source Bill, is up for consideration in the 2023 legislative session. If passed, the bill would regulate indirect sources of diesel pollution. HB 3158 uses state funding to incentivize transition away from diesel.

Oregon Community Solar Program

Sean Micken, who works for Oregon Shines, said the OCSP was written into state law in 2016 and allows anyone who buys power, regardless of where they live, to purchase solar energy that is harvested right here in Oregon. Subscription costs vary by use and type of plan. Customers of PGE, Pacific Power and Idaho Power can receive utility-bill credits in exchange for buying or leasing part of a community solar project here in Oregon.

In a followup email from Oregon Shines, Field Manager Don Evans noted: “[The Oregon Community Solar Program] was created to ‘make solar energy available to customers across the state who previously did not have access’ by connecting PGE and Pacific Power customers to solar energy projects without having to install panels on their own roofs.

“You can rent or own your home, and there is no cost to sign up, to participate or to cancel. There is no change in billing, and by law, consumers are required to be incentivized for participating. The credit creates a guaranteed 5% savings on subscribed energy while low-to- moderate income residents will save 40%!

“Oregon Shines connects residents, businesses, municipalities and other organizations to community solar projects, in their utility territory, allowing them to save money and gain access to clean energy. For more information, and to sign up, visit OregonShines.com.”

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 Kepper Petzing | Contributing writer

Tenants facing eviction could qualify for free legal representation if Ballot Measure 26-238, known as Eviction Representation for All (ERA), becomes law.

Multnomah County voters will vote on the measure in the May 16 Special District Election. If approved, the ERA would provide free legal representation for any tenant facing eviction in Multnomah County. The program would be funded by an increase in capital gains tax of .75 %.

How would it work?

Many renters facing eviction can’t afford a lawyer. If they go to court, they must represent themselves. If they lose their case, an eviction goes on their record, making it difficult to rent again.

The ERA initiative would create a new Tenant Resource Office to provide free legal representation to anyone facing eviction. There would be no other changes to landlord-tenant laws or eviction proceedings under the ERA.

In 2022, 6,577 residential eviction cases were filed in Multnomah County, and it’s estimated that in Portland between 25% and 62% of evictions lead to houselessness. Landlords are allowed to raise rents this year by up to 14.6%. Since Portland wages have not kept up with rent increases, evictions are expected to increase.

Proponents, opponents

More than 40 community, housing, labor, faith and legal organizations, such as the League of Women Voters, Urban League of Portland, Portland Association of Teachers and the National Lawyers Guild, support the ERA.

Meanwhile, opponents include the Portland Business Alliance, Mayor Ted Wheeler, Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson and Metro Council President Lynn Peterson.

The differences between proponents and opponents center around just who should qualify for attorney representation and how to fund it. Who should receive free legal representation?

Research has found that a right to counsel for those facing eviction leads to more than 90% of tenants avoiding eviction, with tenants either able to stay in their current home or able to move directly into other stable housing. Because of this, both Portland and Multnomah County allocated money for a limited number of low-income tenants to have free legal defense. With these programs in place, still only 9% of tenants had legal representation in eviction court in 2022. The ERA, on the other hand, applies to everyone, regardless of income.

“I believe it should be a fundamental right to have legal representation when facing something as traumatic and life changing as being evicted from your home,” Concordia resident Anna Fritz said. “I have friends and family members, hard-working people, who find they are too poor to afford a lawyer but too rich to qualify for government programs.”

Taxing issues

The ERA program would be funded by a $7.50 tax on each $1,000 of profits from the sale of capital assets such as stocks, bonds, cryptocurrencies, and real estate. There would be no taxes on wages or regular business income. In 2020, 85% of capital gains income went to the richest 5% of Oregonians.

Nonetheless, some opponents contend new taxes could have a damaging effect on the economy. Mayor Wheeler, for example, has stated, “I cannot support an additional tax that could have the impact of driving investment out of Portland.”

Other opponents have echoed this concern. Proponents argue that the ERA, by reducing homelessness, will save up to $68 million in public funds spent on such services as emergency housing, foster care and medical care.

Voting

Ballots will be mailed by April 26. You can register to vote via mail, online or in person until Tuesday, April 25. For more information, visit multco. us/elections/may-16-2023-specialdistrict-election.

Kepper Petzing has lived in Concordia for 40 years, where, with their partner Lowen, they raised two children. They are nonbinary. They love community and are grateful for Concordia News.

By Rob Cullivan | CNews Editor

A group of Concordia residents discussed working to create a community center, at a Feb. 13 meeting at St. Michael’s Lutheran Church, 6700 NE 29th Ave.

Hosted by Pastor Ike Harris, a Concordia Neighborhood Association board member, the group of nine folks engaged in a wide-ranging discussion with Portland Public School District and Family Liaison Jeff Wiser about possible uses for a plot of land on Northeast 42nd Avenue, next to Fernhill Park, where both John Adams High School, then Whitaker Middle School, once stood.

Wiser stressed he attended the meeting in an informal capacity to help attendees discuss their concerns and was not formally representing the school district.

Questions to be answered include how a possible center would fit in with the school district’s proposed use for it as an athletic hub. In 2021, the district issued its Long Range Facility Plan and designated the Whitaker-Adams site, as it’s called, a potential site for athletic facilities for area schools.

Harris noted his vision for a center could include services for both area seniors and youngsters. He added that he would like to work with Clarence Larkins, a longtime Cully activist, who has also proposed building a community center on the site. Larkins’ proposal for P.O. Black Family Village, a multiuse center, was detailed in the February 2023 edition of CNews.

Larkins was unable to attend the meeting. “I feel if we join forces … it could be a perfect fit,” Harris said of Larkins’ vision.

Ideas discussed at the Feb. 13 meeting included surveying area residents and civic groups in the various neighborhoods around the site about what they would like to see happen. Wiser noted that if the attendees create a formal proposal, interested residents could schedule a time to speak before the Portland school board, both at a public meeting as well as in one specifically set up to discuss their concerns.

On a related note, the Concordia Neighborhood Association is currently drafting a letter on behalf of itself and other area organizations to discuss the future of the site. CNews plans on covering the progress of the letter, as well as other efforts related to a possible community center, in an upcoming issue.

The group plans to hold another public meeting at St. Michael’s at 5:30 p.m., Monday, March 13.

By Kieran Lee |CNA Chair

Hello again fellow Concordians! Whether you’re prepping your garden for spring, making trips to the snowy mountains or staying cozy at home waiting for longer days, I hope this edition of Concordia News finds you well.

As we begin to emerge from our darkest Portland winter months, the neighborhood is certainly buzzing with upcoming events. Our volunteers are putting together quite the setlist of opportunities to get to know your neighbors better, so keep up with each month’s publication to stay on top of what’s going on in Concordia.

I’ve started to hear from a few of you via email since our last publication (thank you!). I would like to continue emphasizing that no comment or concern is too small, and our CNA Board is here to listen.

All board meetings and committee meetings are open to the public, and attendance from the neighborhood is highly encouraged. We are here representing Concordia; you can help us relay your priorities by attending a committee meeting in person or virtually. If a certain committee sparks your interest, join and become a member! We are only as good as our connection to the neighborhood.

2023 budget

To my knowledge, the Concordia Neighborhood Association has not published a calendar year budget in recent history. During the February Board meeting, the board voted on and approved a 2023 budget.

Why does t his matter? Well, this allows us to better forecast spending for our neighborhood events and enables our Social Committee to plan ahead and secure resources.

With the past few years being a little less predictable, 2023 is an appropriate time to solidify standard yearly activities and also welcome in a few new ones, so stay tuned.

See you around the neighborhood and don’t forget to say hello!

Kieran Lee works as an automotive engineer and has volunteered in youth development. He particularly enjoys living in Concordia for a variety of reasons, including its diversity, accessibility, and local business community.