But, community activists warn, revitalization has a price tag--one that low-income renters, elderly homeowners, and small businesses will shoulder.
"Because of the way urban renewal financing works," explained Joey Lions, a community organizer for the Coalition For A Livable Future, "there needs to be a certain level of gentrification for the project to be successful."
To fund urban renewal, explains Lions, the city sells bonds. Eventually, these must be paid back. So it makes the fairly safe gamble that as revitalization occurs, property values will rise as will property tax revenue. In turn, these gains will be used to repay the bonds. Essentially, North Portland's urban renewal will come at residents' own expense. Despite the plan's stated goal of preserving affordable housing, renter rights activist Dana Brown says that until the city puts "their best minds" to the problem, low-income residents will remain at risk. Pauline Bradford, a 55-year resident of Eliot neighborhood and a vocal watchdog of the plan, agrees: "If you're at the bottom of the food chain, you pay the price."