http://www.portlandmercury.com Comments On: Portland Mercury en-us Copyright 2009 Portland Mercury. All rights reserved. This RSS file is offered to individuals, Portland Mercury readers, and non-commercial organizations only. Any commercial websites wishing to use this RSS file, please contact Portland Mercury. webmaster@portlandmercury.com (Portland Mercury Webmaster) Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:01 -0800 Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:30:00 -0800 Foundation http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Posted by sgtgrumbles]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:15:13 -0800 Portland Mercury Posted by gonetorio]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:00:12 -0800 Portland Mercury
While I am generally supportive of the Fair Housing Act, especially as it applies to apartments, whole-house rentals, etc., I am very concerned about any clauses that make it difficult for an owner to offer a room in a shared-space house to anyone of their choosing. The compromise allows an owner to be "discriminate" in their choice, just not their advertisement, but why can't an owner just say who they want to live with? I get the sense from some of the comments that renters would like to force unwilling owners to allow them into the house, if the owner can't provide the proper excuse.

I've run into this problem in the past. I would be happy to share my space with a renter in most of the protected classes. But, because the FHA and the folks at the Fair Housing Council seem to lack any sense of context, it is illegal for me to advertise that, for example, I don't want a married couple with two kids moving into my spare bedroom. If I was renting out a basement apartment or a converted garage, ie, a living space that was completely separate, then this wouldn't be an issue and I'd happily rent to anyone who could pay. But I do think we need to consider an exception to the FHA rules when we are talking about shared-space tenants. Your housemates are a de-facto family! For your sake and theirs, you need to find a housemate that fits your personality and lifestyle.

Renters, please put yourself in a homeowner's shoes and ask yourself if you'd want the Fair Housing Council sniffing your CraigsList posts (which they do -- its really creepy), and furthermore if you'd want to feel like you need a law degree to dance around the proper language in order to specify in a CraigsList ad who it is you actually want to live with you in YOUR home.
Posted by P.K.Henry]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:59:02 -0800 Portland Mercury
Looks like the seething rifts and stinking underbellies are going full frontal.

Plan!
Posted by gonetorio]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:58:03 -0800 Portland Mercury Posted by Ansurs Evil Twin]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:28:46 -0800 Portland Mercury Posted by CH]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:20:04 -0800 Portland Mercury Posted by peejay]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:17:17 -0800 Portland Mercury Posted by grady]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:13:31 -0800 Portland Mercury Posted by Fruityboots]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:11:30 -0800 Portland Mercury Posted by Andy Mesa]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:10:36 -0800 Portland Mercury Posted by Andy Mesa]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:09:31 -0800 Portland Mercury
Delta Cafe
Rating: 3 Stars
Posted by techgirl]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:55:17 -0800 Portland Mercury Posted by atomic]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:53:08 -0800 Portland Mercury Posted by R]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:38:09 -0800 Portland Mercury
...or check out more of matthew thomas ross' stuff here: neighborhoodfilms.net


Posted by nhfilms]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:30:01 -0800 Portland Mercury Posted by R]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:24:31 -0800 Portland Mercury Posted by Marq Young]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:21:13 -0800 Portland Mercury Posted by Marq Young]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:17:39 -0800 Portland Mercury
Blabby,

Who's claiming bike riders are a "protected class"? You're making things up there, at least in regards to anything I ever said.

However, I'm in agreement with this statement of yours: "The transportation network is for getting people and goods around - it needs to be above all else a practical and functional system..." As it happens, I get myself and my goods around by bike. Going to work, shopping, going out, I - and many people I know - do it by bike.

It's a really practical and functional form of transportation, especially here in Portland.

I'm not a fan of special rights for anyone. However, EQUAL rights are a really good idea. And when I'm driving my car, I have more access - more of a right - to safe and easy transport than I do when I'm on a bike, especially when I get out of the cozy cocoon of inner Portland.

Around 60% of Portlanders poll as wanting to bike more, but find even what I consider a cozy cocoon of safe riding to be too dangerous, because proximity to fast-moving cars is scary.

We can and should do so much better than that 6%. A 6% that incidentally gets less than that in funding, and less than that in percentage of roadway.

But yeah, these roads were designed to move people and goods. What's crazy is this idea that they were designed to move cars - that's just a made-up notion that grew out of the excitement surrounding cars, because cars really are pretty awesome in a lot of ways. Unfortunately, that excitement has its downsides, and now it's fading.

Anyway, let me stress: I do not give one shit about transforming you, or how you get around. Or transforming anyone, or me, even. That's something else you just made up.

I just want my share of the public thoroughfare, and I'm going to do what I can to take that fair share from people who act like it's not mine.


Posted by Inductee]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:05:13 -0800 Portland Mercury Posted by Allan]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:57:41 -0800 Portland Mercury Posted by McAngryPants]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:52:58 -0800 Portland Mercury
Once upon a time, Portland police were respected by the community. A big part of that was because most officers respected the community. I suspect that the majority of officers still do respect the community, but they are being drowned out by a vocal minority (many of whom are slapping each other on the back on facebook, at this very moment). Unfortunately, part of the force no longer seems to understand what police work is supposed to be about.

As a citizen of Portland, that saddens and disturbs me.
Posted by AlsacePinot]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:51:28 -0800 Portland Mercury Posted by conserned neighbor]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:41:43 -0800 Portland Mercury Posted by conserned neighbor]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:39:29 -0800 Portland Mercury Posted by Graham]]> Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:27:37 -0800 Portland Mercury