City Commissioner Nick Fish broke ground on the new Resource Access Center for the homeless after a 90-minute backslapping ceremony this morning. Say what you like about politicians not being able to deliver, but the guy deserves credit on this achievement. It really is remarkable.
- FISH (RIGHT) WITH (GOING LEFT) COUNTY COMMISSIONER DEBORAH KAFOURY, TPI EMPLOYEE ELVYSS ARGUETA, TPI EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DOREEN BINDER, AND MAYOR SAM ADAMS
Fish inherited the Resource Access Center project from former City Commissioner Erik Sten, when Sten left town midway through his term in early 2008. Sten told the Mercury in 2007 that the center would be open by now, so the groundbreaking is two years late, but to give Fish credit, he had to settle an unforeseen lawsuit, in the mean time.
The new shelter will have a shelter for 90 people “whose prior address was the cold and mean streets of the city,” said Fish. There will also be supported housing and services for 130 more. It will also provide 125 jobs, and make a difference to “our triple bottom line,” Fish said—saving public resources (research shows it’s cheaper for governments to house people), saving natural resources (it’s going to be Leed Platinum, dahhling), and “literally, saving lives.”
- VOODOO’S COMMEMORATIVE “GROUNDBREAKER” DOUGHNUT
Fish thanked an inordinate number of people this morning, from Housing Authority of Portland project manager Mike Andrews to Transition Projects Inc. director Doreen Binder—TPI will run the center, and Binder “is a treasure in our community,” Fish said—to the lady from Wells Fargo who cut the check. But of course, the best politicians know how to give others credit for their own achievements, and it was left to some bloke in the background to finally credit Fish for the success:
“This is one of the toughest projects that has ever been attempted in my however long I’ve been doing this,” said Mayor Sam Adams. “The person who brought this project home was newly elected, he was new to the job, he came in to budget cuts, and not only had some very difficult bureaus to manage, but an unrelated lawsuit that mangled up and delayed this project.”
- T-SHIRT: $20
Adams said Fish “brought it home, and I have to be honest, I didn’t always think he could do it. Thank you.” The mayor added that the new center is “absolutely in keeping with the spirit of Portland—to treat people with compassion, and to meet them where they are at.”
The ceremony was attended by many of the city’s luminaries, including City Commissioner Amanda Fritz, Central Precinct Commander Mike Reese, District Attorney Mike Schrunk, County Chair Ted Wheeler, as well as plenty of folks who will actually be using the services when the center opens in 18 months. It took place in a marquee—”I’m sure we’ll get criticized for spending money on the tent,” Fish said, and there was even a fake pile of ground to be broken for the picture.
The $46.8million project is receiving $34million in Tax Increment Financing from the Portland Development Commission. Two percent of the $46.8million will be spent on art—to be commissioned by Eloise Damrosch, executive director of the Regional Arts and Culture Council.
“This is our day,” Fish concluded. “This is our time. And people throughout Portland are counting on us to seize this moment.”
CoughREELECTIONSPEECHcough. Cough.
Homeless projects volunteer and artist Deborah Beers would be a great artist for public art there.
Nov 20, 2009
TO NICK FISH. See attached: “NO SECTION 8” (sic) income-based discriminatory rental ad at http://www.housing connections.org. Housing Connections ID: 7183.21089 Last Updated: 11/20/09.
After we elected you, you now opportunistically have reneged on your campaign promise to ban this precise discriminatory rental housing advertising practice. Yet more than 2 years into office, you your good ole boys at the Housing Authority of Portland (fellow attorney and Chairman Jeff Bachrach, Chair, HAP Board of Commissioners and Executive Director (former non-profit housing rehabber) Steve Rudman are instead engaging in political appeasement, dithering obsequesence and sycophantic groveling with the Metro M—F—Association. AKA holding private invitation only “task group” meetings
In a nutshell here’s the argument for why you should cease and desist further dithering and enabling of flagrant housing discrimination: the website housingconnections.org is funded by public tax dollars and is maintained by the City of Portland Housing Bureau. This owner-agent is declaring his/her preference to deny rental housing to potential applicants because they are section 8 voucher holders. THIS OWNER IS SCREENING OUT PERSONS EXCLUSIVELY BECAUSE THEY ARE “INCOME QUALIFIED” DUE SOLEY TO THEIR LOW INCOME OR EXTREMELY LOW INCOME STATUS, E.G. 30% TO 60% BELOW MEDIAN INCOME and participate in the federal HUD section 8 voucher program.
As an attorney you ought to know that under the express language of State of Oregon’s Real Estate Practices law this landlord and his M MF brethren are committing income-based statutory discrimination . You, mr fish and et al, are, I allege, are intentionally and knowingly committing a 42 U.S.C. §1983 violation against section 8 voucher holders as state and local officials who while acting under color of state law are depriving said class of persons of a right secured to them by the constitution or federal law. Furthermore you and your city commissioner colleagues and the housing bureau people who reply to email inquires from this site by improperly are denying said persons the tangible pecuniary benefits of safe decent and affordable housing – and quite possibly, a meaningful alternative to homelessness.
I t is imperative that in your elected capacity that you insist that the City of Portland’s housing connections website IMMEDIATELY REMOVE THIS DISCRIMINATORY RENTAL AD. It is an unconscionable abdication of leadership and public policy failure for you personally to have neglected to enact an ordinance declaring that this city owned and operated rental advertizing website will not accept income-based discriminatory rental housing preferences from owners and management agents. The consequences of your personal brand of deceptive campaign rhetoric should be, rather than recall, the filing of a class action tort claims notice by section 8 voucher holders denied rental applications by owners-agents such as Kari LaForge 503 422-2936 wedge3682@comcast.net at the Maple Place Apartments at 2318 NE Multnomah St Housing Connections ID: 7183.21089 (Last Updated: 11/20/09) in conjunction with a Fair Housing Act investigative referral to HUD field office.
Yours Truly, cripgirl@gmail.com
Maple Place Apartments Non-smoking unit Photos on Full Details screen Click here if this listing needs review
Address 2318 NE Multnomah St., Portland
Building Type : Apartment
2 stories Style: 1 BR with 1 BA Rent $775
Includes: water, sewer, trash, gas
Availability Within 30 days
General Information: 600 sq ft. Storage available. Cable hookup provided. On-site parking available. Laundry facilities on-site. High-speed Internet available. Includes bathtub, dishwasher. Accessibility: None.
Rental Terms: Month-to-month.
Special Eligibility Criteria: None.
Pets: No dogs. Cats OK. No caged pets. $200- additional security for cat
Smoking Restrictions: Smoking not allowed – Smokefree building.
Contact Info and Application Instructions: Kari LaForge 503 422-2936. Wedge Investment 503 246-0404. NON-SMOKING PROPERTY! NO SECTION 8!
When you contact us, be sure to tell us you saw this listing on Housing Connections.
Contact Email Address: wedge3682@comcast.net
Website: Click here to go to property’s website
Management Company: Unknown Management Company
Additional details: Maple Place Apartments are located on a quiet street, in a safe residential neighborhood, just 8 blocks from the Lloyd Center. It is close to Max and buslines. Spacious, with an open style kitchen with a dishwasher in all but 1 bedrooms. There is wall to wall carpet. There is an onsite laundry facility, off street parking and generous storage available. Indoor bike racks. This is a non-smoking property. Please call 503 422-2936 or 503 246-0404. NO SECTION 8.
“Cripgirl”–
Pls call me at my office to discuss the section 8 issue. 503-823-3589. Pls ask for me or Daniel Ledezma.
I have launched a Section 8 task force–and it includes housing advocates. We are working on improving the success rate for voucher holders. The meetings are public and you are welcome to attend.
The barriers people face include credit histories, transportation issues, personal finances–as well as certain landlords who don’t participate in the program. We are looking at a range of options–including getting the word out about the hard work of HAP to improve customer service.
I oppose discrimination period. But there are some steps I can take now to improve the success rate without a change in the law.
Nick
Wow thorough article! Sooooooo, where is this homeless center going to be located?
Where can you get a shirt? I’m assuming the money goes towards RAC.
Hello! Buying a t-shirt supports the RAC Design and Development team “Dinner with an Architect” effort. Your donation of $25 gets you a custom-designed Resource Access Center t-shirt and provides funding for supplies to cook dinner for the residents of Transition Projects’ Glisan Street shelter. A portion of your donation will be tax deductible. If you are interested in purchasing a t-shirt please email Katie Decker of Holst Architecture. (kdecker@holstarc.com) Thanks for your support.