AUGUST 2020 Safe Streets | Healthy Businesses RIP Passage Likely
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SOUTHEAST EXAMINER Your Neighborhood News Source August 2020 Created and Powered by the Love of Community southeastexaminer.com Our 31st Year Vol 31 No 8 Portland, OR Dan Ryan Faces Loretta Smith in August 11 Special Runoff Election Photo courtesy of Mark Bond and the Dan Ryan For Portland Campaign Photo courtesy of The Committee to Elect Loretta Smith BY DAVID KROGH In January, City Council scheduled a the August 11 runoff. ity) for homeless housing. racism for what it is – a public health crisis special election to fill the remainder of the Those two candidates are Loretta Smith sums up her campaign with that has infected our police forces and our term of former Commissioner Nick Fish Smith, former Multnomah County Com- the statement, “It is imperative, now more criminal justice system.” who passed away January 2. missioner with 18.8 percent of the votes than ever, that we are building a city that is Part of his strategy for police reform The special election was intended and Dan Ryan, former Portland Public inclusive of everyone’s right to economic will be to examine police culture and to to coincide with the City’s regular May Schools Board Member with 16.6 percent opportunity and the pursuit of happiness.” take a hard look at the issue of “qualified 19 Primary Election. A runoff election, if of the votes. She has received endorsements from immunity.” necessary, would then be held on Tuesday, Since Portland’s current commission the Northwest Oregon Labor Council and He plans on examining what else the August 11 should no candidate receive a system of government does not involve the Reverend Jesse Jackson according to city can do to adequately address home- majority of the vote. geographic representation, Commission online press information. lessness, housing affordability and the im- Out of a field of 18 candidates for Position 2 is a citywide position to be voted Her 2018 campaign involved a mea- pacts of COVID-19. Fish’s Commission Position 2, no can- on by all of Portland’s registered voters via sure of controversy. Following a 2017 Wil- “Public and private partnerships is didate received a majority of the votes. mail-in balloting. lamette Week investigation into spending how you move forward.” He added, “I will Therefore, the two candidates receiving the practices by Smith’s office, Oregon Pub- advocate for the big three that bring us joy highest number of votes have moved on to Loretta Smith is a longtime Portland lic Broadcasting (OPB) stated “Questions as a community: Schools, Arts and Parks.” resident and Oregon State graduate whose about Smith’s use of public resources for Ryan’s website has endorsement background experience includes work- personal and campaign expenses and her quotes from Hardesty, former governor ing for 20 years assisting US Senator Ron public fights with staff and colleagues have Barbara Roberts and business leader Karis Wyden and subsequently serving on the frequently overshadowed her accomplish- Stoudamire-Phillips and many others in- Board of County Commissioners for Mult- ments and cost her political support in her cluding The Portland Tribune. nomah County for eight years. campaign against Jo Ann Hardesty.” They reported it “loved” the answer She has received accolades for her Hardesty went on to win the 2018 Ryan gave to their interview question: support of community and minority-ori- election against Smith for City Commis- “Whether this is the time to reform Port- ented projects as County Commissioner, sion Position 2. land’s notoriously and often hilariously including efforts to increase funding for dysfunctional governance system.” minority youth programs and Summer- Dan Ryan, is a Portland native who Ryan responded with a roll of his works, a youth intern program. served on the Portland Public Schools eyes, “Oh, yes. I mean, Keep Portland Her campaign website, voteloretta- Board and has been heavily involved with Weird, but we have to stop being stupid!” smith.com, identifies priority areas she’d community service and nonprofit agency like to address if elected to City Council support. Ballots (containing a Multnomah includes increasing supportive services for He was the CEO for All Hands County Voters’ Pamphlet) for the August promoting affordable housing; investing Raised, an educational nonprofit, for 11 11 runoff election have been mailed out to in transportation and public infrastructure years and has received considerable ac- voters. to reduce congestion and climate change; knowledgement for his work in that field. They can be returned by US Mail working to make transit fareless for low Hardesty announced her support of (free postage; must be mailed by Thursday, income residents by 2023; bolstering sup- Ryan through her Rise Together politi- August 6) or deposited at an official bal- port for public safety employees, and using cal action committee and was quoted in lot dropsite by 8 pm Tuesday, August 11 in cannabis taxes to assist women, minority The Oregonian saying he was, “head and order to be counted. and veteran entrepreneurs who wish to get shoulders above the field,” and that she into the cannabis industry. was looking forward to working with him She was a strong proponent for con- on City Council. For additional information, contact verting the Wapato Jail (Multnomah Coun- Ryan’s campaign website, danryan- the Multnomah County Elections Division ty’s multi-million dollar unused jail facil- forportland.com, states: “We need to label at multco.us/elections. 2 THE SOUTHEAST EXAMINER AUGUST 2020 Safe Streets | Healthy Businesses RIP Passage Likely Portland Neighbors Welcome for BY NANCY TANNLER BY MIDGE PIERCE backing the Bonus. Commission- er Chloe Eudaly said upzoning The people of Portland are A year ago, six-plexes in could make housing more com- not ones to crumble in the face SE’s single-family neighbor- petitive. of adversity. Small business has hoods would have been unimagi- Jo Ann Hardesty expressed been hit hard during this global nable. Now, love the idea or hate initial skepticism that the propos- pandemic, but they are figuring it, Portland’s City Council has al would meet low income needs, out ways to stay solvent. Now expressed unanimous support for then applauded those who pushed that we are in Phase 2 of reopen- them. for the Bonus as a way to ensure ing Oregon, having their custom- Last month’s Residential affordability. ers return and staying safe is the Infill Project (RIP) vote to pass all Amanda Fritz, considered primary objective. amendments to the original RIP a possible no vote, expressed ap- Many of our small drink- plan ensures that allowance of preciation that the Bonus offered ing and eating establishments six-plexes will be part of Coun- incentives for builders to provide couldn’t comply with the six foot cil’s upcoming vote on the entire affordability. safety regulations indoors nor package. The Historic Resources could retail. In response the Port- A vote is expected August 5 amendment was the most com- land Bureau of Transportation and city planners project that RIP plex of all for Mayor Wheeler (PBOT) offered a Healthy Busi- Looking north toward SE 28th Ave. along SE Ankeny’s “Rainbow Road” will go into effect in August 2021. who said it offered protections for nesses permit as part of the Safe Photo by Gorges Beer Co. The most notable amend- sites of historic significance, but Streets Initiative. ment was the Deeper Affordabil- cautioned it could limit densifica- Commissioner Chloe Eu- mits for businesses to expand made the process fairly straight- ity Bonus to allow six units on tion goals. daly oversees PBOT and believes onto the sidewalks or streets out- forward. The applications and formerly single-family residential After all six amendments this initiative is helping small side their storefronts at the begin- permits are free and are evaluated lots providing they meet at least passed, 1000 Friends of Oregon businesses make progress. Along ning of June. Their Street Seats case-by-case. Once they are is- some affordability criteria. took an online victory lap declar- with food and drink establish- program has been going on for sued, they will be good until No- While last summer’s state- ing RIP just a step away after its ments, the plan considers open- several years, but this expedites vember 1, 2020. wide legislative mandate elimi- four years of advocacy, saying air commerce as well, allowing the process. As a part of the application nating single-family zones pre- “If passed (as expected in mid- retail and personal service busi- The Bureau offers plans of process, businesses are required ceded the expected passage of August), it would end decades of nesses to have access to the right- how sections of side streets, curb to contact other businesses and Portland’s RIP, the allowance of exclusionary zoning and open up of-way. zones and parking spaces can be neighbors in the immediate area six units per lot goes significantly housing opportunities for a whole Some streets have already used for dining tables and mer- that would be affected by the pro- farther than state requirements generation.” been converted into outdoor pla- chandise displays. PBOT also al- posed closure. for a minimum of two units to re- For those convinced that zas this summer, allowing resi- lows some sections of streets to Once a permit is acquired, it place a single family home. RIP threatens Portland’s older dents to dine and shop while stay- be closed off as long they are not is a matter of renting barricades, What Portland’s RIP means affordable housing stock with ing appropriately spaced from on emergency or public transit setting them up along with tables, to SE residential neighborhoods demolition, and that passing RIP one another.