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| Inside news from the Housing Authority of Portland | August 2007 |
Humboldt Gardens 'Raises' Wall, Starts Construction
More
than 140 neighbors, former Iris Court residents and community leaders
came together on a sunny Friday afternoon in late July to celebrate
the long awaited start of construction at Humboldt Gardens. After a
barbeque lunch and a program of speakers, a ceremonial wall was
raised, giving concrete evidence that Humboldt Gardens is only one
year away from bringing new homes and new opportunity to this part of
North/Northeast Portland. Foundations are being poured this
month, and framing for the housing starts in September.
"This is truly a community revitalization effort where everyone will benefit," said Steve Rudman, HAP's executive director. "There is so much happening here - employment and economic opportunity, self-sufficiency for residents, and a new safe community for families living in the neighborhood."
Click here to learn more about Humboldt Gardens
New
Columbia Buildings First HOPE VI Projects to Earn LEED
Certification
HAP's New Columbia neighborhood has achieved another honor. Two
mixed-use buildings in the community - Trenton North and Trenton South
- are the first HOPE VI-funded projects to earn Leadership in Energy
and Environmental Design (LEED) ratings from the U.S. Green Building
Council. MIthun, a Seattle-based architecture firm, designed the two
buildings for HAP.
Roma Campanile, an architect with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) serving on the HOPE VI review team, confirms the noteworthy achievement at New Columbia. "While other HOPE VI funded buildings have received ENERGY STAR ratings," she says, "to the best of my knowledge, these two buildings at New Columbia are the first to receive the LEED certification."
Click here to learn more about sustainability at New Columbia
More than 1,000 HAP Residents Celebrate National Night Out
Hundreds
of families and individuals braved the cool summer weather to
celebrate National Night Out at New Columbia's McCoy Park on
Tuesday, August 7. The festivities brought residents and neighbors
closer together to enjoy community and to learn more about public
safety programs in the area. National Night Out is the
nation's biggest community event to promote crime
prevention.
"When you know your neighbors, it is a lot easier to work together to build strong and safe neighborhoods," said Dianne Quast, director of HAP's Real Estate Operations.
HAP sponsored National Night Out events at many of its housing communities throughout Multnomah County, each one featuring social activities to deepen ties between HAP's residents and their neighbors. In all, more than 1,000 attended the events. Portland Mayor Tom Potter and his wife joined residents at Williams Plaza for a barbeque dinner and live music. And Portland Police Chief Rosie Sizer met with the residents of Slavin Court for their evening celebration.
HAP PROFILE:
Minority Contractor James Faison
Large
construction projects are a great learning laboratory for younger
companies to gain experience and build capacity for bigger jobs. One
of HAP's goals is to find young minority contractors who want
to move to the next level and help them get there.
James Faison, a local concrete contactor, is getting such a training opportunity on the Humboldt Gardens redevelopment. A native of New York, he spent several years with the Port of Portland in airport maintenance. A short stint remodeling homes for resale led Faison to specialize in concrete work and, eventually, to a job finishing sidewalks and curbs at New Columbia under contractors Walsh Construction and CJ Jackson Construction.
At Humboldt Gardens, the Walsh-CJ Jackson general contracting team will serve as Faison's mentor, helping him learn the complex details of contracting he needs to take on larger jobs. James knows there is a lot more to learn if he wants his business to grow and is appreciative of this opportunity. "Someday I'd like to build my own apartment complex," he said. "This is the training I need to help me get there."
Monthly Reports
Read the latest Dashboard report
Read the latest Humboldt Gardens report
HAP IN THE NEWS
Read more about HAP’s projects,
accomplishments and work in the community.
WILLAMETTE WEEK: Best Bureaucrat Who Deserves His Place in the Sun
AFFORDABLE HOUSING FINANCE: Portland Reinvents an Entire Neighborhood
PORTLAND OBSERVER: Raising the Wall at Humboldt Gardens
THE SKANNER: Partnerships are Key to Humboldt's Success
PHONE: 503-802-8300 • E-MAIL: hapunwrapped@hapdx.org • WEB: www.hapdx.org