Meeting Summary: The June Land Use and Transportation Committee (LUTC) meeting was packed! Thank you to all our attendees. Allen Lazo from the Fair Housing Council of Oregon did a fabulous job of summarizing how the evolution of single-family zoning unfolded from the 1920’s to now, and how it’s contributed (along with a number of other policies and practices) to the stark wealth inequality we see today. He also shared some current policy proposals across the state and locally that are proposing changes to what we have grown to understand as “normal” land use patterns but are in fact rooted in racist practices. The group was very focused on the issue of displacement and how to prevent that moving forward with any policy proposal. For that reason, at the next session in July, we will dive into this topic a bit more. Discuss best practices, ask what other communities are doing, and explore what the data and experts say. Stay tuned for the July Agenda and we look forward to seeing you all to continue this important conversation!
Resources: If you were not able to make it, and plan to attend upcoming sessions, please watch these two short videos: (1) Segregated by Design and (2) “Zoning Matters: How Land-Use Policies Shape Our Lives”. They summarize the history of zoning and housing policies and practices that intentionally segregated people by race and income over the last century which has had devastating and lasting effects on African Americans in particular.
Handouts: (1) Definitions (2) Resources sheet (3) Event Flyer of this series to share with friends.
July 2019 Session 2: Understanding the Present
August 2019 Session 3: Discussing the Future
Cameron Herrington, Anti-Displacement Program Manager, Living Cully, shared background and information about Living Cully along with the strategies and practices they have found to be successful for preventing displacement AND maintaining long-term affordable housing for future generations to live in the Cully neighborhood. He touched on the hard spot places are in as they make improvements to neighborhoods, which makes that place more desirable, resulting in housing costs and rents going up. Cameron’s organization is very focused on not just supporting the family currently in an affordable unit, but also ensuring that unit stays affordable for future generations. Living Cully sees that possible by taking that housing stock out of the free market to shield it from market pressures. That can be achieved in a few ways: land banking, co-op ownership, non-profit or government ownership with 99 year leases that ensure affordability for the life of the building.
There was discussion about the size of affordable housing (a shortage of 3 bedroom units and the size of those 3 bedroom units), concerns aboutDuring our discussions of housing affordability and opportunity with a focus on single-dwelling zones, the topic of displacement keeps coming up. Participants have expressed concern that past and future growth, along with policy proposals, will lead to greater displacement of current neighbors.
Living Cully’s anti-displacement program works to prevent the displacement of low-income residents and people of color from the Cully neighborhood while they also seek to preserve and expand the stock of permanently affordable housing — so that Cully will always be a place where lower-income folks, people of color, immigrants and refugees, working families and older adults can find stable, affordable homes. Living Cully has been doing this work for nearly a decade and was one of the first to craft a plan focused specifically on preventing displacement: “Not in Cully: Anti-Displacement Strategies for the Cully Neighborhood, in June 2013 . See the full document here.
Marisa Zapata, Associate Professor of Land-use Planning, focused her time reviewing Oregon’s land use history and discussion House Bill 2001’s proposal to provide more housing options. She also shared information about Oregon’s Urban Growth Boundary – one of the tools to protect farms and forests from urban sprawl and promote the efficient use of land, public facilities and services inside the boundary. She shared that Metro has not re-evaluated the available opportunity for additional housing inside the UGB since the passage of HB 2001 and new opportunity for housing reduces the need to expand. However, the region has the ongoing option to decide how they want to grow, out vs up.
September 2019 Session 4: Discussing the Future (Series extended!)
Phoebe Gildea
Phoebe (they/she) is a passionate activist and organizer with a diverse professional background ranging from politics to education to performance. After stepping in last minute to manage a campaign for state representative in 2020, she discovered a passion for helping grassroots organizations set up for success while connecting with people on the ground.
Phoebe has degrees in vocal performance and music history from Chapman University. They continue to educate young performers both privately and as music director for children’s theaters, and they continue to perform with various theaters and operas around the Portland area. Recently, Phoebe got the opportunity to combine her two passions for singing and social justice by creating the role of Celeste Owen in the world premiere of new opera FREE MEN with Cabaletta Productions.
When they manage to find free time between work and rehearsals, you can find Phoebe on the couch with their partner and a very fluffy cat, either crocheting, embroidering, or reading.
Matchu Williams
Matchu feels fortunate to work with the community in advancing the SE Uplift mission of collaborating to build informed, inclusive, and participatory neighborhoods that support our social and ecological well-being. He looks forward to assisting neighborhood and partnering with the community in building capacity and equity.
Matchu holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a focus on Women, Gender, and Sexuality studies and Criminal Justice. You may know Matchu from the SE Uplift Board of Directors. He brings a wealth of community engagement to SE Uplift having previously served as Chair of Mt. Scott Arleta Neighborhood Association, BikeLoud Memorial Events Coordinator, Arleta Triangle Project Planning Committee, South East in Active Motion Co-Chair, and has volunteered with groups including Urban Gleaners, Sisters of the Road, SOLVE, Transition Projects, Food Not Bombs, Humane Society of SW Washington, and more.
On his days off he dreams of the next bikepacking (biking + camping) trip. When in town he enjoys cycling, seeing movies on the big screen at the historic Hollywood Theatre, and enjoying food at Portland Mercado with friends.
Matchu is the SE Uplift Liaison for the following neighborhoods: Brentwood-Darlington, Foster-Powell, Mt. Scott-Arleta, Reed, South Tabor, and Sunnyside.
Alex Cherin
Alez is the Partnerships and Grantmaking Programs Manager for SE Uplift. As an active listener, creative thinker and problem solver, Alex loves to brainstorm and collaborate with others in order to actualize visions of a more connected and active SE community. He is looking forward to fostering new relationships and nurturing established ones as well as supporting new developments within the neighborhoods of SE Portland.
Alex is the SE Uplift Liaison for the following neighborhoods: Brooklyn, Buckman, Creston-Kenilworth, Kerns, North Tabor, Woodstock.
Lindsey Johnson
Lindsey joined the staff team at SE Uplift in 2021 as Administrative and Operations Specialist. She is excited to move into communications and fiscal sponsorship.
Lindsey has served on the board for Montavilla Neighborhood Association and SE Uplift. She has an extensive background in the nonprofit arts and education sectors. She is passionate about building community and supporting local businesses.
Lindsey hails from Minneapolis and has been living in East Portland since 2016. She earned music degrees from Luther College and the University of North Texas. Lindsey performs with the Portland Opera Chorus, serves on the Board of Governors for the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) labor union, and is President of the Mu Phi Epsilon Portland Alumni Chapter. In her spare time, she enjoys board games, hiking, mushroom foraging, and cuddling her puppy and two cats.
Lindsey is the SE Uplift Liaison for the following neighborhoods: Ardenwald-Johnson Creek, Laurelhurst, Montavilla, Mt. Tabor, and Sellwood-Moreland.
Nanci Champlin
Nanci is the Executive Director for SE Uplift.
“It always seems impossible until it’s done.” -Nelson Mandela
Nanci Champlin has a passion for social justice, civic engagement and conservation with nearly thirty years’ experience in scaling up organizations at the local, regional and national level. She leaned early in her career as a grassroots organizer that a key to success comes from authenticity, trust and active listening. These values have guided her approach to work ever since.
In her professional roles, Nanci has led outreach at Oregon Wild; communications and operations at the Funders Committee for Civic Participation; and most recently was Director of Development at Western State Center, a movement building and leadership development organization helping to build a 21st century civil rights movement.
Nanci has lived in SE Portland for 32 years where she has devoted countess hours to volunteer-driven conservation initiatives through her past role on a neighborhood association board. She currently serves as the fundraising chair for Friends of Moreland Woods. When not working or volunteering she can be found creating pollinator habitat in her backyard or hiking with her family and dog in Portland’s parks.
Nanci is excited to help lead SE Uplift in building a vision and strategy that empowers everyone in our community to learn, connect and engage in civic opportunities to build a future where every person can thrive.
Nanci is the SE Uplift Liaison for the following neighborhoods: Eastmoreland, Hosford-Abernethy, Richmond.
