east columbia blog...
Jan 7,2009
Buyers Benefit From Sliding Home Values
by Agent503
For the first time since the housing bubble burst, the year-over-year decline in value for residential property in Portland is in the double-digit range. According to the S&P Case-Shiller Index, arguably the nation’s most recognized source for home price changes, Portland homes lost more than 10% since October 2007. But not all neighborhoods have been affected to the same extent. Losses in several close-in neighborhoods have remained in the single-digit range, some have even posted mild gains. In some situations sellers have lowered prices on their homes beyond the neighborhood trend, creating interesting opportunities for buyers. Find out more here .
posted at 09:58 AM
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Nov 21,2008
Historic Preservation Needs Assessment Questionnaire
by pearlgirl
Lost any good buildings in your neighborhood lately? If you're interested in or concerned about historic preservation, the Bosco-Milligan Foundation wants to hear from you. Take their historic preservation needs assessment questionnaire and tell them what you think about historic preservation in your neighborhood. The information will be used to develop future preservation programs, technical assistance and training at the Architectural Heritage Center (AHC). Completed questionnaires are due by Friday, November 28. Please mail your completed forms to Val Ballestrem or drop them at AHC . Val Ballestrem c/o AHC 701 SE Grand Avenue Portland, OR 97214 Order your copy of AHC's beautiful 2009 calendar . It's chock full of vintage postcard images from the Bosco-Milligan Foundation's historic collection.
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posted at 12:44 PM
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Nov 17,2008
City Council will Take Action on Ordinances regarding ALTERNATIVES TO CELL TOWERS
by Trace
Event Date: 11/26/2008 12:00 AM
Event Location: Council Chambers, City Hall, 1221 SW 4th Ave
Event Location: Council Chambers, City Hall, 1221 SW 4th Ave
On Wednesday, November 26, 2008, city staff will be going to Council with the final proposed amendments regarding the manner in which wireless companies may place antennae on utility poles, and replace utility poles with taller ones for wireless purposes. The proposed amendments are designed to balance the need to retain neighborhood character and livability with the expanding need to provide wireless services in neighborhoods. They were developed over the course of two years. Staff conducted three public forums in March, 2008, followed by an online survey in April-May, 2008 (that was responded to by over 900 people, and over 350 individual comments were also received), followed by a citywide public meeting in October, 2008. In short, staff is proposing to allow antennae on utility poles in residential areas on residential streets only as a last resort - when no other site or combination of sites for antennae is feasible. Even then, staff proposes to reduce the allowed pole rep
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posted at 10:51 AM
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Nov 14,2008
Neighborhood Association and Community Alert!
by pearlgirl
Portland Public Schools is planning to change their policy concerning the disposition of real property. They are planning to discontinue the notification of the City of Portland, Multnomah County, Portland neighborhoods, and the public when they are planning to declare a property surplus /(see pages 8 - 15 of PPS Final Board Book ). The 1979 Portland City School Policy was developed during the comprehensive plan process and is still ORDINANCE (Ordinance 150580). It states very clearly the intent and importance of a public partnership among School District #1, local government, neighborhoods, and the public. The above policy changes by PPS #1 seem to be in conflict with the City School Policy, Comp Plan and State Law. If you are able, please check into this policy change and let Portland Public Schools know of your opinion about the need for the public to remain part of this process and tell others about it. Thank you very much for any help you can offer, Don MacGillivray<
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posted at 09:43 AM
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Nov 2,2008
HydroPark Planning Meeting - Pittman Addition in North Portland
by pearlgirl
Event Date: 11/13/2008 06:00 PM
Event Location: Overlook House, 3839 N. Melrose
Event Location: Overlook House, 3839 N. Melrose
This will be the second community planning meeting for designing the Pittman Addition HydroPark. Participants will work together to strategize design ideas and develop draft conceptual plans. At the first community visioning meeting, held on October 1st, was a great start to the planning process. Almost twenty Overlook neighbors attended the meeting to share their ideas about what type of park to design for this unique site. There were lots of creative ideas and common themes, such as creating interactive space for kids, including public art, capturing the history of the neighborhood, and enhancing natural elements with native plantings and fruit trees. Download the meeting notes and presentation to get more details on the project process and ideas presented so far by community members. Please join us for the next planning meeting, which is scheduled for Thursday, November 13th 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. at the Historic Overlook House, 3839 N. Melrose Drive. Background Information
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posted at 09:22 AM
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Oct 26,2008
Citywide Land Use Group Meeting
by pearlgirl
Event Date: 10/27/2008 07:00 PM
Event Location: ROOM 2500B, 1900 BUILDING, 1900 SW FOURTH
Event Location: ROOM 2500B, 1900 BUILDING, 1900 SW FOURTH
This month's meeting is all about new resources and contact points at the Bureau of Development Services that will help Land Use folks from Neighborhood Associations with their Land Use Review responsibilities. It includes some new things: a new Strategic Planning process that not only says what BDS will do but opens lots of doors for any customer, including Neighborhood Associations, to evaluate how well it is being done; an update on new work toward easier information access through the internet for Neighborhood Associations Land Use reviewers; and a new project which allows field follow-up on how well development is building what was planned as well as responding to limitations/conditions applied during the land use review process. We will also discuss a new effort through a partnership between Citywide Land Use Group and BDS to provide training segments prior to each regular meeting which will explain how BDS handles a development proposal. We are starting in November with the
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posted at 03:51 PM
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Oct 9,2008
Former Mortgage Broker’s Home Takes The Prize For “Most Desperate Seller”
by Agent503
Not too long ago this prestigious 7000 sq. ft, 6-bedroom Mt. Tabor home was included in the National Register of Historical Places. It is now bank-owned and has become the mockery of several Portland real estate blogs. The property went on the market in May 2007 for 1.8M. Fifteen months later it is now priced at 899k, a whopping 53% less - the biggest drop among the 160 properties tracked in Portland's Desperate Sellers Database. The bank took over this property when the owner, a local mortgage broker, was unable to...uhmm...meet his obligations. If that ain’t a sign of the times… Find out more about this month's real estate activity and other Desperate Sellers here .
posted at 09:45 AM
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Sep 30,2008
Concerned your neighborhood is losing its character?
by pearlgirl
LOST ANY GOOD BUILDINGS LATELY? Beginning in October, 2008, the Bosco-Milligan Foundation with support from the National Trust for Historic Preservation , will hold a series of meetings across the city of Portland, to gather information from residents who are interested or concerned about historic preservation. Results will be compiled in a Portland Historic Preservation Needs Assessment report. Workshops will be developed to address common concerns and to provide technical assistance and training for residents interested in becoming pro-active preservationists! HISTORIC PRESERVATION NEEDS ASSESSMENT MEETINGS All meetings run from 7:00 - 8:30pm. You are welcome to attend any of these meetings regardless of your geographic location in Portland. For more information, to RSVP, or if you cannot attend but want to submit comments, email Val Ballestrem or call (503) 231-7264. Wednesday October 29, 2008 - Southeast Uplift Neighborhoods Mt. Tabor Presbyterian Ch
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posted at 02:56 PM
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Sep 30,2008
North Portland Greenway Trail Comment Period
by shooter
Posted at The Sentinel : FROM PRESS RELEASE By Paul Maresh, NPGreenway Trail Metro and the Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation (JPACT) will be seeking public comment on the allocation of regional flexible funds to be programmed in the 2010-13 Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program (MTIP). The formal comment period will be from October 13 to noon December 1st. Portland Parks and Rec. has requested $449,000 for: North Portland Willamette Greenway Planning Study. Twenty-six applications have been submitted to METRO requesting over 52.5 million dollars of funds, in amounts from $222,000 to 5.2 million dollars. There are approximately $28 million of funds to be allocated. Of this amount about $12,000,000 will be allocated for projects within the City Of Portland. There are 10 requests totaling about 22 million dollars for projects within the City. So, you can see public input from North Portland residents can play a big part in advancing our np
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posted at 01:26 PM
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Sep 24,2008
Portland Voted Greenest City In The U.S.
by Agent503
According to a ranking by SustainLane, Portland is the greenest city in the nation. The rankings track the unfolding story of cities working to improve their residents’ quality of life. Cities with decentralized energy supplies, renewable water sources, abundant mass transit etc score high. Green building and land use policies also play an important role in determining who's green and who's not. Portland's placing at the top may not come as a surprise to many, but the city may not be as green as it's made out to be. Find out more here . Related Info: Portland is the Greenest U.S. City-Well, Mostly!
posted at 01:20 PM
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