I’ll go even further on this track. Downtown Portland is built on a 19th Century model. The banks look like fortresses and create dark shadows on the sidewalks. It’s crazy that OHSU sits on a hill with no efficient access from the downtown area and without commercial development that would serve staff and patients and their families. PSU is a large urban campus that needs more student-affordable housing. Look at the new Reser Center in Beaverton that offers a variety of programming.
Here’s my two cents worth to weigh in. Oregon needs some investment by large corporations. For instance, Nike and Coca Cola provide benefits, too..Seattle and San Francisco have problems but also some great venues because they’ve got big businesses there. How would you transform downtown Portland without funding that is represented by some of the businesses that participate in the Portland Business Alliance?
Hi Joan, I’m not sure what you mean by your question. I’m no fan of Nike, Amazon or Coca Cola but I haven’t suggested that big business shouldn’t have a voice or should be run out of downtown. The problem is the outsized voice they have with our elected representatives via PBA and other lobbying groups, the fact that they rarely bring useful analysis or expertise to conversations about homelessness, and the possibility that PBA is improperly subsidizing activities that fall outside the Clean & Safe scope of work with ratepayer dollars.
I worked downtown in the mid 80s and I ran a business on SW Oak from 1996-2012. While I appreciated the Clean & Safe cleaning crews and non-emergency assistance, the policies and programs that came out of City Hall and PBA at that time rarely, if ever, benefited businesses like mine—small, creative, community focused. However, they did capitalize on our contributions to the cultural landscape to build Portland’s brand and then many of us were priced out.
The way I helped transform my corner of downtown was moving onto a half abandoned block in a neglected corner of downtown, helping attract new tenants, working with my neighbors to jointly promote our businesses, organizing hundreds of events, advocating for our neighborhood during City planning projects, developing relationships with and organizing fundraisers for local non-profits who served unhoused individuals, and treating our unhoused neighbors like human beings.
Little did I know I was also helping gentrify myself and others out the West End, as the City and area developers didn’t care how their decisions would impact a small, thriving community of local businesses. The neighborhood may be nicer overall now, but my old block is a shadow of its former self. It’s small businesses that gave downtown much of its character, appeal, and international reputation. City planning, tax incentives, and wealthy developers took a toll on downtown long before Charlie Hales okayed street camping and our homelessness crisis seemingly exploded.
I love what you’ve done for Portland, Chloe. What I’m trying to say is if we draw back and look at the bigger picture than homelessness and where the tents go we need to keep the downtown area thriving. Portland Business Alliance takes polls all the time, but I don’t think they know who we are. PBA and Phil Knight have poured money into losing causes here, so why don’t they spend their money on something else. I’m not against all gentrification if it’s done with preservation in mind. I’m idealistic but just think if Nike or Coca Cola, and others put money into something more developmental we’d be better off. You’re right to take on the PBA, but we can’t exclude them altogether, which you say above.
I’ll go even further on this track. Downtown Portland is built on a 19th Century model. The banks look like fortresses and create dark shadows on the sidewalks. It’s crazy that OHSU sits on a hill with no efficient access from the downtown area and without commercial development that would serve staff and patients and their families. PSU is a large urban campus that needs more student-affordable housing. Look at the new Reser Center in Beaverton that offers a variety of programming.
Chloe,
Here’s my two cents worth to weigh in. Oregon needs some investment by large corporations. For instance, Nike and Coca Cola provide benefits, too..Seattle and San Francisco have problems but also some great venues because they’ve got big businesses there. How would you transform downtown Portland without funding that is represented by some of the businesses that participate in the Portland Business Alliance?
Hi Joan, I’m not sure what you mean by your question. I’m no fan of Nike, Amazon or Coca Cola but I haven’t suggested that big business shouldn’t have a voice or should be run out of downtown. The problem is the outsized voice they have with our elected representatives via PBA and other lobbying groups, the fact that they rarely bring useful analysis or expertise to conversations about homelessness, and the possibility that PBA is improperly subsidizing activities that fall outside the Clean & Safe scope of work with ratepayer dollars.
I worked downtown in the mid 80s and I ran a business on SW Oak from 1996-2012. While I appreciated the Clean & Safe cleaning crews and non-emergency assistance, the policies and programs that came out of City Hall and PBA at that time rarely, if ever, benefited businesses like mine—small, creative, community focused. However, they did capitalize on our contributions to the cultural landscape to build Portland’s brand and then many of us were priced out.
The way I helped transform my corner of downtown was moving onto a half abandoned block in a neglected corner of downtown, helping attract new tenants, working with my neighbors to jointly promote our businesses, organizing hundreds of events, advocating for our neighborhood during City planning projects, developing relationships with and organizing fundraisers for local non-profits who served unhoused individuals, and treating our unhoused neighbors like human beings.
Little did I know I was also helping gentrify myself and others out the West End, as the City and area developers didn’t care how their decisions would impact a small, thriving community of local businesses. The neighborhood may be nicer overall now, but my old block is a shadow of its former self. It’s small businesses that gave downtown much of its character, appeal, and international reputation. City planning, tax incentives, and wealthy developers took a toll on downtown long before Charlie Hales okayed street camping and our homelessness crisis seemingly exploded.
I love what you’ve done for Portland, Chloe. What I’m trying to say is if we draw back and look at the bigger picture than homelessness and where the tents go we need to keep the downtown area thriving. Portland Business Alliance takes polls all the time, but I don’t think they know who we are. PBA and Phil Knight have poured money into losing causes here, so why don’t they spend their money on something else. I’m not against all gentrification if it’s done with preservation in mind. I’m idealistic but just think if Nike or Coca Cola, and others put money into something more developmental we’d be better off. You’re right to take on the PBA, but we can’t exclude them altogether, which you say above.