Portland leaders, acknowledging racist anti-Black policies, seek to right historic wrongs
Updated Dec 17, 2020;
Posted Dec 17, 2020
North Williams Avenue and Russell Street (pictured) was once the commercial center for Black residents in Portland. (File photo)
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Portland officials are considering pumping millions of dollars into affordable housing and economic redevelopment that could benefit families displaced from Portland’s historic Black neighborhoods.
A wide array of Black community leaders crafted the proposed $67 million initiative, which would build 40 to 50 new single-family homes to own and at least 100 apartments to rent.
People whose families were pushed out of the historic North and Northeast Portland Albina neighborhood would have first rights to live there.
For a few hours, Portland offered $500 gift cards to residents struggling amid coronavirus. More than 100,000 applications flooded in.
Updated Dec 16, 2020;
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During the three hours last week that the city of Portland allowed residents struggling amid coronavirus to request one of 4,000 gift cards each worth $500, more than 100,000 applications flooded in.
It was one sign of how hard times are in a city with about 320,000 adults over 18, the group eligible to apply for the financial lift.
The city received 101,221 online applications during the Thursday afternoon enrollment window, said Martha Calhoon, a spokeswoman with the Portland Housing Bureau.
That’s more than 560 requests a minute.
Portland Black and Indigenous family, ‘red house’ protesters’ aura of success could prompt more occupations over home foreclosures, Mayor Ted Wheeler concedes
Updated Dec 14, 2020;
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But it remained unclear when the final remnants of the tense six-day occupation in support of the so-called “Red House on Mississippi” and its longtime owners, the Kinney family, would recede from the home’s property or the large vacant lot next door.
Family members said in a statement Monday that they have not reached a deal to buy back the home or heard directly from the developer who has owned it since October 2018.
Activists work to block journalists from full, accurate coverage of occupation outside red house in N Portland oregonlive.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from oregonlive.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Today only: Portlanders harmed by COVID-19 can apply for a $500 gift card between 3pm and 6pm
Updated Dec 11, 2020;
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For three hours on Thursday,
Portland residents struggling during the coronavirus pandemic will be able to apply for a $500 gift card to help cover the cost of food, medical bills and other urgent expenses.
The application window for 4,000 new prepaid debit cards will run from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. through the city’s PDX Assist website. The funds come from the $114 million in federal coronavirus aid sent to Portland earlier this year and are part of the city’s Household Assistance Program.