Tag: Duncan Hwang

Community, New Residence

Legin Commons Opens with 124 Affordable Homes

On September 10th, the public and private organizations responsible for creating the Legin Commons apartment building at 7755 SE Division Street celebrated its opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Soon, new residents will begin moving into 124 new regulated affordable homes on Portland Community College’s (PCC) Southeast campus, prioritizing families with children and low-income households.

A group of individuals participating in a ribbon-cutting ceremony outside a building, smiling and holding a large golden ribbon.

The new four-story building sits on the site of a former Kaiser Permanente one-story medical clinic built in 1964. PCC acquired the land several years before Kaiser’s closure and demolished the building in 2015, using the land as an auxiliary parking lot with a large grassy spot where the building once stood. PCC had always planned to repurpose the space for more effective uses than parking. In 2021, College leadership worked to develop a twenty-year facilities plan for the educational institution’s properties. During that evaluation, PCC determined that portions of the school grounds should support low-income affordable housing. Instead of student-only dormitories, they opted to focus on attainable housing open to the community. From internal student surveys, PCC staff learned that housing insecurity is a significant concern. They also observed that students often spread their education out over many years with inconsistent enrollment. As a result, PCC determined that tying housing programs to school affiliation would not alleviate housing insecurity among the student population, so planners opened this housing to all who qualify.

Exhibition poster for Legin Restaurant, highlighting its history and cultural significance in Portland's Jade District.

A previous PCC campus expansion razed the former site of the Legin Restaurant, a beloved Chinese eatery and community hub. Housing developers APANO, Our Just Future, and Edlen & Co. chose to honor the area restaurant by naming the building Legin Commons and incorporating central gathering amenities to match its namesake’s role as a community hub. Located in the Jade District and the Montavilla neighborhood, blocks from SE 82nd Avenue, it offers access to some of Portland’s most active transit lines and walkable destinations. The building also offers secured on-site parking for some residents with dedicated EV charging stalls.

A black gated entrance with a sidewalk leads to a modern building with green and gray exterior. The building has multiple large windows, and there are rectangular concrete pads on the ground.
Security gate leading to resident onsite parking with EV charging stalls to the left

The Portland Housing Bureau awarded this development $3.78 million from the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF) to install a solar array and high-efficiency heating and cooling split systems. Other public funding came through a $1.67 million allotment from the voter-approved Metro Affordable Housing Bond and a Metro-awarded $250,000 Transit-Oriented Development grant. Legin Commons residents also enjoy natural cooling from a mature tree canopy on its eastern edge and new greenery planted around the property to help replace the shade once provided by older trees removed during construction.

A rooftop view featuring multiple solar panels and several air conditioning units against a backdrop of trees.
Rooftop mounted mini-split heat pump condenser units and solar array

PCEF Program Manager Sam Baraso explained during the Thursday event that green investments in this building benefit residents and the environment by reducing off-property energy consumption and lowering costs. “We invested in 294 in-unit mini-split heat pumps and 22 common-area mini-split heat pumps, three high-efficiency whole-building ventilation systems, 33 energy recovery ventilators, which means we can bring in fresh air into the building constantly, make sure folks are breathing clean, fresh air and do so in a way that actually uses the outgoing air to cool or warm [incoming air].” On the roof is a 180-kilowatt solar array that further reduces the energy demands of these residences on the grid. Claire Parisa with the nonprofit Enterprise Housing Credit Investments, which provided funding support for this project, highlighted the unique support for environmental construction in Portland. “There’s always a goal to make buildings green, but not necessarily the funding to go with it. And we’re so lucky to have PCEF in the city to make those dreams a reality.”

An outdoor playground with wooden swings and climbing structures, surrounded by colorful blue play equipment and orange safety ground cover, in front of a modern green and gray building.
Outdoor play area and resident courtyard

Lower energy bills and cleaner indoor air are just a few of the key features of this complex. Designers used the natural amenities to create significant outdoor space for residents, including an outdoor play area off a large community room. On-site laundry and bike storage are available on multiple floors. Private meeting rooms throughout the building provide secluded workspace or an area for private conversations away from home. Elevators offer seating in an adjacent lobby on each floor so people with mobility considerations can navigate the property with less impact on their comfort. A ground-floor classroom can also host community meetings or events, as long as it remains open to all residents in the building. APANO will provide resident services, leveraging its headquarters’ proximity to the site to be an integrated partner in the building’s supportive services.

Interior view of a modern meeting room featuring a large TV screen, a whiteboard on a stand, and a wooden table with green chairs.
Ground-floor classroom

For over a decade, APANO has looked for opportunities to increase housing in the district, making good on a community-driven concept for the area. “Our vision for Jade is for it to be Portland’s most transit-rich, most affordable, and most climate-resilient part of town. We have Legion Commons opening today, we have Jade Apartments opening next month, and we’re in pre-development at Canton Grill,” explained Metro Councilor Duncan Hwang, who also works for APANO. “Part of the housing piece is our work around anti-displacement. We have some time right now to really build up these community assets to make sure we can stay in place.”

A woman speaking at a podium outdoors, surrounded by trees and greenery.
Quisha Light, interim director of the Portland Housing Bureau

Quisha Light, interim director of the Portland Housing Bureau, celebrated the addition of these new housing units but noted it is just an early step in a larger effort to meet the community’s needs. “According to the city’s housing needs analysis, Portland must add about 28,000 homes that are affordable to families in that 0 to 60% of AMI (Area Median Income) range by 2045. So we still have a lot of work to do. It’s a big lift, but I have lived here for 20 years now, and I’ve seen Portlanders step up and really accept the big challenges. So I know all of us standing here today can make that happen. Legin Commons makes stability real. With 124 new affordable homes, including 20 deeply affordable homes at 30% AMI, and more than half of all units sized for families, this development reflects the community it serves,” said Light.

A woman speaking at a podium outdoors, with a smiling woman seated beside her in front of a backdrop of trees.
Katy Ho Interim President PCC and Councilor Tiffany Koyama Lane

Speakers at the ceremony noted the importance of creating high-quality affordable housing in an area that has historically supported generations of the city’s minority populations. “This stretch in the Jade District and the 82nd Avenue corridor in particular has long been home to one of our most diverse communities in the city. Immigrant families, refugees, students, working people who bring so much to Portland,” said Portland Councilor for District 3, Tiffany Koyama Lane. “This is a place where we can hear more than 140 languages spoken, where we can find our culturally specific food and markets that reflect our beautiful diversity. This neighborhood was built by people. The character comes from families who have been here for generations, and also from folks who crossed oceans and borders to get here.”

A man and a woman share a warm moment at a podium during an outdoor event, while another woman sitting nearby smiles and claps in appreciation.
Metro Councilor Duncan Hwang, Lynn Fuchigami Parks, and Councilor Tiffany Koyama Lane

Koyama Lane explained how preserving communities through anti-displacement and naming is a significant step for a city whose past leaders excluded many non-white voices. In 2024, Sameer Kanalwe and Koyama Lane became the first two Asian Americans ever elected to Portland City Council. Beyond naming the building after a community gathering space, residents will use the Minoru Yasui community room. “Legin Restaurant was more than just a great restaurant. It was a center of community life, and today, Legin Commons carries that spirit forward as a place where people can gather, connect, celebrate, and build community. This is especially meaningful that the community room bears the name of Minoru Yasui,” said Lynn Fuchigami Parks, Executive Director Emeritus of the Japanese American Museum of Oregon. “The night of March 28th in 1942, Minoru, who was only a 26-year-old attorney at the time, walked the streets of downtown Portland to deliberately violate the military curfew imposed on people of Japanese ancestry. He did so to challenge the constitutionality of that order. That’s the order that led to the unjust incarceration of over 120,000 men, women, and children, the majority of whom were American citizens.” The plaque that will be in the community room touches on Yasui’s story and adds to the sense of place created in the building.

Modern seating area featuring wooden benches and acoustic panels, with pendant lighting, in a well-lit space.
Modern kitchen with light wood cabinetry, stainless steel appliances, and a long countertop, accompanied by green stools and a large TV in a communal space.
Decorative cookies with designs on a table, featuring 'Legin Commons' labels, alongside a small vase of pink flowers.
A modern interior space featuring a wooden slatted wall, a bench, and an elevator door with sleek metallic accents. The corridor extends in the background with soft lighting.
A bright, empty room featuring two windows with black roller shades, a ceiling light, and an air conditioning unit, showcasing wooden flooring and white walls.
Modern kitchen view with a stainless steel sink, wooden cabinets, and a window showcasing natural light.
A small modern meeting room featuring a round wooden table surrounded by three blue chairs, with a dark blue accent wall and a large window.
Modern office space featuring two orange upholstered chairs, a small wooden table, and large windows, with bright overhead lighting.
A view through a large window showcasing a laundry room with white washers and dryers arranged inside.
Modern hallway with blue accent wall, two windows letting in natural light, a brown leather bench, and a round coffee table.
Modern bathroom featuring a shower-tub combo, a toilet, and a double vanity with a large mirror, accented by wood cabinetry.
Modern kitchen featuring stainless steel appliances, wooden cabinetry, and a clean countertop.
Interior view of a laundry room featuring stacked washing machines and dryers, a countertop with a sink, and a large window showing greenery outside.
A view of a long hallway with numbered doors on either side, lit by ceiling lights. An overhead EXIT sign is visible at the end of the corridor.
Interior view of a room with wooden walls and a large window overlooking a landscaped area. There are bike racks positioned on the floor.
A speaker stands at a podium outdoors, addressing an audience amid green trees and sunlight, while a woman seated beside him listens attentively.
PCEF Program Manager Sam Baraso

Residents will start moving into Legin Commons soon, with the 30% AMI units mostly committed to people. Many 60% AMI-priced units are still available for qualifying renters. Those homes are restricted to households whose annual income does not exceed $53,940 for one person, $61,620 for two, and upward based on the number of residents. Homes restricted to 60% of AMI earners are currently rented at near-market rates. Still, this new building offers far more amenities than other multifamily buildings in the area, and the protected rental rate can help provide housing stability when market rates rise faster than median income. Consequently, the building should fill to capacity slowly, allowing a gradual influx of new neighbors to the residential area around the new apartment building.

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Article and Photos by

Jacob Loeb

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Construction, New Residence

Jade Apartments Progress on SE 89th

Framing crews have made significant progress on the 40-unit complex at 2905 SE 89th Avenue. This joint venture between APANO and Gorman & Company will transform a 1.1-acre property into affordable family apartments in a dual courtyard configuration. Construction will continue on The Jade apartments throughout the year, with an anticipated opening date in 2026. The developers intend to create a healthy and sustainable community with solar panels providing the bulk of residential power and families having ample access to green space.

Fifteen units in the new apartment building will offer family-sized accommodations with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. The developers will also create 14 one-bedroom and 11 two-bedroom flats, each with a single bathroom. Residents can access various site amenities, including a bike room, package lockers, and resident services offices. People can also use a community room, two courtyards, and outdoor areas with a garden and play area for children. Larger apartments have in-unit washer and dryer appliances. The building offers laundry rooms on each floor for the rest of the residents.

Aerial view of a three-story apartment complex with a central courtyard, parking area, and solar panel canopy, surrounded by trees and residential neighborhood.
Renderings courtesy Gorman & Co

The developers will reserve all units in the three-story building for people earning 80% or below the median family income (MFI) for Portland. That commitment keeps rents from exceeding levels set annually based on the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) calculations, but does not fit what people consider low-income housing. Based on 2023 numbers, one of the development’s three-bedroom apartments would cost up to $2,347 monthly. At those rates, these homes support the working families often priced out of modern apartments west of Interstate 205.

A 2018 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funded study of the Jade District identified the unimproved segment of SE 89th Avenue north of SE Brooklyn Street as a prime redevelopment opportunity for sustainable housing and a new public park. APANO is the fiscal sponsor of the Jade District Neighborhood Prosperity Network (NPN) and used the 2018 data with community input to pursue development opportunities in this area. With the help of Gorman & Company’s nearly 40 years of experience creating housing, APANO will begin work on what was envisioned for this part of the Jade District seven years ago.

Construction progress on a multi-unit apartment complex, showcasing wooden framing, several open windows, and exterior construction materials, with trees and a cloudy sky in the background.
The Jade apartments Aug. 7th, 2025

This area contains a multitude of housing with buildings around the site ranging from farmhouses to multifamily buildings. The architect worked to create a design matching its environment while still providing the desired housing density. “The building will have a residential character, and we’ve subdivided the masses to be consistent with the other buildings in the neighborhood,” explained Kevin Kellogg, Gorman & Company’s Market President for the Pacific Northwest. People will access the apartment’s upper floors through a central stairway, and a courtyard facing an open-air walkway connects the units. “Each of the courtyards has a unique character. One of them, we call the living room courtyard, and the other one is the family room courtyard,” said Kellogg. The ground floor will house the site’s accessible units and its 32 on-site parking stalls, half of which are partially covered by solar panels.

Rendering of a modern three-story apartment complex with a combination of white and orange facade, surrounded by greenery and people walking along the sidewalk.
Renderings courtesy Gorman & Co

The developers are targeting a Net Zero certification for the building, making it environmentally friendly and resilient to changing weather conditions. “Our goal is for it to be as low maintenance and energy efficient as possible,” said Kellogg. The environmental goals also align with APANO’s goals for the Jade District. “We’re working to build the most climate-friendly, transit-rich, and affordable neighborhood we can. We feel this complements our work at PCC, Canton Grill, and the Orchards,” explained Duncan Hwang, Community Development Director at APANO.

Two partially constructed apartment buildings with wooden frames and scaffolding, showcasing different exterior finishes. One building has a natural wood appearance, while the other is partially covered in yellow siding. A construction site with fencing and equipment is visible in the foreground.
Framers comple 3rd floor framing including a covered exterior hallway looking into a courtyard Sept. 15, 2025

This apartment complex will become the fourth housing project in the Jade District for APANO. The organization is interested in having a mixed-income neighborhood, and this project fits the need for workforce-priced housing. Other projects built by the organization or in development support lower-income renters. APANO often partners with other organizations in creating and managing developments. In this case, Gorman & Company will provide asset management and compliance, with APANO providing resident services.

In addition to improving housing availability in the area, this project will create public right-of-way improvements. Towards the end of the project, crews will construct new sidewalks along the frontage and build a portion of the paved street. These infrastructure upgrades will move the area closer to completing a disconnected street and sidewalk network that inhibits travel along SE 89th Avenue. Walkable access is a primary feature of this building, which is blocks away from the Fubonn grocery store and frequent public transit. Look for continued improvements to this area as work progresses on The Jade apartments.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Portions of this article and quotes are from a 2024 interview.

Construction, New Residence, Property Sale

Workforce Family Apartments on SE 89th

Sometime this spring, the joint venture between APANO and Gorman & Company will finalize a purchase of a 1.1-acre property at 2905 SE 89th Avenue. The group will create affordable family apartments in a dual courtyard configuration. Construction of the 40-unit complex will begin in fall 2024, with an anticipated opening date in early 2026. The developers intend to create a healthy and sustainable community with solar panels providing the bulk of residential power and families having ample access to green space.

Fifteen units in the new apartment building will offer family-sized accommodations with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. The developers will also create 14 one-bedroom and 11 two-bedroom flats, each with a single bathroom. Residents can access various site amenities, including a bike room, package lockers, and resident services offices. People can also use a community room, two courtyards, and outdoor areas with a garden and play area for children. Larger apartments have in-unit washer and dryer appliances. The building offers laundry rooms on each floor for the rest of the residents.

Renderings courtesy Gorman & Co

The developers will reserve all units in the three-story building for people earning 80% or below the median family income (MFI) for Portland. That commitment keeps rents from exceeding levels set annually based on the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) calculations but does not fit what people consider low-income housing. Based on 2023 numbers, one of the development’s three-bedroom apartments would cost up to $2,347 monthly. At those rates, these homes support the working families often priced out of modern apartments west of Interstate 205.

A 2018 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funded study of the Jade District identified the unimproved segment of SE 89th Avenue north of SE Brooklyn Street as a prime redevelopment opportunity for sustainable housing and a new public park. APANO is the fiscal sponsor of the Jade District Neighborhood Prosperity Network (NPN) and used the 2018 data with community input to pursue development opportunities in this area. The land identified for a park is not currently on the market. However, APANO’s vision for family housing across the street from the future park could occur with the purchase of three lots owned by the Argonaut Group. With the help of Gorman & Company’s nearly 40 years of experience creating housing, APANO will begin work on what was envisioned for this part of the Jade District six years ago.

Image from Portland Maps

This area contains a multitude of housing with buildings around the site ranging from farmhouses to multifamily buildings. The architect worked to create a design matching its environment while still providing the desired housing density. “The building will have a residential character, and we’ve subdivided the masses to be consistent with the other buildings in the neighborhood,” explained Kevin Kellogg, Gorman & Company’s Market President for the Pacific Northwest. People will access the apartment’s upper floors through a central stairway, and a courtyard facing an open-air walkway connects the units. “Each of the courtyards has a unique character. One of them, we call the living room courtyard, and the other one is the family room courtyard,” said Kellogg. The ground floor will house the site’s accessible units and its 32 on-site parking stalls partially covered by solar panels.

The developers are targeting a Net Zero certification for the building, making it environmentally friendly and resilient to changing weather conditions. “Our goal is for it to be as low maintenance and energy efficient as possible,” said Kellogg. The environmental goals also align with APANO’s goals for the Jade District. “We’re working to build the most climate-friendly, transit-rich, and affordable neighborhood we can. We feel this complements our work at PCC, Canton Grill, and the Orchards,” explained Duncan Hwang, Community Development Director at APANO.

Renderings courtesy Gorman & Co

This apartment complex will become the fourth housing project in the Jade District for APANO. The organization is interested in having a mixed-income neighborhood, and this project fits the need for workforce-priced housing. Other projects built by the organization or in development support lower-income renters. APANO often partners with other organizations in creating and managing developments. In this case, Gorman & Company will provide asset management and compliance, with APANO providing resident services.

In addition to improving housing availability in the area, this project will create public right-of-way improvements. Towards the end of the project, crews will construct new sidewalks along the frontage and build a portion of the paved street. These infrastructure upgrades will move the area closer to completing a disconnected street and sidewalk network that inhibits travel along SE 89th Avenue. Walkable access is a primary feature of this building, which is blocks away from the Fubonn grocery store and frequent public transit. Look for construction to begin later this year, with more housing availability in 2026.

By

Jacob Loeb

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Construction, New Residence, Property Sale

APANO to Redevelop Canton Grill Site on SE 82nd

After nearly two and half years sitting vacant, the former Canton Grill property at 2610 SE 82nd Avenue will play a significant role in the district’s transformation. The owners of the iconic restaurant recently accepted the Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon‘s (APANO) offer to purchase the 47,265-square-foot site. Next month, APANO staff will begin public outreach and use those interactions to inform redevelopment plans.

APANO’s Community Development Director, Duncan Hwang, explained that acquiring the site became a priority for his organization soon after the restaurant closed. That historic eatery operated near the corner of SE 82nd Avenue and Division Street for 76 years during the height of the car-centric era. Consequentially, the location’s parking lot is four times bigger than the building’s footprint. That underutilized space has the potential to support density housing above additional commercial storefronts. A handful of recent developments in the area embracing a modern mixed-use multistory design. Those buildings feature deemphasized parking and provide pedestrian-scale ground-floor retail units with apartments above. However, those projects are still rare on 82nd Avenue. According to Hwang, the site could just as easily become a chain pharmacy store or another low-density shop. Buying this property allows APANO to secure this site before other groups lock up the parcel for another 50 years. With the guidance of the community, they intend to deliver a building that enhances the district and furthers the transformation of the former highway into a Civic Corridor.

The Canton Grill property sits across SE 82nd Avenue from APANO’s headquarters in the Orchards of 82nd building. That mixed-use project was the group’s first expansion into commercial development through a partnership with Rose Community Development Corporation (Rose CDC). APANO manages the retail space on the ground floor, and Rose CDC runs the affordable housing above. That successful endeavor encouraged the organization to expand further into development. Earlier this year, APANO announced another partnership for low-income housing on the nearby Portland Community College (PCC) campus. “We are also going to be working with Just Future on 120 units at PCC Southeast. Between the Orchards [of 82nd] and PCC, that’s almost 200 units of affordable housing,” said Hwang.

APANO’s development work supports the community’s need for socially guided projects while filling a niche underserved by current programs. “We did a strategic planning process about two years ago looking at needs and gaps for the Asian pacific islander community in general, and one of the gaps was there wasn’t a culturally specific housing developer for this community.” Said Hwang. APANO staff found that senior living and supportive housing did not account for differing tastes in Asian diets or preferred exercise classes. They also found that the physical design of buildings posed a lasting deficit in housing accommodations. “Spaces for family kinds of interaction is a desired, and then also a lot of our elders are shorter, so having cabinets that are better accessible and things like that has also come up as design elements.” APANO hopes its expansion into development will create a more equitable housing market in the region and fill those identified gaps.

APANO purchased the property with American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds allocated to the organization by the State legislator. That money was expressly set aside for community-supporting property acquisition, allowing the organization to make a cash offer for the Canton Grill land. Duncan Hwang believes they were not the highest builder but expects that his organization’s commitment to redevelop the property responsibly influenced the Louis family’s decision to accept their offer. “The history and legacy of this family and this site is not lost on us,” said Hwang. APANO hopes to retain the 95-year-old restaurant building that has helped define 82nd Avenue. However, they will use community interest in preservation and the assessed structural condition to determine how the single-story building will fit into the larger redevelopment project.

Montavilla News illustrations on Portland Maps image

The future density of affordable housing from the Orchards and PCC projects presents an opportunity to expand uses for the Canton Grill project beyond traditional low-income housing. Hwang explained that they want to engage in “a real thoughtful conversation about the type of affordability that we want to see at that particular site.” He sees an opportunity for a mix of market rate and workforce housing above affordable retail as a possible use. The revenue from market-rate units can subsidize the affordability of the rest of the project while adding diversity to the area.

Duncan Hwang framed this redevelopment as a blank slate project, emphasizing that public outreach will drive many choices for the property. However, goals for the site will dictate some limits on the housing types considered. “I don’t think there’s any world where we’d build luxury market-rate condo-style things,” said Hwang. “It’s really about how do we maximize community benefit, which definitely includes housing. But how much? I think it depends on the size of a plaza or green space, commercial space, and all that.” 

Regardless of community direction, providing resiliency to the population center will become a vital feature of this complex. That could include a solar panel covered parking structure that would function to reduce energy demands from residents and act as an emergency public charging station in a natural disaster. Resiliency design could also incorporate warming and cooling facilities for use during extreme weather events.

Outreach will begin on December 15th with a public forum at APANO’s community space. Staff will also reach out in other ways around the same time. “We’ll have a survey going out shortly as well, and in multiple languages. It’s going to be focused on unit mix, commercial space usage, and the sort of services that you want to see,” said Hwang. They are moving quickly because funding opportunities happen at set intervals. “If we want to maximize affordability and go for low-income housing tax credits, that’s on specific cycles. So we might be able to get into the next cycle next summer.” That deadline may not be an issue if the public supports market rate and workforce housing, but that determination will happen over the next few months, and APANO is keeping all options open. Interested people should look for opportunities to participate in planning efforts on APANO’s website or social media accounts.

By

Jacob Loeb

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Community

Remembering Former Metro Councilor Bob Stacey

Robert E. Stacey, Montavilla’s elected representative on the Metro Council for over eight years, died September 8th at the age of 72. He resigned from his position a year ago due to further complications from a health condition. Metro Council appointed Duncan Hwang, a Director at the Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon (APANO), to the vacant 6th District seat in January. Councilor Hwang recently secured 68.7 percent of the vote during the 2022 primaries, allowing him to serve out the reaming years of Councilor Stacey’s term.

Bob Stacey came to Metro Council after a long career serving Oregon. His early work with 1000 Friends of Oregon secured the urban growth boundary, protecting farms and forests by limiting an endless suburban sprawl. He led Portland’s planning bureau from 1989 to 1993, and as an executive at TriMet, he helped plan the MAX Yellow and Red lines. Pedestrians and bicyclists crossing the MAX Orange Line at SE 14th Avenue do so via the Bob Stacey Overcrossing, named in his honor for decades of service to Portland. Stacey’s impact across the State was impressive, and the programs he supported within this neighborhood are ongoing.

Bob Stacey’s work with Metro touched many points within Montavilla. Most residents will associate his local efforts with the affordable housing project underway at 432 NE 74th Ave. However, councilor Duncan Hwang recounted several other impactful projects that his predecessor brought to the community. “Councilor Stacey did so much for livability for the entire region but also worked directly on projects in Montavilla, including advocating for the jurisdictional transfer of 82nd Ave to the City of Portland, improving neighborhood connectivity through the Jade Montavilla Multimodal Improvements Project, and was a particular champion of the Jade District and APANO’s work in developing affordable housing and community spaces.”

Although holding an elected position, Bob Stacey focused more on his work for the community instead of building name recognition. Representative Earl Blumenauer expressed that sentiment after Stacey’s passing. “Oregon just lost the most important person that most people never heard of.” Despite the lack of public recognition for his work, those who continue his efforts recognize that they stand on his shoulders and vow to follow Stacy’s example of civic leadership. “Oregon lost a true leader, and I hope to carry on his vision for our region and legacy of public service as his successor at Metro,” stated Councilor Hwang.

By

Jacob Loeb

Images in this article are provided by Oregon Metro

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Community, Event

Jade District Dumpster Day Overwhelming Success

Saturday’s Jade District Dumpster Day and Solve Oregon cleanup attracted dozens of volunteers and a stream of vehicles dropping off large trash items. Within the first hour of operation, people filled 30-yard dumpsters at two drop-off sites. Instead of closing three hours early, the events coordinator, Alisa Kajikawa, picked up her phone and arranged for additional dumpsters. Before the day was done, yet another cycle of dumpsters rolled in to accommodate the overwhelming demand for trash disposal.

Kajikawa, the Jade District Manager, organized this one-day event with funds from Oregon Metro and support from the 82nd Avenue Business Association. The four-hour-long program included a community cleanup and open dumpster access for neighborhood disposal of bulky items.

Volunteers with Solve ventured out with 33-gallon carts to collect trash throughout the area and bring back items of all sizes to the primary dumpster site, located in the Unicorn Inn’s parking lot at 3040 SE 82nd Avenue. Nearby campers used shopping carts to roll in trash from their area and help clean up the streets.

Jade District Manager Alisa Kajikawa and Metro Councilor Duncan Hwang stacking mattresses

The dumpster on SE 82nd Avenue, and one on SE 92nd Avenue, were open to residents seeking a free place to dispose of items not collected through curbside trash pickup. Demand for dumpster use far exceeded expectations, and both sites eventually had to turn people away. Even after staff filled the five 30-yard trash containers to capacity, a stack of mattresses remained awaiting pickup by a recycler.

The dumpster demand seen over the weekend signals a great need in Portland for more events like the Jade District Dumpster Day. In 2020, The City canceled a long-running program that worked with Neighborhood Associations to host dumpster days across Portland. These events acted as an annual trash release valve that reduced the number of illegal dumps. Now groups like the Jade District are scrambling to find funding to meet the demand for trash disposal.

The original budget for the event only included funds for two dumpsters. The added cost of the three extra dumpsters will need to come from grant reserves and other funds within the organization. The success of the cleanup is measurable by the tonnage of rubbish collected. However, it barely makes a dent in Portland’s trash problem. Based on the demand seen Saturday and the piles of illegally dumped items across the City, an event like this could run every month for years without slowing down.

Flyer for the now completed event

By

Jacob Loeb

Disclosure: The author of this article servers on the boards of the 82nd Avenue Business Association and Montavilla Neighborhood Association. He also volunteered at this event.