Tag: Multnomah County

Community, Construction, Government

County Board Approves Harrison Community Village Project on SE 82nd

On December 19th, the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners approved a resolution to proceed with the Harrison Community Village‘s construction at 1818 SE 82nd Avenue. This temporary alternative shelter will support up to 45 adults residing in 38 sleeping pods and utilizing several converted shipping containers offering residents showers, bathrooms, kitchenette space, and a laundry facility. In a four-to-one vote, the County Board passed the resolution with one amendment requiring the County to work with community representatives to create a Safe Routes to School plan and negotiate a Good Neighborhood Agreement (GNA) before opening the shelter.

Sleeping pod images from December 19th Multnomah County Board of Commissioners presentation

Multnomah County purchased the former recreational vehicle dealership at 1818 SE 82nd Avenue in December 2022 for $2.015 million. This 34,000-square-foot parcel was the second Montavilla location the County bought that year for temporary shelter services while they land-banked the properties for future development. Newly seated County Commissioner Shannon Singleton explained during the lengthy board discussion on December 19th her recollection of County thinking in 2022. Commissioner Singleton served as the interim director of the Joint Office of Homeless Services (JOHS) around the time Multnomah County acquired the properties, and her experience as someone tangentially involved in the purchase offered unique knowledge to the board’s understanding of the site’s purpose.

Project budget slide from December 19th Multnomah County Board of Commissioners presentation

Metro Supportive Housing Services Measure money allocated from the Safety off the Streets – Emergency Shelter Strategic Investment budget will cover the shelter’s $4,128,197 cost. The bulk of funds will support the demolition of the existing building and construction costs for the power, water, and sewer hookups needed for the temporary structures. Presenters noted that planners allocated $1.4 million of the budget to reusable shelter sleeping pods and shelter support containers. Those items could be relocated to a future site when the County re-purposes the property for other uses. The JOHS team presented a firm timeline for the shelter’s opening, requiring this late 2024 vote to keep on schedule. Starting in January 2025, the project team will develop plans and seek City of Portland building permits ahead of construction slated to begin in July 2025. Crews should complete work in November, and the site could open to residents in December 2025.

Multnomah County Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards provided significant insight into community thinking around the proposed shelter, having attended a December 5th JOHS community meeting and communicated with area residents after the event. Commissioner Brim-Edwards agreed with some of the concerns expressed during that JOHS community meeting and in public testimony the board heard before their vote. She noted the JOHS had two years to engage with the public prior to this resolution but only held an initial meeting two weeks before the end-of-the-year vote. Additionally, issues delayed a mailed notice to surrounding neighbors that would have notified them of the December 5th meeting. JOHS staff hand-delivered notices to over 600 addresses because of the delayed mailing, in some cases just days before the event. Commissioner Brim-Edwards also echoed some area residents’ concerns that this section of Portland has an out-sized density of services for people experiencing houselessness. Commissioner Brim-Edwards represents Multnomah County’s District 3, covering most of Southeast and East Portland, including these shelter locations on SE 82nd Avenue.

In response to constituent concerns and to support a successful shelter site, Commissioner Brim-Edwards proposed an amendment to the Harrison Community Village resolution. The adopted amendment requires the County, shelter service provider, neighborhood association, business association, and Portland Public School representatives to develop a GNA before the site opens to residents. It states the County will coordinate with the Portland Bureau of Transportation and Portland Public Schools to preserve SE Mill Street’s access for safe travel to schools. Bridger Creative Science School is one block west of the Mill Street site, and Harrison Park Middle School is several blocks southeast on SE 87th Avenue. SE Mill Street is part of the Neighborhood Greenway bike and pedestrian network, providing one of only a few fully signalized crossings of SE 82nd Avenue in the area. Although County site planners have already started conversations with the two schools, the amendment solidifies their responsibility to “work with the nearby school communities to hear and address school community concerns.”

1818 SE 82nd Avenue site seen across a marked crosswalk at a signalized intersection (Jacob Loeb)

Commissioner Sharon Meieran provided the one no vote for the resolution, citing many concerns, including the rushed proposal, which she said had insufficient community engagement and lacked transparent planning. She noted that, in her observation, the County teams only come to the community and the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners when required to by policy and at the last minute. She questioned the JOHS’s choice to place this shelter along 82nd Avenue over other options or by reinvesting in current locations, saying they lacked a cohesive shelter plan. However, Commissioner Meieran did acknowledge that “No one can argue we need every space possible.” Presenters argued that the 1818 SE 82nd Avenue site had been part of the Community Sheltering Strategy that came from extensive planning guided by electeds and service providers. Additionally, they plan to work with the incoming Portland Mayor, Keith Wilson, to complement his sheltering plan.

Site illustrations in this article courtesy JOHS

The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners recognized the need to add shelter beds quickly, particularly as other existing shelters close. That sentiment was at the root of why most commissioners voted in favor of moving the Harrison Community Village project forward. There was a general recognition that these shelters, with privacy fencing along the sidewalk, would negatively impact the City’s Build a Better 82nd efforts along the corridor by making a less active streetscape and continuing to underutilize the sites that can support substantial buildings. Several commissioners noted community members’ request to delay this site until the first Montavilla shelter on 82nd Avenue had time to generate useful information on how these sites will impact the neighborhood. However, the need for increased shelter capacity outweighed the calls for delay, with the added understanding that this second shelter site would open almost a year after the 333 SE 82nd Avenue shelter started operations.  Commissioners expect the County and JOHS staff to collect livability statistics from this site and others in the system to help inform operators and the public on shelter impacts.

Presenters anticipate Harrison Community Village’s GNA will include collecting key metrics around the shelter site, similar to the data required by the Oak Street Village GNA. By the time the 1818 SE 82nd Avenue site opens in December 2025, the 333 SE 82nd Avenue shelter will have already provided 11 months of livability data. With the Harrison Community Village approved for funding, the next milestone for the site will come when officials select a shelter service provider. At that point, the JOHS can schedule more community meetings to address site operation questions, and community groups can begin working on a GNA for this site.

By

Jacob Loeb

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Community, Construction, Demolition, Government

1818 82nd Ave Shelter Meeting Concerns and Community Support

On December 5th, the Joint Office of Homeless Services (JOHS) held a community meeting about a new alternative shelter planned for the former RV sales lot at 1818 SE 82nd Avenue. This first community outreach gathering precedes a December 19th Multnomah County Board of Commissioners vote to fund the construction of this project. JOHS officials plan to have future community meetings and work on a Good Neighbor Agreement (GNA) after the County selects a service provider to operate the shelter site—presenters at the event anticipated service provider selection to occur in early 2025.

Community feedback at the meeting included many levels of concern for the proposed shelter’s operations and placement but also included some community support for the added short-term accommodations. Several residents felt this second county site was too close to another Multnomah County-owned location 15 blocks north on SE 82nd Avenue at 333 SE 82nd Avenue. Crews working for the JOHS are currently building the Oak Street Village there, and staff anticipates that sites will begin accepting residents in late January 2025. Other meeting attendees asked if the JOHS could delay work on the second site to give the neighborhood time to work through livability issues with the first site and learn from that experience to improve future site relations.

Illustration courtesy JOHS

Presenters and project designers leading this meeting intended to focus on design elements for the shelter site. Demolition crews will remove the current sales building on the property but salvage some wood roof beams for reuse in covered outdoor spaces. Staff and residents will access the site from SE Mill Street, where crews working with the Portland Bureau of Transportation will install new sidewalks and street trees and provide other road improvements as part of a separate project. Designers of the shelter site intend to erect a 7-foot-high fence around the property and provide signage and artwork at the perimeter that reflect community interests and values. Workers will remove sections of the asphalt pavement in the parking lot to create green spaces and a pet relief area. Portable units that will house showers, bathrooms, kitchenette space, and a laundry facility for residents are placed along the SE 82nd Avenue perimeter to create a sound barrier. Onsite parking is available for staff and service providers only. This site will not provide space for residents to park personal vehicles. Some neighbors questioned the placement of the trash enclosure on the property. However, designers felt its placement was necessary for trash hauler access. Despite efforts to keep the meeting focused on site design issues, audience questions often addressed programmatic functions and concerns regarding the site’s placement in the community.

Illustration courtesy JOHS

Parents living in the area and other attendees at the December 5th meeting expressed concern for the proposed shelter’s proximity to two public schools and a park. Bridger Creative Science School is one block west of the Mill Street site, and Harrison Park Middle School is several blocks southeast on SE 87th Avenue. JOHS representative Rory Cuddyer explained that his engagement group has communicated with both schools and anticipates their participation in the GNA creation process. Other presenters at the meeting addressed concerns about drug consumption at the shelter, indicating that it was not allowed at county-funded sites. However, due to the shelter’s low-barrier referral-only admission process, operators do not require sobriety for placement in one of the 38 free-standing sleeping pods. That raised other attendees’ concerns regarding drug use in the surrounding neighborhood. Select audience members and presenters noted that not all houseless people are drug users and that the full-time wraparound services offered at the shelter work to connect users to recovery services, in addition to other programs intended to move people into permanent housing.

Multnomah County Commissioner representing Montavilla, Julia Brim-Edwards, attended the meeting as an audience member, listening to all comments and speaking to individuals after the meeting concluded. Montavilla News first reported on the County’s purchase of the two properties in 2022. However, many attendees did not learn about this planned shelter until days before the meeting. Cuddyer explained that the County had an issue producing a mailer ahead of the first meeting, and staff hand-delivered notices instead. They intend to have a broader mailing out to area residents later in the process but encourage people to join the Montavilla Neighborhood Association‘s email list and follow updates on the JOHS project page to stay informed about upcoming community engagement. Cuddyer also urged people to provide comments if they wished at the December 19th Multnomah County Board of Commissioners session. People intending to provide public testimony on the vote must register by 4 p.m. on Wednesday, December 18th. To find the agenda item for this upcoming vote, check the County’s Board Meetings page the week of the meeting.

The article above originally published December 6th

Update December 18th, 2024: The JOHS posted a Frequently Asked Questions document on the 1818 SE 82nd Avenue shelter site’s project webpage addressing many questions received from the community expressed at the December 5th meeting. People intending to provide public testimony on the vote have until 4 p.m. on Wednesday, December 18th to register for Resolution R.1, seeking approval to “Proceed with Construction at the Harrison Community Village Project.”

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account for monthly support or you can pay for a full year directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Community, Government, New Business

Oak Street Village GNA Moves to Signing

On December 9th, the Montavilla Neighborhood Association (MNA) voted unanimously to sign the Good Neighbor Agreement (GNA) for the Oak Street Village shelter site at 333 SE 82nd Avenue. The Multnomah County-owned property will open to temporary residents in early 2025, and formalizing a community agreement is a significant step toward launching this shelter. The 32-page non-binding document covers the signers’ shared commitment to adhere to their agreed responsibilities and follow set communication standards to resolve conflicts.

The GNA signers include the Joint Office of Homeless Services, the City of Portland, shelter services providers Straightway Services, the Montavilla East Tabor Business Association, and the MNA. Each party has distinct responsibilities and roles in the agreement, and the GNA can update through its duration with the consent of the signers. The MNA sees the Community Advisory Committee formed by the GNA as a critical part of the document’s strength. That committee meets monthly with members from each signing party and village residents to review operations in a collaborative problem-solving format. This continual engagement ensures the parties maintain strong lines of communication and identify opportunities for collaboration between the village participants and the Community.

The GNA establishes an Engagement Zone bordered by the west side of SE 80th Avenue, the east side of 83rd Avenue, the north side of SE Ash Street, and the south side of SE Stark Street. The City will grant high-priority services within the defined area, and the site operator commits to regularly engaging with people in the zone to limit community impacts around Oak Street Village. The prioritized city services include the removal of unsanctioned campsites or abandoned vehicles, emergency calls, non-emergency calls, and cleaning services. The City has to adhere to its policies regarding each service but agrees to rank occurrences higher in the Engagement Zone.

Zone map from GNA (Engagement Zone – Red, Good Neighbor Zone – Blue)

The GNA states that the service provider will initially favor referrals into Oak Street Village from Montavilla’s unsheltered population, potentially reducing the number of persistent unsanctioned campsites in the neighborhood. This site prioritizes individuals living in vehicles who want to keep their car while moving into sleeping pods. Oak Street Village supports people making that transition by offering onsite parking for one personal vehicle per resident. This somewhat unique shelter feature generated many questions from neighbors during community engagement meetings. The GNA includes Straightway Services’ written policies, which outline the provider’s prohibition of onsite vehicle repair, prolonged idling, sleeping in a vehicle, or extensive property storage in the cars. The cars must fit within the marked parking stalls, blocking the storage of recreational vehicles or other oversized trucks. Owners of parked cars leaking fluids must use drip pans and properly dispose of hazardous materials to prevent runoff contamination of the stormwater system.

The agreement also covers future site placement, limiting Multnomah County’s expansion of the JOHS Community Sheltering Strategy within the Good Neighbor Zone. The Good Neighbor Zone surrounding the Engagement Zone is bordered by SE 75th Avenue, SE 88th Avenue, E Burnside Street, and SE Yamhill Street. It also has an extension from E Burnside Street up NE 80th Avenue and NE 82nd Avenue to incorporate the Vestal School. This agreement and other potential sites with a similar GNA will significantly reduce the potential for more County-owned sites along Montavilla’s section of 82nd Avenue.

The GNA mandates the regular collection of metrics to track the shelter’s impact on the neighborhood. Members of the Community Advisory Committee will monitor the data, which will become publicly accessible through existing dashboards and other group communications. As the County prepares a second site at 1818 SE 82nd Avenue, this GNA will likely play an influential role in that site’s Good Neighbor Agreement. The other parties will have to sign the document, but JOHS leaders expect that will happen before the residents begin moving into the 333 SE 82nd Avenue site.

By

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account for monthly support or you can pay for a full year directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Community, Government, Services

1818 SE 82nd Village-style Shelter Meeting

The Joint Office of Homeless Services (JOHS) will hold a community meeting on December 5th to present information on a new alternative shelter planned for the former RV sales lot at 1818 SE 82nd Avenue. This site is the second location purchased by Multnomah County in Montavilla as a shelter site. Montavilla News first reported on the County’s purchase of the two properties in 2022, and crews working for the JOHS are currently building the Oak Street Village at 333 SE 82nd Avenue.

Harrison Birds Eye View titled image courtesy JOHS

This proposed shelter at SE 82nd Avenue and Mill Street is just 15 blocks south of the site under construction. Several JOHS documents refer to the site as Harrison Village. However, County staff changed the working title for Oak Street Village during community engagement, and the Harrison Village name could be a placeholder. JOHS plans to install 38 sleeping pods and larger portable units that will house showers, bathrooms, kitchenette space, and a laundry facility for residents. Like other shelters of this type, outreach specialists refer people into this temporary housing, and residents receive case management with the support necessary to move into more stable housing.

JOHS staff anticipate that this second County-owned Montavilla shelter will begin serving unhoused community members in late 2025. Organizers ask that people RSVP for the 6 p.m. meeting that will take place within the Montavilla United Methodist Church at 232 SE 80th Avenue. Attendees will learn more about the JOHS plan for the site and have the opportunity to provide feedback about the project’s design layout. The hour-and-a-half meeting should conclude around 7:30 p.m. People interested in staying informed but unable to attend the Thursday night gathering can follow the JOHS site for details.

Article and Photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account for monthly support or you can pay for a full year directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Community, Services

Unified Library Schedule

On December 1st, all Multnomah County library locations will adopt a unified schedule to offer consistent services for patrons and streamline employee scheduling. All branches and the library’s contact center will serve the public from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. The primary schedule shifts two hours later on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, from noon to 8 p.m. On Sundays, the locations operate from noon to 6 p.m.

This update is the first large-scale adjustment to the Multnomah County Library system’s operating hours since 2013. Most locations will continue to provide a comparable quantity of operating hours, just with a modification to open and close times. However, the Contact Center staff that assist users by phone, email, or chat will start later to match library hours.

These updates are not part of any budget reduction efforts, and library management does not anticipate any associated changes to employee hours or pay. For many patrons, this will simplify their library system use, focusing on geographic access instead of traveling to alternate locations because a closer branch is closed. Library visitors will first see updated signs and public information reflecting the changed schedules on Sunday, December 1st, 2024.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account for monthly support or you can pay for a full year directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Community, Event, Services

Midland Library to Reopen Saturday

The Midland Public Library at 805 SE 122nd Avenue will reopen on October 26th after nearly two years of renovations. The expanded and modernized building features many unique qualities that support community needs beyond book lending. New amenities include ten meeting spaces, new checkout technology, and dedicated youth-focused areas with indoor-outdoor play spaces. To celebrate the project’s completion, library staff will host a grand opening weekend full of music and engaging activities.

Before its temporary closures in 2022, the Midland branch was one of the most used locations in the Multnomah County Library system. As a centrally located branch in East Portland, it serves one of the most culturally diverse areas in the region. Ahead of redevelopment, project leaders conducted extensive community engagement to ensure the building would reflect the people it serves. “We have folks from Vietnamese, Chinese, Russian, and Spanish communities, and we are making sure that they feel welcomed and represented when they come in,” said Liz Sauer, the Communications Manager with Multnomah County Library. During that preliminary work, outreach coordinators collected over 6,000 comments from engagement event participants, allowing community members to shape the project in many areas, down to the colors used. They asked people to bring in culturally significant images that artists incorporated into designs etched on panels that crews attached to the building’s exterior. Those images also guided the artist team HYBYCOZO in designing an illuminated outdoor sculpture series. They created geometric shapes with perforated metal panels that reference the etched pattern. The sculpture stacks descend in height from SE 122nd Avenue, providing a visual marker of the library’s location and replacing the iconic clock tower removed during the renovation.

Ceiling mural by Lillyanne Pham and Paola De La Cruz, next to HYBYCOZO designed sculpture series

Crews expanded the Midland library by nearly 6,000 square feet, pushing the front of the building south and repositioning the entrance at the center of the bar-shaped single-story building. A long covered walkway guides pedestrians to the front doors from the sidewalk under a ceiling mural created by Lillyanne Pham and Paola De La Cruz. Long-time visitors to this branch will recognize elements of the original space, including the large painting at the east end of the main room. However, lower bookshelves now let visitors see across the expansive stacks, changing the perceived scale of the facility. New lower-hung lighting and an updated color palette make the space both bright and warm. Rooms of various sizes and uses surround the building’s towering core, letting people move to semi-secluded spaces when the central section becomes too active.

The updated branch is more inclusive of the varied needs of its guests than before and aims to support all age groups. Young children have an educational play area off the main stacks with age-appropriate books and play equipment. A nearby exit leads to an outdoor fenced play space with a soft rubber surface. If people need to transition out of an over-stimulating space, Midland offers the library system’s first sensory room that provides a calm, quiet area. Users can adjust room lighting and other interactive elements to meet their needs. The room features a mirrored bubble tube, tactile panels, and a fiber optic tunnel.

  • Tactile panels and marble light board in sensory room
  • Tactile board and mirrored bubble tube in sensory room
  • Young reader’s area
  • Educational play area
  • Outdoor play area

Midland has a quiet room across from the young reader’s area where people can sit in chairs or at tables away from the active main room. Teenage visitors also have a dedicated and fully enclosed space with access to video games and media resources, including computers geared towards digital creators. Library visitors can use a computer at a fixed workstation or check out a laptop from a kiosk for use throughout the building. The Multnomah County Library system is pairing these building renovations with a broader effort to adapt their services to the modern needs of the community. Just as public libraries provided equitable access to written knowledge for 200 years, these expansions intend to provide equitable access to technology and digital tools. Access can take many forms, from printing documents to participating in a video interview or creating an animated video. The spaces and equipment available after this renovation should keep the library relevant as a community resource hub for decades.

  • Shorter bookcases with integrated LED lighting
  • Outdoor gathering circle
  • Indoor gathering circle
  • Teen room
  • Quiet room

In response to the community’s desire for gathering space, Midland features ten meeting rooms that people can reserve for free. Designers configured the entrance with a retractible separator that allows meeting room access even when the staff closes the library portion of the building, facilitating later meeting times. A panel system designed for art exhibits lines the meeting room hallway across from display cases ready to show art created at the library. The larger meeting rooms at the front of the building have assistive hearing equipment integrated into the presentation system, and conference equipment aids groups holding hybrid meetings. With designed insights from Indigenous communities, Midland contains several gathering circle areas inside and outside the library, geared towards conversations without a central speaker. A core component of this update, and a large percentage of new square footage added to the building, focuses on supporting community groups and creating opportunities for connections.

  • Large meeting room
  • Computer workstations
  • Projector and conferencing system for meetings
  • Laptop checkout kiosk

The Multnomah County Library invites people to the grand opening weekend celebration, starting with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 26th. The White Lotus Dragon & Lion Dance Team will start off the entertainment at 9:45 a.m., followed by a day filled with family-friendly activities and music. The first day wraps up at 5 p.m. but continues at noon on the following Sunday, October 27th. Those activities extend through 5:30 p.m. with Hawaiian Hula, ​​Bollywood Dance, Hoop Dance, and other culturally rich activities. After the grand reopening, the Midland branch will serve the public from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Sundays, they open from noon to 6 p.m. The schedule shifts two hours later on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, from noon to 8 p.m.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account for monthly support or you can pay for a full year directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Community, Construction, Demolition, Government, New Residence

Demolition Gives Rise to Oak Street Village

On Thursday, October 10th, demolition crews with Buildskape razed the single-story auto sales building on the Multnomah County-owned property at 333 SE 82nd Avenue. As they prepared the site for an alternative outdoor shelter, workers removed the signage and high-intensity light poles used by RV and automotive sales tenants over the last several decades. In early 2025, people transitioning out of houselessness will begin moving into 29 one-room sleeping pods and receive support from site operator Straightway Services.

At an October 9th community meeting, engagement coordinators with the Joint Office of Homeless Services (JOHS) announced the final name of the shelter site. Up to this point, JOHS referred to the project under the working name of Montavilla Community Village. After consulting with community groups and business association members, officials selected the site name Oak Street Village. This final name establishes its location and will disambiguate it from a planned second Montavilla shelter location further south at SE 82nd Avenue and Mill Street. That other location will start development next year, with residents expected in 2026.

With the site nearly cleared of debris, crews will soon begin digging trenches for water and sewer infrastructure connecting to portable units that house showers, bathrooms, kitchenette space, and a laundry facility for residents. The site uses Pallet branded shelters for the eight-by-20-foot shed-style sleeping pods. Residents and staff will have 33 onsite parking spaces, trash services, and other communal spaces for pet relief and covered outdoor seating. Straightway Services staff members operate the site 24 hours a day, working from the office building at the SE Oak Street entrance.

Oak Street Village site rendering courtesy Multnomah County

Up to 40 adults can reside at the Oak Street Village. That number varies based on the number of couples staying at the shelter who can share a single sleeping pod. The JOHS-funded program intends for guests to have a limited stay at this site and use it as a stepping stone to finding stable housing. Rules of the shelter prohibit the use of illegal substances and alcohol. People may not possess dangerous weapons at Oak Street Village, and visitors are not allowed unless they are part of an approved support service. Residents will abide by quiet hours from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., and Straightway Services will answer an onsite phone line available to the public to respond to questions or hear neighbor’s concerns.

These Oak Street Village policies and other considerations are part of a community engagement process that includes a lengthy Good Neighbor Agreement (GNA) working group process that is wrapping up ahead of the site’s opening. Representatives of the JOHS, Straightway Services, Montavilla Neighborhood Association, Montavilla East Tabor Business Association, and the City of Portland participated in the process and will sign the agreement. That document calls for a community advisory group to track set metrics for area livability and will meet quarterly to review and advise on changes that could improve conditions.

Montavilla News first reported on the County’s intentions for two former RV sales sites along 82nd Avenue at the end of 2022. Over the last two years, the County increased its engagement strategy and held several community meetings. Organization representatives on the GNA working group described the process as productive at the October 9th meeting. They said people can view a complete version of the document at an upcoming neighborhood association meeting planned for later this year. Once signed, it will become a public document for anyone to read, with amendments and other relevant data appearing online. Construction crews will work on the site over the next three to four months before Straightway Services takes over the property to ready it for guests’ arrivals around February 2025.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account for monthly support or you can pay for a full year directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Community, Construction, Renovation

Belmont Library Closes for Renovations

On September 7th, the Belmont Library at 1038 SE Cesar Estrada Chavez Boulevard closes for renovations that will more than double its size with a two-story addition to the original 1924 brick building. Demolition crews will remove portions of the building added in previous updates, clearing the way for the modern amenities seen at other voter-approved library expansions. Starting August 31st, patrons will only receive at-door service from library staff as they prepare the space for construction.

Draft renderings of Belmont Library courtesy of Bora Architecture and Interiors

Belmont Library is one of several options for Montavilla residents. Despite its modest 5,420-square-foot capacity, this branch is one of the busiest locations in the entire Multnomah County Library system. During the closure, people can visit a temporary branch at 3557 SE Hawthorne Boulevard starting Monday, September 9th. Limited services at this storefront will include holds-pick-up, Lucky Day items, all-hours book returns, and free wireless printing. Patrons can also use the recently refreshed Gregory Heights Library at 7921 NE Sandy Boulevard or the new two-story Holgate Library at 7905 SE Holgate Boulevard.

Draft renderings of Belmont Library courtesy of Bora Architecture and Interiors

Crews will create dedicated areas during the Belmont Library remodel that offer more to do than read, similar to what staff revealed last month at the Holgate Library. Children and their caregivers will find an ample interior educational play space with books, games, and other age-appropriate learning tools. Community groups will gain flexible meeting spaces with updated technology and internet throughout the facility. A teen area will provide space for homework and creative expression with access to modern technology. As with other recent library investments, new community-reflecting art will adorn the expanded building.

Draft renderings of Belmont Library courtesy of Bora Architecture and Interiors

Bora Architecture and Interiors led the design efforts for this $28 million project that will deliver an approximately 15,000-square-foot modern library. People should expect a year of construction starting next month. The builder anticipates the Belmont Library will reopen around spring 2026.

By

Jacob Loeb

Update: A previous version of this article said the Belmont Library would reopen in late 2025 or early 2026. That timeline was updated to spring 2026.

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account or you can pay for a full year directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Community, Event, New Business, View of Montavilla

New Holgate Library Opens July 13

The replacement Holgate Library will reopen to the public on July 13th with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and three days of events. The entirely new two-story mass timber facility at 7905 SE Holgate Boulevard replaces the former single-story Library and is the first new branch building constructed since 2010. The Multnomah County-run location hosts thousands of new books but also features many other community-supporting resources that help ensure all county residents have access to digital tools and young guests have dedicated areas to do more than read.

The Holgate Library is three times the size of the original building at this site, now offering 21,000 square feet, becoming one of the largest libraries in Multnomah County. The $27 million investment in this facility is part of a 2020 capital bond that supports a system-wide refresh of the previously undersized library system. In addition to added capacity, program designers have looked to enhance the resources provided to the public and adjust to meet shifting community needs. Recognizing that the Holgate Library supports one of the most culturally diverse areas in the region, Multnomah County leaders made this project a cornerstone of the system updates. It features the first fully enclosed Teen Room with Nintendo Switch-based gaming and video creation kits available for checkout. In addition to several community meeting spaces with multimedia connections and assistive technologies, one of the reservable spaces has a sink and splash-safe flooring that can work as a future maker space. Visitors can also access computer resources where they can print and scan. The upper floor features private booths for taking calls or other solitary work.

Teen Room with TV, gaming system, art supplies, media production kits and study space

The Library’s design resulted from extensive community and staff engagement with artwork wrapping the structure and anchoring walls. The green exterior and carpeting resulted from survey participant input, and the art selected in partnership with the Regional Arts and Culture Council represents the community. Two elevators ensure people can navigate the building smoothly, but a central stairway entices people to walk the naturally lit and decoratively screened steps. Recognizing the need for universal communications, signs in the building feature mostly icons instead of words. Many aspects of the Library respond to the diversity seen in its user base. Fourteen Community Design Advocates participated in a paid program designed to connect library designers to representatives from various communities, shaping this building’s functions and design.

The Saturday opening will begin with brief remarks from 9:30 to 10 a.m. The guests will then have the opportunity to experience performances by the White Lotus Dance Team, Two Generations of Hoops Dance, and Mulan Drum and Jade Dance Team throughout the day. A Traditional Vietnamese music performance with David Dahl concludes the first day’s schedule from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. The two remaining event days will contain more afternoon programs representing various cultures and artistic performances. The Library’s information page offers a complete listing of events and times.

Kids room with large play area and reserved computers, alongside age-appropriate books

Library staff invites people to attend the three-day celebration or visit anytime during regular operating hours to experience the amenities not originally part of the former 6,400 square-foot space. People caring for young children should appreciate the large learning and play space on the ground floor. This branch also features the latest automated materials handling technology, allowing people to self-checkout and return borrowed items. A new Book Locker lets patrons pick up on hold without waiting for assistance. The automation already seen in many other library systems frees library staff to assist those with special requests and support the increased number of people expected to visit this location. Even those not wanting to come indoors can enjoy the outdoor plaza where community members can relax and connect. The Holgate Library is open from noon to 8 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays.

Article and Photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account or you can pay for a full year directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Infrastructure

I84 Weekend Cleanup Closure

This weekend, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) will close a five-mile section of Interstate 84 between Interstate 5 and Interstate 205. The 13-hour overnight closure will last from 11 p.m. Saturday, July 13th to noon Sunday, July 14th. Vehicle traffic in both directions must detour around the freeway for east-west travel, potentially adding more cars onto Montavilla Streets. Union Pacific Railroad and TriMet will also suspend most rail usage through Sullivan’s Gulch, clearing the way for crews to remove graffiti and accumulated trash safely.

Around 100 workers from six agencies—ODOT, Union Pacific Railroad, TriMet, the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT), Metro, and Multnomah County—will address graffiti and trash in this hard-hit section that is difficult to clean. The number of overlapping jurisdictions through Sullivan’s Gulch complicates most regular maintenance activities. Consequentially, cleanup efforts are infrequent, attracting people camping who are looking to avoid sweeps and taggers who prize long-lasting displays of their mark.

Graphic courtesy ODOT

All on-ramps leading to I-84 will be closed during this work. ODOT crews will also prohibit northbound I-5 travel over the Marquam Bridge, with traffic diverted onto northbound Interstate 405. That overnight closure will allow workers to carry out bridge maintenance. The Morrison Bridge and North Weidler Street ramps to northbound I-5 will remain open. PBOT crews plan to clean their I-84 corridor crossing during this time. Crews will work west to east, starting with the Congressman Earl Blumenauer Bicycle and Pedestrian Bridge. Cleaning work will then address blight on the NE 12th Avenue, NE 21st Avenue, and NE 28th Avenue crossings. Work could potentially clean bridges farther east into the Montavilla area if time allows. PBOT crews will close the bridges to traffic one at a time as they deploy large trucks and specialized equipment. This phased work will further disrupt traffic overnight and into the morning. Bus routes will not have to detour around closures, but operators will drive slowly through the work sites, adding to travel times.

NE Glisan Street traffic jamb on June 14th during crash closure of I-84

Drivers should check TripCheck.com for real-time traffic information during the closure, with ODOT suggesting that motorists use I-205 or local roads to detour around the work site. TriMet shuttle buses will move riders around Sunday’s partial-day closure between the Gateway/NE 99th Ave Transit Center and NE 7th Ave stations. Transit workers may need additional time to resume MAX service once I-84 has reopened, as crews will need to reenergize the system.

Although the closure focuses on cleaning, ODOT crews may perform electrical work and sign maintenance. Workers could also patch pavement, clean drains, and make other repairs that require a full closure. Funding provided by the Oregon Legislature during their 2024 session helped increase ODOT efforts to remove graffiti, clean up trash, and restore areas damaged along the side of the road. This project is part of the multiagency efforts to restore Portland to a cleaner and safer condition. Officials timed this closure to have the most negligible impact on travel. However, people should anticipate some delays and use caution when driving near road crews.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account or you can pay for a full year directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.