Published by the Institute of Portland Metropolitan Studies, Portland State University Winter 2013PuPubPububububububbbbbllllilililislislishedhedhedhededededededddd bbbbbybybybybybyby ththhhhhhhe Ie Ie Ie Ie Ie Ie Ie Ie I tnstnstnstnstituituitutututituituituituttetetetetetetetete fofofofofofofofof of PPPorPorPortlatlatlatlatlalalaatlatla ddndndndndndndndndnd MetMetMetMetMetetetttMetMe rrrrororororopoliitantantantananananantan StStStStStStStStStStSt dududududiudiudiudiudiudieses, PoPoPoPPPoPoPoPoPoPoP ltlrtlrtlrtlrtlrtlrtlrtlrtlrtlananananananandandand StStStStStStttStatettateateateateateateateatea UUUnUnUnUnUnUnUnUnUnUniveiveiveiveiversirsirsiiirsirsirsirsirsirsirs tttytytytytytytytytyty WMetroscape An Atlas and Mirror

of the PortlandMetropolitanRegion

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®

INSIDE Estacada Native American Housing Myth of Portlandia

Exploring the Intertwine:1,250 miles of parks, trails, and natural areas

On the Cover:

Metroscape

Seeking Sustainability and Affordability Native American Housing in SE Portland

An experiment in modular housing.

by Leah Gibson

Page 8

A

Exploring the IntertwineLinking 1,250 miles of parks, trails, and natural areas.

by Ramona DeNies

Page 30

The Myth of PortlandiaPortlandia, Grimm, Leverage and us.

An interview with urban historian, Carl Abbott, and dramaturg, Karin Magalidi.

by Sara Gates

Page 24

Publisher’s Notes

The Landscape

Periodic Atlas of the Metroscape: Housing

Indicators of the Metroscape

3

4

17

35

Departments

Inside

An Atlas and Mirror of the Portland Metropolitan Region

The butterfly is a western tiger swallowtail. In addition to providing a healthy ecosystem for wildlife, The Intertwine offers enriching experiences for humans in the form of recreational opportunities and a connection to the natural world.

Michael Wilhelm Photography, www.wilhelmphoto.com

Publisher Sheila Martin

Editor-in-Chief Meg Merrick

Editor Tracy Dillon

Technical Editor Vivek Shandas

Design Meg Merrick Editorial Board Pamela Grace Morgan Nancy Stevens Bill Lang Coordinator/ Researcher Jeremy R. Young

Metroscape® is published by the Institute of Portland Metropolitan Studies

Nohad A. Toulan School of Urban Studies & Planning

Portland State University

www.pdx.edu/ims

Metroscape®

Institute of Portland Metropolitan Studies

Board of Directors

Welcome to the Winter 2013 issue of Metroscape® featuring people and places that make our region remarkable.

Our cover story features the Intertwine Alliance—a group of more than 70 public and private organizations dedicated to establishing a set of seamless networks of urban trails and parks. They envision developing a green urban interconnectivity in the Portland-Vancouver metro area.

The Atlas previews the Regional Equity Atlas 2.0, a partnership between the Coalition for a Livable Future (CLF) and the Institute of Portland Metropolitan Studies (IMS) at Portland State University. Static maps and a web-based tool for uncovering Portland’s ‘geography of opportunity’ reveal three areas that policymakers must focus on: demographics, access to resources and opportunities, and health outcomes.

We also address a pressing and troublesome issue facing the metro region today: affordable housing. Among Portland’s communities of color, the housing problem is complicated by discrimination and marginalization. Key members of the Native American Youth & Family (NAYA) Center’s Kah San Chako Haws (Kay-Sahn-Chahko-Hahz) project explain how modular home construction can help meet the Portland Native American community’s increasing need for affordable and sustainable housing. Our Landscape (re) introduces us to Estacada—a city that proclaims itself ‘close to everything, but away from it all.’

Indicators presents some good news given difficult economic conditions over the past several years. Metroscape employment growth averaged 1.1 percent in 2011. Huzzah!

Finally, Portland State’s Carl Abbott and Karin Magaldi reveal how recent television and film projects are projecting Portland culture onto the national stage. Our interview discloses their take on the myth of Portlandia. Lights! Camera! Action! Enjoy!

Jason JurjevichActing Director, Institute of Portland Metropolitan Studies/ Population Research Center

Nancy StevensMultnomah CountyBoard Chair

Pamela Grace MorganMultnomah CountyBoard Vice Chair

Anne BerblingerGales Meadow Farm

Jeff CogenCommissioner, Multnomah County

Chris ColemanPortland Center Stage

Rob DrakeBeaverton

Nick FishCouncilor, City of Portland

Alicia HamiltonClackamas County

Mary HanlonNW Captial Fund

Jack HoffmanMayor, Lake Oswego

Tom HughesPresident, Metro Council

Betsy JohnsonState Senator, Columbia County

Michael J. JordanState of Oregon

Ginger MetcalfIdentity Clark County

Jack L. OrchardBall Janik LLP (Portland)

H. Roger QualmanNAI Norris Beggs and Simpson (Vancouver)

Alejandro QueralNW Health Foundation

William ScottZipcar Portland

Connie SeeleyOHSU

Steve StuartCommissioner, Clark County

Michael SykesCity of Forest Grove

Ex OfficioLawrence Wallack, Dr. P.H.Dean, College of Urban and Public Affairs Portland State University

Metroscape

Greetings from the Publisher

Page 4 Metroscape

The Landscape

Estacada by Jeremy R. Young

Tformer timber town in Clacka-mas County, 30 miles southeast

of Portland. This “city” of nearly 2,700 is remotely tucked away in pristine wil-derness—set against the backdrop of the Mt. Hood National Forest and the Clack-amas River Gorge—yet is within reach of Portland’s hustle and bustle. The scenic drive from Portland to Estacada, via OR-

Just over a hundred years ago, however, paved roads didn’t even reach this place.

In fact, the town wouldn’t even exist to-day if it hadn’t been for the construction

-tric dam, the Cazadero, in 1905. At the turn of the last century, the rapidly grow-ing City of Portland (pop. 90,000) need-ed electricity to power its streetlights. In 1901, after the successful completion of a hydro power station at Oregon City, the Oregon Water Power and Railway Com-pany acquired property along the Clacka-mas and built a rail line from Gresham to the new site through the nearby town of Boring.

What literally started as a “tent city” for workers building the dam quickly

of nearly 400 by October 1904. Before anyone knew it, streets were platted and Estacada was incorporated the follow-ing year. Local lore has it that the town’s name, Spanish for “marked with stakes,” was selected at random from a U.S. map

depicting the Llano Estacado region of Texas.

The newly constructed rail line to Es-tacada almost immediately gave rise to a new lumber industry that would drive the economy of this place for almost a cen-tury. The rail line not only transported the abundant natural resource, but also brought multitudes of urbanites from Portland by streetcar to picnic and enjoy the great outdoors. The scenic wonder-land surrounding the new town provided a much-needed retreat from the industri-

board the Estacada-Cazadero streetcar at the Morrison Bridge and be transported to a forested oasis for the day. For a dollar more, passengers could ride the streetcar plus enjoy dinner at the new Hotel Es-tacada on Main Street.

-man from Portland to the shores of the Clackamas at Estacada, where salmon and steelhead trout were plentiful. As such, the railway quickly became known as the “Trout Route.”

Tourism was an important component of Estacada’s early economy, but began

ended passenger service to the town in the early 1930s. It was ultimately timber, not tourism, which kept Estacada resi-dents and business owners prosperous, however.

Legend has it that logging trucks chugged through town at a pace of one

“Close to everything, but away from it all.”

Portland

Gresham

Camas

Damascus

on City

Happy Valley

Troutdale

Washougal

e

Sandy

Fairview

Gladstone

Wood Village

Maywood Park

Johnson City

Estacada

per minute during big timber’s glory days in the 1950s and 1960s. During this time, one could measure Estacada’s econom-ic pulse by simply counting the logging trucks as they rolled through town rattling downtown storefront windows.

For the greater part of a century, most residents of Estacada were employed at the saw mill; one of the metro area’s larg-est producers of lumber products. Gradu-ally, over time, increased state and federal regulations imposed on the logging indus-try resulted in its decline, and the town’s economic pulse began to slow dramatical-ly by the 1980s. After holding on for dear life for two decades, the Estacada Saw Mill Co. closed its doors for good in 2007. As

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

2000

2010

Estacada Census Profile2000 and 2010

Page 7Metroscape

a result, many downtown shops have also shuttered their doors in recent years.

“The decline of the timber industry has changed the identity of Estacada. Most of us no longer see Estacada as a lum-ber town or mill town,” says Mayor-elect Brent Dodrill. Like many other former timber towns throughout the state that are now confronted by an identity crisis, Estacada, too, is struggling to reinvent it-self.

Despite Estacada’s depressed economy, residents, downtown business owners

hope in their town. Leading the charge for a renewed civic pride in recent years is a group of local artists who have banded together to transform their community one brush stroke at a time.

Each summer, the ArtBack Artists Co-operative has wowed the community with their “mural-in-a-weekend” event. Dur-ing this event, a mural depicting a unique aspect of Estacada history or culture is painted on a blank wall in town. Since 1994, murals have been painted portray-ing the history of the native peoples who

timber heritage; the steam engines and streetcars that once carried dam workers and throngs of city dwellers to this place; the area’s scenic beauty and rich wildlife; recreational opportunities on the Clacka-mas and in the Mt. Hood National Forest; as well as other themes.

The creative class has become a thriv-ing presence in Downtown Estacada. The Spiral Gallery on Broadway Street now at-tracts arts enthusiasts from around the

Across the street, another type of inno-vative “spirit” draws quite the crowd: the craft-brewed beer at Fearless Brewing Co.

-knowledged the role of the creative class

in helping to market downtown as a desti-nation. It’s quite apparent that more needs to be done to rebuild the city’s economy and attract new industry, however.

In April 2011, the state Department of Land Conservation and Development ap-proved the city’s application to annex 130 acres of farmland into its urban growth boundary to create an industrial sanctu-ary along the city’s western boundary. “We hope to see this [land] developed and bring some great jobs to our area,” Mayor-elect Dodrill explains.

In the meantime, while city leaders try to lure new industry over the next few

forward with two plans adopted by the

Downtown Urban Renewal Plan (2007) and the City of Estacada Downtown & Riverside Area Plan (2011). These plans outline goals for Estacada’s historic Downtown core as well as its scenic riv-erfront. The latter could be a boon for efforts to boost tourism and recreational activities in the area.

When asked about moving forward on the Downtown & Riverside Area Plan, he said, “This plan will begin to pick up

some great changes will be made to the historic downtown area.”

About the people who live and work here, Dodrill says this: “The people of Estacada are wonderful, hard-working people who work together for the good of the community. Our new identity is not fully formed yet, but it’s in the pro-cess.” M

Jeremy R. Young is a Lancaster, PA native and a Master of Urban and Regional Planning student at Portland State University.

Leading the charge for a

renewed civic pride in recent

years is a group of local

artists who have banded

together to transform

their community

one brush stroke at a

time.

Page 8 Metroscape

On the early morning of Monday,

pulled out of a parking lot of a warehouse in Aumsville, Oregon. The air was crisp with the beginning of fall, the sunlight still hidden behind trees as the truck began its trek up I-5.

-lar housing units being delivered to a lot at 9707 SE Holgate in Portland, about an hour away.

Modular housing construction is an

alternative method to conventional con-struction that has been proven to reduce cost and delivery time and increase sus-tainability and green workforce jobs and training opportunities. For this project, each unit is built in a rectangle box shape, identical in interior and exterior design, and is built to be stackable. The hope, with

that the reduced cost, time, and risk will increase opportunities to build more af-fordable and sustainable housing in Port-

Seeking Sustainability and Affordability:Native American Housing in SE Portland by Leah Gibson Imagery courtesy of NAYA

Page 9Metroscape

land in a way that is less costly and more

While the units were being built in the Blazer Industries Inc. warehouse in Aumsville in August and September, the lot was being prepped and the foundation

of the modular apartments. By the time the modular units were ready to leave the manufacturer's warehouse to make the short journey to Portland, the foundation was ready for them to be placed.

set of three two-bedroom units had been placed and stacked. As each module ar-rived, a large crane lifted it off the back of the truck and gently set it down into place. By the end of day two, most of the one-

last one-bedroom and the three studios

were secured. Compared to conventional construction time, weather issues, disrup-tions, and waste, this project was a breeze.

Portland news media outlets pro-claimed “Affordable Housing Built in Three Days,” which is misleading. Al-though the modules were put together and set in the foundation within three days, the total length of time to construct the project from pouring the foundation

time took about four months; it also took about four months to secure the proper permits. With design, permits, and con-struction time accounted for, the project totals 13 months altogether. Compared to traditional stick-built affordable housing complexes, which normally take about 18 months from design to completion, this amount of time is exemplary.

The project, called Kah San Chako Haws (Kay-Sahn-Chahko-Hahz, meaning “East House” in Chi-

nook jargon) is an effort of the Native American Youth & Family Center to cre-ate truly affordable housing for Portland urban Indian community members. And with the demand growing for affordable housing and funding becoming less avail-able, this type of project is coming about at the perfect time.

The Native American Youth & Family Center, or NAYA (Nay-uh) Family Cen-ter, is a social services agency serving the Native American community of Portland

-tivities, and services for Native youth and families. NAYA Family Center’s mission is “…to enhance the diverse strengths of our youth and families in partnership with the community through cultural identity and education.” NAYA is a 501(c)3 non-

in 1974 by a group of parent volunteers

Page 10 Metroscape

who were concerned about the futures of -

its clients with everything from youth ad-vocacy to emergency clothing, food, and domestic violence support to community economic development services, such as

coaching and microenterprise develop-ment. It even operates a private, culturally

the Early College Academy.NAYA operates from a set of nine core

values that guides the work of its staff and was chosen by Native community members, including youth and elders: re-spect, balance, pride, giving, community, tradition, kindness, accountability, diver-sity, and leadership. NAYA has also ad-opted the Relational Worldview Model, developed by the National Indian Child Welfare Association, and translated it for use in providing social services for the Native community of Portland. This ser-vice delivery model ensures that Native community members are being served holistically, rather than only treated with basic needs. For example, if a family comes into NAYA in need of food, they will not only receive a food box, but will also learn about potential job opportuni-ties, go through the NAYA clothing closet

free health care for their children, and

cultural event.

The Native American community of Portland is the ninth largest ur-ban Indian community in the na-

tion. Over 380 tribes are represented in this community of over 38,000 Native people, many of which are multi-tribal and/or multi-ethnic. There are twenty-eight Native organizations in the Portland area, owned and run by Native people; of

these organizations, over $50 million in combined revenue goes to the city’s taxes, businesses, and services.

The city of Portland rests on old village sites of the Chinook, Multnomah, Clack-amas, Kathlamet, and Tualatin Kalapuya, among others. All of these tribes were affected by disease, relocation, assimila-tion, and termination after non-Native contact. Over 60 Oregon tribes were ter-minated during the 1950s, including the Klamath, Siletz, and Grand Ronde, which have since fought to have their federally recognized tribal status reinstated. The site that NAYA now operates from at 5135 NE Columbia Blvd.—which used to be the Whitaker Elementary school—is actually a historical Chinook village site, where many Chinook families made their homes along the Columbia Slough. Be-fore NAYA moved in to the new building from their old one on Mississippi Avenue, they asked Chinook tribal representatives for their permission to occupy the site and invited them to a traditional land blessing ceremony to seal the deal. In 2009, NAYA

from Portland Public Schools. Over the course of eight years during the move from their old building to the purchase of

-son staff and a $215,000 budget to a staff of 100 and a budget of over $8 million.

Today, the Native community of Port-land still suffers from the affects of ter-mination, assimilation, relocation, board-ing schools, and other forms of racism and bias, leading to diaspora, extreme poverty, mental illness, substance abuse, and health issues. However, resiliency is a key quality of this community. Despite the fact that the Native American poverty rate in Multnomah county is 34% com-pared to 12% in the white community and the unemployment rate is 70% higher for

NAYA operates from a set

of nine core values...

respect,

balance,

pride,

giving,

community,

tradition,

kindness,

accountability,

diversity,

leadership

Page 11Metroscape

Natives than white people, there is much being done on the city, county, and state levels to ensure that Native people receive access to much-needed resources in a cul-turally appropriate way.

Kah San Chako Haws, the leader in af-fordable, culturally appropriate housing for Native Americans, is one example of efforts to help lead Native families

Native people are overrepresented in the total homeless rate in Multnomah County by 350%, making up 9% of the overall rate—a number that has been increas-ing in the past few years, rather than de-clining. Of the total Multnomah County residents in poverty, Native people make up 6.8%; however, only half that amount receive public housing and only 4.4% re-ceive tenant vouchers to ensure that they do not end up homeless. Compound these numbers with a lack of affordable housing, discrimination, and other inequi-ties, and the Native community has a ma-jor housing crisis.

Although Kah San Chako Haws is only nine units, it represents the opportunity that is available to begin seriously address-ing Native housing concerns. First of all, it is owned, operated, and constructed by Native Americans. Secondly, modu-lar housing affords the ability to create quicker, cheaper housing options to ad-dress the growing numbers of people in need. Third, Kah San proves that it all can be done sustainably.

Kah San Chako Haws is one of four housing establishments that NAYA has

-ary of 2008, Sawash LLC was developed by NAYA Family Center and included three housing units—Ceel Ocks, Nelson Court, and Tistilal Village. These afford-able housing developments began pro-viding the Native community of Portland

with culturally appropriate affordable housing options. Kah San Chako Haws is a continuation of this theme with a focus on modular construction, which promises to house more people in a fraction of the time with fewer costs than conventional construction, with a land acquisition twist for the Portland urban Indian community thrown in.

Rey España, one of the primary leaders in affordable housing for Native people in Portland, has

served as the director of the commu-nity development department at NAYA Family Center for over eight years. Prior to NAYA, Rey worked for Multnomah County and has a history in community development in the Los Angeles area.

The designer for the Kah San Chako Haws project, Stuart Emmons, coinci-dentally knows Rey from a string of de-velopment projects they worked on to-gether back in Los Angeles in the 80s. The pair goes way back…as far back as 1984 in Santa Monica. Rey was a project manager for the city’s economic develop-ment department, and Stuart represented the architect on a project called the Kent Edwards building, a senior center which has since won design awards, and projects like the Daybreak Center for survivors of domestic violence.

Every project the pair has pursued has always had a strong human interest fac-tor. What is most unique is their approach is that, during the planning process, they ask, How can we push the limits, how can we make this better than it’s been done before, and how can we really help peo-ple? Often, the people who will be living in the buildings that they develop come from hard places. For this reason, Rey and Stuart aim to build dignity into the design and development of the project. With this unique perspective, they have

Every project [that Epaña and Emmons] have pursued has always had a strong human interest factor.

Page 12 Metroscape

won awards and have been recognized up and down the West Coast for their work.

One of the last projects they worked on was once called the Saint Julian, now the Simone Hotel, a 110-unit housing com-plex for Los Angeles’ homeless. A multi-million dollar endeavor, the project began with absolutely pure intentions and back-ing from multiple funders, but got bogged down over the course of four years by political issues and complications. What started out as a grand plan to get 1,000 of the city’s homeless off the streets ev-ery year for ten years was abandoned after only four years. The Simone Hotel is now the only proof of that endeavor.

“The designers, the builders…they were all friends of ours,” says Rey, reminiscing. “We had it all together.”

“We had the billionaires behind us,” chimes in Stuart. “And we had the biggest oil company in the country behind us, and still….”

“In four years,” continues Rey. “That was the only thing we ever built.”

Disappointed by the process, Rey and Stuart felt that there had to be a better, faster, and cheaper way to create hous-ing for low-income people. The seeds for NAYA’s modular housing project were already being sown, and Rey hadn’t even heard of NAYA yet.

Not long after the Simone Hotel, Rey left California for greener op-tions—literally. The day that the

two opened their last project together—the Kent Edwards Center—Rey had a job interview in Portland.

“I just kind of slipped out.”After losing contact with Stuart and his other L.A. friends and colleagues to join the growing movement in economic sus-tainability in Portland, Rey got connected and began working for Multnomah Coun-ty.

walking by a building next to his work-place and took note of a very interesting wall. It was slanted.

“I said to myself, I don’t know anyone else who would think of something like that,” says Rey. He knew that Stuart had a particular penchant for curved walls and hadn’t seen

done by anyone else.A few days later, he was in a Greek

deli downtown when he heard a joyful shout and turned to see a familiar face, one he never expected to see again. Stu-art, unknowingly, had followed him to the Northwest.

“Portland is the last place I would have expected to see Rey,” says Stuart. “He’s an L.A. guy.” After catching up a few mo-ments, Stuart revealed that he was work-ing for SERA Architects in the very build-ing that Rey had noticed a few days earlier. Stuart was the designer of the curved wall.

The rest is history in the making.Stuart is not a stranger to making his-

tory. With a Master of Architecture de-gree from Harvard University, over 25 years of architectural experience, and 15 years of experience owning his own ar-chitecture business, Stuart is well known for his talent in California and in Portland.

-es to beautiful homes to the Deschutes brew pub in the Pearl—and now, modular housing.

“I just like to build things,” says Stuart. He remembers his interest in architecture

drawing board when he was very young. In fact, Stuart’s earliest inspiration for modu-lar housing occurred when he attended Expo 67, the 1967 International and Uni-versal Expedition, also known as the Cat-egory One World’s Fair held in Montreal,

...the project...got bogged down over

the course of four years

by political issues and

complications.

Page 13Metroscape

Canada. He was 12. What he remembers most was an attraction called Habitat 67, a model construction of modular dwellings made of concrete stacked on top of each other, designed by Moshe Safdie.

What sets Stuart apart from other talented architects is his passion for helping people in

need. When he designs a project, he really thinks about the people who will be liv-ing there. What are their needs? What are their challenges? During the design pro-cess, he aims to get in the heads of the people who will be inhabiting the space, whether it is an elderly widow or a home-less man just getting off the downtown streets.

Stuart says that one of his strongest -

al design instructor at the Pratt Institute in New York—the late Harry Simmons, an African American architect in Brook-lyn—who opened his eyes to affordable housing and the impact it could make in people’s lives.

“He said, it’s not about how cool-look-ing the kitchen is, it’s about the people,” says Stuart. “I want to make an impact. This is the kind of work that feeds my

my work as well, and his vision, kindness, passions and generosity are truly excep-tional. He is a great man, and I am blessed to call him a close friend of mine.”

This keen sense of humanity is what has inspired both Stuart and Rey in the implementation and design of Kah San Chako Haws. From the modular style to Stuart’s insistence on including dishwash-

-cy—which will cut renters’ utility bills drastically—this project stands out from other housing projects. Both of them stress that, after their experience with the Simone Hotel, the most important thing

up housing and tenants faster.Rather than getting entangled in politics

and land acquisition issues, the project is slated to take about 13 months from start

18 months of time that housing develop-ments normally take—and Rey says that time can be cut to even 11 months. As of mid-November, the NAYA construc-tion team—made up of Native American community members and staff who are committed to workforce training—was doing workforce training on the siding

the project will occur between now and the end of January. The plan is that the apartment complex will be move-in ready January 31, ensuring that more Native community members are helped faster.

The complex will serve tenants who are eligible to receive Section 8 housing assistance and meet other eligibility re-quirements. The housing is being built primarily to serve the Native American community’s elders, single mothers, youth aging out of foster care, and families. Ap-plications are currently being processed.

multi-story projects in the nation. Al-though there have been other modular

made up of stacked modular units in an apartment style. It is a pilot project, which is intended to be replicated as funding is secured for land and construction. The beauty of modular housing is that a com-plex can be built as large or as small as the space affords, meaning that if land can only be purchased in parcels, the de-

a big enough space. For example, if two lots can be purchased near each other, but

The housing is being built primarily to serve the Native American community's elders, single mothers, youth aging out of foster care, and families.

Page 14 Metroscape

there is a plot of land in between that the landowner doesn’t want to sell, the devel-

purchase. They can develop on the two available sites and then, if the landowner in the middle changes his or her mind later, great. If not, they can still start de-veloping the available area.

In fact, Rey and Stuart have been eyeing a site right across the street from NAYA, where there is a lot for sale that would be perfect for Native community members who also receive—or could potentially receive—extensive services at NAYA, as well. And although there is enough oppor-tunity and funding available for affordable housing projects such as this one, there isn’t much available for land acquisition. In fact, Stuart says that land acquisition funding actually held up Kah San Chako Haws for a year.

“With the Portland Development Com-mission support, and now the Portland Housing Bureau, the money’s really in-credibly generous, and we’re really thank-ful for their contribution,” he says, “but we couldn’t use any of their money to buy the property. We need to get a trust of money that we can use just for land acqui-

lots, and that alone will really ease up land acquisition.”

Rey has another perspective on land acquisition from the Native worldview. Historically in Native cultures, indigenous people share land rather than owning it individually, whereas other non-Native communities consider land for equity and

“Modular construction as a housing type on top of land that could be held in perpetuity is an interesting land trust model,” says Rey. “Modular construction associated with other ways of owning

-

nity. For example, we could secure prop-erty and put the land in a land trust.” That way, the land would be kept always in the Native community and controlled by the Native community. “The actual housing piece of it could be sold, and then you have a shared equity model.”

The project also offers an interesting in-vestment opportunity for potential public and private investors. Modular construc-tion affords the ability for potential inves-tors to do quality construction and reduce costs while, at the same time, cutting con-struction time in at least half. That way,

collecting rent in a quicker timeframe than traditional stick-built housing proj-ects. While traditional affordable housing complexes normally cost about $200,000 a unit, Kah San Chako Haws units ran about $190,000 each and could be cut down to $150,000 each in the future. It helps that the designs for future units sim-ply need to be tweaked and perfected a little, rather than completely redesigned for each project, which will save time as well as money.

More than just talking the talk, Rey and Stuart are commit-ted to the walk, which leads

to more affordable housing in less time, and affordable doesn’t mean that modu-lar housing looks cheap or is made with

-work, Stuart has taken extra care to design the units to impress.

In fact, even City Commissioner Nick Fish was impressed when he visited re-cently and pointed out the extra light

-ger windows that Stuart designed. Kah San Chako units have big windows that

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More than just talking the talk, Rey and Stuart are committed to the walk, which leads to more affordable housing in less time.

Page 15Metroscape

insulation; extra lighting; and extra atten-tion to the layout so that rooms feel larger and more comfortable. Furthermore, unit cost is reduced by the exchange of big-ger windows for decks, the elimination of parking, and scaling down common areas and circulation. Based on recent modu-lar projects in the nation, similar projects could save about 6-to-15% in costs from traditional housing construction projects in the future.

The site is located very close to the rest of Portland by the new MAX green line, thereby encouraging public transporta-tion for community members who will inhabit the space. Additionally, there are parks and schools nearby, as well as shop-ping, healthcare, and workplaces. For these reasons, Kah San Chako Haws is perfect for families and working parents.

The modules are 12-to-15-feet wide and 30-to-60-feet long for ease in truck transportation. Studios are 400 square feet; one bedroom units are 711 square feet; and two bedrooms are 875 square feet. The one- and two-bedroom units are made up of two modules each, while stu-dios are constructed of only one module. The reason for the mix of apartment lay-outs is to show the stability of the mod-ule construction for future multi-family housing projects.

before being transported, including paint, -

ules are connected on site after transpor-tation, they are “touched up,” and stairs,

and Stuart hope that, in the future, some of these touch ups can also be done in-warehouse. The studio units are also sized to be pilot designs for very low-income and homeless community members.

In addition to the beautiful design and

spaciousness of these modular units, the project scores a Gold Leadership in En-ergy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating—just twelve points shy of mak-ing Platinum. The reason? Heat pumps. While the studio units do have the type of heat pumps required for the Platinum LEED rating, the one and two bedrooms do not.

“We were trying to save a little money on heating,” admits Stuart. “For another $20,000, we could have made these way

had to hit a budget.” Rey and Stuart both plan to make it Platinum next time.

But a Gold rating is still a great step in sustainability. In addition to the heat pumps in the studios,

Kah San Chako Haws sports installation materials that were all harvested locally

Star appliances. The modules were also built without the use of toxic glues. Ad-ditionally, the units were built in a sterile environment and away from wet weather, meaning that the opportunity for mold, mildew, and other construction-related issues will not be as common with this project as with traditional construction projects. Kah San Chako Haws’ energy

much less in utility bills and health risks in the long run.

In the future, Stuart and Rey hope to tweak the designs of the units to allow

hoping for a faster time frame. Rey says that they experienced some challenges that won’t be an issue for future projects,

perfecting the design, and dealing with transportation-related legal matters and liabilities. Now that they’ve been through the process, the developers can concen-

Page 16 Metroscape

trate on streamlining the process to get people housed as quickly as possible.

It helps that the manufacturer, Blazer Industries Inc., has had plenty of experi-ence in modular housing already. In ad-dition to Kah San Chako Haws, they’ve constructed modular homes, stores, and schools. They’ve been in business since the

1970s and got their start by build-ing toilets. The project team also includes Walsh Construction, the general contractor; the de-velopment consultant, Guardian Affordable Housing Develop-ment, LLC; the structural engi-neer Tornberg Consulting; sus-tainability, Earth Advantage; and

Bureau, Meyer Memorial Trust,

Oregon, and Home Forward.While NAYA chose to con-

Portland due to a funding op-portunity in the Lents urban re-newal area through the Portland Development Commission, it has also been aiming to do more outreach to Native community members who live and work in

that area. Southeast Portland, in fact, has the second-largest demographic of Native American community mem-bers, after the North Portland/St. John’s area.

Rey says, “The Native demographic has shifted to SE Portland, so it all worked out well for us that PDC’s funding concen-trated on that area. Therefore, the hous-ing is placed in a well-represented Native community already.” NAYA also recently acquired the former Foster Elementary site in the Lents area and plans to run an early learning center for preschool-aged children and an intergenerational hous-

ing project for foster youth modeled after Bridge Meadows in Portsmouth. In the Lents area, more than 12% of the Native

So far, Kah San Chako Haws has re-ceived awards from the Portland Housing Bureau and the Meyer Memorial Trust,

-ting a precedent for future affordable

Native American community members and other low-income people in Portland by reducing costs and delivery time while increasing quality and sustainability.

Rey and Stuart are just getting started. With this pilot project well underway and near completion, they already have their sights set on potential property to continue building, in addition to the lot across the street from NAYA. The plan is to keep building upon this pilot project to make each subsequent project better,

remains the driving motivation is the lack of affordable housing for Native Ameri-can community members in need.

“This has been a personal journey for us since 1988, building shelters and all that, not seeing enough housing built,” says Stuart. “And there are not thirty peo-ple on the streets—there are hundreds of people on the street. To break the cycle of poverty, it’s all about housing.”

“We’ve proven initially that we can get quality housing for less,” says Rey. “So we’ll see how the community responds…but I think we’re on to an idea.” M

writer and a Portland State alum. She holds a master's degree in writing through the Portland State book publishing program. Leah was raised in Portland and has strong roots in the Portland metro area.

"...there are not thirty people on the streets—there are hundreds of people on the streets."

Page 17Metroscape

Periodic Atlas of the MetroscapeThe Geography of Home A preview from the Regional Equity Atlas 2.0 by Meg Merrick and Kris Smock

T he Coalition for a Livable Future’s

(www.equityatlas.org) received national attention for its groundbreaking exploration of the Portland metro area’s “geography of opportunity”. Published in 2007, the Atlas uses maps to analyze how well different populations and neighborhoods are able to access the resources and opportunities necessary for meeting their basic needs and for advancing their health and well-being. It also provides a visual depiction of how the

are distributed geographically and across demographic groups. By illuminating the region’s disparities, the Atlas helped to demonstrate why a focus on equity should occupy the core of our region’s approach to policy and planning.

CLF is now working in partnership with Metro and the Institute of Portland Metropolitan Studies at Portland State University on the next iteration of the Atlas project. Atlas 2.0 will combine a comprehensive repository of data and a dynamic, web-based mapping tool to enable stakeholders across the region to develop customized maps to display and analyze a wide range of indicators, including:

Demographics: age, household compo-sition, income, raceAccess to resources and opportuni-ties: economic opportunity, education, food, health care, healthy environment, housing, parks and nature, public and social services, transportation Health outcomes: asthma rates, birth outcomes, cardiovascular disease rates, diabetes rates, obesity

Almost all of the data will be available at the neighborhood or census tract level. Users will be able to customize the layers of the map to explore the intersection be-tween the different indicators. The result-ing maps will enable users to analyze equity conditions across the region at a high level of spatial resolution, providing insights to inform strategic investments, planning, and public policy.

This edition of Metroscape® previews sev-eral of the Atlas 2.0 maps related to the issue of housing. Access to decent, stable, and affordable housing is a fundamental quality of life issue. The geographic dis-tribution of affordable housing also has a direct effect on residents’ ability to access all of the other resources and opportunities that are essential for health and well being. For these reasons, understanding the “ge-ography of opportunity” related to housing is essential to any analysis of equity issues in the region.

THE GEOGRAPHY OF HOMEAccess to housing is largely determined by

and the availability of suitable housing that is affordable. Other factors, such as insti-tutionalized discrimination, can also play a role. This atlas begins an exploration of access to housing using data compiled for and included in the soon-to-be-released Re-gional Equity Atlas 2.0 tool.

For most of the region’s residents, income is the primary factor in determining the type of housing we inhabit and the level of choice we have in terms of amenities and location. Figure 1 displays

Page 18 Metroscape

Clackamas County

Clark County

Washington County

Multnomah County

Portland

Vancouver

Hillsboro

Gresham

Beaverton

Tigard

Camas

Damascus

Tualatin

Lake Oswego

Oregon City

West Linn

Canby

Happy Valley

Wilsonville

Ridge el d�

Washougal

Sandy

Milwaukie

Forest Grove

Battle Ground

Sherwood

Molalla

Gladstone

Cornelius

Estacada

King City

North Plains

Banks

Durham

Gaston

Rivergrove

Barlow

Johnson City

Median Rents (2-bedroo by Zip Code

$479.00 - $650.00

$650.01 - $779.00

$779.01 - $900.00

$900.01 - $1,150.00

$1,150.01 - $1,579.00

Portland-Vancouver MSA, 2010

Median Rents, 2012(2-bedroom apts)by Zip Codes

Clackamas County

Clark County

Washington County

Multnomah County

Portland

Vancouver

Hillsboro

Gresham

Beaverton

Tigard

Camas

Damascus

Tualatin

Lake Oswego

Oregon City

West Linn

Canby

Happy Valley

Wilsonville

Ridge el d�

Washougal

Sandy

Milwaukie

Forest Grove

Battle Ground

Sherwood

Gladstone

Cornelius

Estacada

King City

North Plains

Banks

Durham

Gaston

Rivergrove

Barlow

Johnson City

Median Household Incomeby Census Tracts

$14,960.00 - $55,208.00

$55,208.01 - $76,754.00

$76,754.01 - $103,142.00

$103,142.01 - $154,466.00

Median Household Income2006-2010 ACS Estimatesby Census Tracts

Figure 1

Figure 2

Source: ACS 2006-2010

Source: Metro Multifamily Housing Association, “The Apartment Report Survey”, data collected between February 7, 2012-March 15 2012

P l d V MSAPortland-Vancouver MSA,

daa

SSaannddyyy Renter Occupied

Owner Occupied

Page 19Metroscape

Clackamas County

Clark County

Washington County

Multnomah County

Portland

Vancouver

Hillsboro

Gresham

Beaverton

Tigard

Camas

Damascus

Tualatin

Lake Oswego

Oregon City

West Linn

Canby

Happy Valley

Wilsonville

Ridge el d�

Washougal

Sandy

Milwaukie

Forest Grove

Battle Ground

Sherwood

Gladstone

Cornelius

Estacada

King City

North Plains

Banks

Durham

Gaston

Rivergrove

Barlow

Johnson City

Change in Median Income-55.49% to -15%

-14.99% to 0.01%

0.02% to 20%

20.01% to 50%

50.01% to 187.92%

Change in Median Income2000 to 2006-2010 ACS Estimatesby Census Tracts

Figure 3

median household incomes for the four-county metro region by Census tracts according to the American Community Survey's (ACS) 2006-2010 estimates. For much of the region, particularly Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington counties, lower income households tend to be located in neighborhoods far from the downtown core. These neighborhoods include north Portland and the suburban east side of Portland and Gresham, as well as parts of Beaverton, Hillsboro, Cornelius, and Forest Grove on the west side. In Vancouver, Washington, the pattern is reversed, with lower incomes concentrated closer to the city center.

Figure 2 shows the median rents in 2012 for 2-bedroom, or family-sized, units by zip code in the region. The median rents in a given

the neighborhood’s residents as well as the relative desirability (or lack thereof) of the neighborhood in terms of amenities (such as quality schools, transit, and greenspaces) and proximity to jobs.

units typically located in neighborhoods with lower median incomes.

Figure 3 indicates the change in median household income by Census tract between 2000 and the 2006-2010 ACS estimates. What stands out in this map is the decline, and in some cases a pronounced decline (darkest blue on the map), in median household incomes in most of the region. This decline has been accompanied by an increase in the percentage of cost-burdened homeowners and renters in the region. Households spending more than 30 percent of their incomes on housing are considered cost-burdened because their housing costs do not leave enough income to adequately cover the costs of other necessities such as food and medical care. According to the ACS 2006-2010 estimates, 39.9 percent of households (renters and owners) in the region were cost-burdened; by the 2007-2011 ACS estimates, the percentage had risen to 49.4.

Sources: US Census, 2000; ACS 2006-2010

Page 20Metroscape

Clackamas County

Clark County

Washington County

Multnomah County

Portland

Vancouver

Hillsboro

Gresham

Beaverton

Tigard

Camas

Damascus

Tualatin

Lake Oswego

Oregon City

West Linn

Canby

Happy Valley

Wilsonville

Ridge el d�

Washougal

Sandy

Milwaukie

Forest Grove

Battle Ground

Sherwood

Gladstone

Cornelius

Estacada

King City

North Plains

Banks

Durham

Gaston

Rivergrove

Barlow

Johnson City

Single-Parent Householdsper Acre

0.05 - 1

2 - 4

5 - 14

Clackamas County

Clark County

Washington County

Multnomah County

Portland

Vancouver

Hillsboro

Gresham

Beaverton

Tigard

Camas

Damascus

Tualatin

Lake Oswego

Oregon City

West Linn

Canby

Happy Valley

Wilsonville

Ridge el d�

Washougal

Sandy

Milwaukie

Forest Grove

Battle Ground

Sherwood

Gladstone

Cornelius

Estacada

King City

North Plains

Banks

Durham

Gaston

Rivergrove

Barlow

Johnson City

Occupied Rental Units0.4 - 3

4 - 9

10 - 20

21 - 45

46 - 109

Figure 4

Figure 5

Renter OccupiedOwner Occupied

Single-Parent Households in 2010 (per acre)

Occupied Rental Unitsin 2010 (per acre)

Source: US Census 2010

Source: US Census 2010

Page 21Metroscape

Clackamas County

Clark County

Washington County

Multnomah County

Portland

Vancouver

Hillsboro

Gresham

Beaverton

Tigard

Camas

Damascus

Tualatin

Lake Oswego

Oregon City

West Linn

Canby

Happy Valley

Wilsonville

Ridge el d�

Washougal

Sandy

Milwaukie

Forest Grove

Battle Ground

Sherwood

Gladstone

Cornelius

Estacada

King City

North Plains

Banks

Durham

Gaston

Rivergrove

Barlow

Johnson City

Occupied Rental Unitsper Acre

0.4 - 3

4 - 9

10 - 20

21 - 45

46 - 109

LowIncome_Tract_BelowMedian

Figure 6

Income and AffordabilitySince poverty statics from the ACS are unreliable at the sub-municipal level, single-parent house-holds (a Census variable that is available at a high spatial resolution) are often used as a proxy for households in poverty. Census block-level data from 2010 reveal the geographic distribution of

and notice that these households tend to live in areas away from Portland's central neighborhoods and along major arterials. There are hotspots of single-parent households in north Portland (New Columbia, a large affordable housing project, is

and Hillsboro. Because many households in poverty have little

choice but to rent, we would expect to see similar

of occupied rental units in 2010. Figure 6 overlays the distribution of occupied rental units with Census tracts that have median household incomes (according to 2006-2010 ACS estimates)

below the regional median. Figure 6 shows that areas with lower income households tend to also have higher densities of households that are renters. But the region’s rental housing stock also includes many higher priced rental units (as

with high concentrations of poverty, they also include areas like the Pearl District, close-in east side neighborhoods such as the Lloyd District, and neighborhoods on the outer west side near the high tech industry.

Communities of Color and the Home Ownership Gap

Access to home ownership (the single largest asset for most American households) isn't just dependent on income. The ability to purchase a home can also be affected by an individual's credit history and access to capital (typically from fam-ily and friends). And, while it is illegal for sellers and lenders to discriminate against potential buy-ers based on race, the legacy of historic and in-

Occupied Rental Unitsin 2010 (per acre)and Lower Income Census Tracts

Below Regional MedianHousehold Income (2006-2010)

Source: US Census 2010; ACS 2006-2010

Page 22 Metroscape

Clackamas County

Clark County

Washington County

Multnomah County

Portland

Vancouver

Hillsboro

Gresham

Beaverton

Tigard

Camas

Damascus

Tualatin

Lake Oswego

Oregon City

West Linn

Canby

Happy Valley

Wilsonville

Ridge el d�

Washougal

Sandy

Milwaukie

Forest Grove

Battle Ground

Sherwood

Gladstone

Cornelius

Estacada

King City

North Plains

Banks

Durham

Gaston

Rivergrove

Barlow

Johnson City

Clackamas County

Clark County

Washington County

Multnomah County

Portland

Vancouver

Hillsboro

Gresham

Beaverton

Tigard

Camas

Damascus

Tualatin

Lake Oswego

Oregon City

West Linn

Canby

Happy Valley

Wilsonville

Ridge el d�

Washougal

Sandy

Milwaukie

Forest Grove

Battle Ground

Sherwood

Gladstone

Cornelius

Estacada

King City

North Plains

Banks

Durham

Gaston

Rivergrove

Barlow

Johnson City

Home Ownership Gap

No Gap

.01 - 3.13

3.14 - 7.5

7.51 - 14.5

14.51 - 18.1

> 18.1

No Data

Populations of Colorper Acre

0 - 1

2 - 5

6 - 20

21 - 30

31 - 119

Figure 7

Figure 8

Non-White Populationin 2010 (per acre)

Home Ownership Gapin 2010 by Census Tract

Source: US Census 2010

Source: US Census 2010

Page 23Metroscape

Clark County

Washington County

Multnomah County

Portland

Vancouver

Hillsboro

Gresham

Beaverton

Tigard

Camas

Damascus

Tualatin

Lake Oswego

Oregon City

West Linn

Canby

Happy Valley

Wilsonville

Washougal

Sandy

Milwaukie

Forest Grove

Battle Ground

Sherwood

Gladstone

Cornelius

Estacada

King City

North Plains

Banks

Durham

Gaston

Rivergrove

Barlow

Johnson City

1 - 47

48 - 91

92 - 150

151 - 300

Figure 9

stitutionalized racial discrimination continues to impact current home ownership rates. Familiarity

The combined impact of these factors contributes to a home ownership gap between whites and populations of color in some Census tracts in the region, according to recent data. Figure 7 shows the distribution of the non-white population in 2010. Figure 8 displays the home ownership gap by Census block group in 2010. Gray indicates places where the rate of home ownership by populations of color is equal to or greater than that of the white population. Shades of orange indicate a home ownership gap that increases as the orange color gets darker. It is notable that the gap appears to be greatest in areas with higher minority populations due to a disproportionate number of white home owners in these areas.

Access to Home LoansFigure 9 (the number of FHA loans per Census

-

ventional loans issued per Census tract in 2011) touch on the complex issue of access to mort-gage lending. Home ownership typically requires substantial cash assets for a down payment. One key difference between conventional and FHA loans is the minimum down payment required: FHA requires only 3 percent of the purchase price, while most conventional loans require at least 20 percent. For this reason, access to FHA loans can make home ownership more accessible to populations with limited cash assets. Analyzing access to home loans is complex, but the spatial distributions depicted in these maps are striking. The FHA loans tend to be concentrated in areas with lower median incomes, while the conven-tional loans tend to be concentrated in areas with higher incomes. What these maps do not tell us is how access to FHA loans may or may not play into the minority home ownership gap depicted in the previous maps.

The maps discussed here only scratch the surface. The Regional Equity Atlas 2.0 includes these and many other datasets that clarify housing issues in the metroscape. M

FHA Loans (Number of Loans, 2011)by Census Tract

Sources: HMDA; FFIEC

MMMMMMMuuulltttttnnoooooommmaaaahhh CCCCCoooooouuunntttttyyyy

aaal

SSSSSSSaannddddyyyyyyyyy

Clark County

shington County

Mu

Portland

Vancouver

Hillsboro

Gresham

Beaverton

Tigard

Camas

Damascus

Tualatin

Lake Oswego

Oregon City

West Linn

Canby

Happy Valley

Wilsonville

Washougal

Sandy

Milwaukie

Forest Grove

Sherwood

Gladstone

Cornelius

Estacada

King City

North Plains

Banks

Durham

Gaston

Rivergrove

B l

Johnson City

No. of Applications for Conventional Loans3 - 201

202 - 390

391 - 763

764 - 2094

Figure 10

Conventional Loans (Number of Loans, 2011)

Page 24 Metroscape

The Myth of Portlandia Portlandia, Grimm, Leverage

An interview with Carl Abbott and Karin Magaldi

by Sara Gates

C arl Abbott is a professor of Urban Studies and Planning at Portland State University and a local expert on the intertwining relationships between the growth,

urbanization, and cultural evolutions of cities. Since beginning his tenure at PSU in 1978, Dr. Abbott has published numerous books on Portland itself, as well as the urbanization of the American West; his most recent is Portland in Three Centuries: The Place and the People (2011).

Karin Magaldi is the department chair of Theatre & Film at PSU, with extensive experience in teaching screenwriting and production. In addition to directing several PSU departmental productions, she has also worked with local theatre groups including Portland Center Stage, Third Rail Repertory, and Artists Repertory Theatre.

Recently, Metroscape writer Sara Gates sat down with Dr. Abbott and Professor

rest of the country and changing from within: a trio of television shows that are based

Editor's Note: at publication, it was announced that Leverage would not be renewed.

For a more analytical approach that explores our region's demography and econcomics and the myth of Portlandia, go to the Metropolitan Knowledge Network at: mkn.research.pdx.edu

Page 25Metroscape

Sara Gates: Within the last two years, three major television shows have based their productions here in Portland. How do you think the way Grimm, Leverage, and, of course, Portlandia depict the city might affect the way the rest of the country thinks about us? Karin, you're laughing already!

Karin Magaldi: Well, I've seen some ar-ticles that refer to this, looking at Portland from the outside, and almost all of them talk about Portlandia and the scene from

chicken at a restaurant! It seems as though all of the stereo-

types of Portland are writ large, and they are ridiculous. But, there is always a truth to ridiculousness.

Carl Abbott: There certainly is a cult of local food, and we see it in farmer's mar-kets and food carts, and in the availabil-ity of the agriculture that allows people to really focus on being "locavores." So there is a nugget of truth from which Portlandia can extrapolate a ridiculous response. Which, of course, is what the show is all about.

What strikes me, though, is that only certain aspects of the show are all that Portland-centric. The feminist bookstore, for example, could be almost any place. It could certainly be in Portland, but it's not so Portland-rooted. Or in the second season, there is a couple who goes on a Battlestar Galactica binge, and watches the entire series in seven days straight. Sure,

community in Portland where you can see that theme, but there are TV nuts every-where. People can do that anyplace.

KM: I used to live in Santa Cruz –

CA: Ooh! The Portland of California!

KM: Exactly. It really is the Portland of California. And between the two, I don't see much difference. So when I started watching Portlandia, I thought, yeah, that's Portland, but it's also Santa Cruz. And it's also the Bay Area. There are pockets of these things a lot of places.

CA: I think what's curious about Portland is that it acts like a university town with-out the classic university. Not to imply that Portland State isn't a university, but it's not like Cornell in Ithaca, or the Uni-versity of Wisconsin in Madison, where the university is central to the life and identity of the city.

Here, Portland State is not central to the identity of Portland, yet in Portland-ia's view we act like a big, overgrown San-ta Cruz or Berkeley. And they act pretty funny in Berkeley!

KM: That's true — I went to Berkeley!

SG: What about within the Portland area? Portlandia obviously has been well received, with viewing parties in bars. Leverage and Grimm haven't had quite the same impact on Portlanders. Why do you think that is?

KM: We love to laugh at ourselves. And it's a certain kind of person who gets into those parties and laughs at themselves: "Hahaha, we're great!"

But, I do love watching Grimm to see all my friends, because so many local theatre actors are involved in Grimm. Some of them are continuing characters, and lots play bad guys, which is really fun to see.

SG: Does the theatre community embrace Grimm, and watch it regularly?

KM: I think they watch to see their friends. They watch Grimm and say, "Oh!

What strikes me...is that

only certain aspects of the show are all

that Portland-centric. The

feminist bookstore...

could be almost any

place.

Page 26 Metroscape

It's so-and-so!" And my students will often say, "I was on Grimm! Watch next week's episode!"

I just love the way they portray Port-land, its residential streets. I love the way they light houses on Grimm. I love watch-ing it to see all my friends. And they hire our students, too.

SG: over the last few years has changed the way stu-

more feasible to them now?

KM: Absolutely. There's no question. We

in 2007 and because of that, we have stu-dents working in internships behind the scenes as grips or in tech roles, well as ac-tors in front of the camera. They're able to network and make connections and it's lovely in terms of production, the way they can get in. It's exciting for our stu-dents.

CA: And in economic terms, we're build-ing a critical mass of professionals—not only actors—that can provide the lights, and scout locations, and negotiate with

KMand then people to light them!

CA: Films have been made here for years, but it will be one movie one year, and then a couple years later another. Gus Van Sant himself couldn't support a whole infra-

and TV shows to turn into Vancouver.

KM: And our governors have been sup-Leverage,

which is more interiors and you don't see the outside as much as Grimmit wasn't situated in Portland. And now

but set here, too.

SG: Right, now Leverage has even started bas-ing storylines in our local landmarks and his-tory. For instance, they recently did an episode about D.B. Cooper, the hijacker who jumped out of an airplane in the 1970s and was never seen again. What impact do you think this sort of

Northwest is just a mysterious little corner of the country where Bigfoot lives?

CA: Is there really anything except Big-foot? DB Cooper is a kind of Bigfoot. It's in the legend category. I mean, who knows? But the guy jumped out of the plane and died — at least that's what I think happened. That, I think, plays to the mysteriousness of this cold, wet, damp, kind of foggy, mysterious kind of place, which is what Grimm does.

KM: Yes, absolutely. Grimm doesn't skew-er, necessarily, what we are here. What I

and fantasy side of Grimm, and the way they use Portland as the backdrop to the sinister happenings.

CA: It's like the way The X-Files ambiance

Lots of dark places, lots of mysterious settings. Similarly, that plays on Portland and Oregon as the not-sophisticated. It's not New York. It's not Los Angeles. It's this other place, where Bigfoot walks.

KM: Where myth is born. There could be legends, and there's something darker underneath the surface. You certainly see that in Grimm where faces go through transformations and you see the masks of its monsters.

CA: And of course the Northwest is full

Grimm doesn't skewer...what we are here.

What I find interesting is the fairy tale and fantasy side of Grimm, and the way they use Portland as the backdrop to the sinister happenings.

Page 27Metroscape

of vampires. Forks, Washington [the set-ting for the vampire saga Twilight] is sup-posed to be the dampest part of these places, the dampest place in the country

has the city and its scenery, but then 20 minutes outside you have some very fai-rytale-like environments.

SG: So these days we are being portrayed quite

was making here twenty years ago, where the seediness of Portland was central to their edge. Now we have Portlandia, which is like visual candy, and Grimm is essentially a fairytale.

changed?

CAAnd the core of a lot of cities has gone through that kind of process. It's hard to

KM: When I think about My Own Private Idaho [Van Sant's 1991 drama], which I

youth culture is still here, but it's not as visible downtown. I think it has shifted to a different place in the city.

CA: Scattered, maybe. Although, I read in the paper this morning about a con-frontation between street kids and food cart owners.

KM: So it's still there, but maybe it's be-ing portrayed in a different way. It seems like a bigger sociological question.

CA: It's true. And do you recognize a My Own Private Idaho character or a Drugstore Cowboy character in shows like Leverage or Grimm?

KM

characters like that. Portlandia especially is a stand-up comedy routine, and the joke is on Portland. So they don't do gritty so-cial realism.

SG: Has that removed this idea of Portland as a gritty kind of place in the national conscious-ness? We used to be known as the city where Courtney Love and Kurt Cobain met, and now we're known for making pickles.

CA: I don't know a whole lot about the current music scene, but there certainly is a long distance between Courtney Love and Colin Meloy of The Decemberists writing a children's fantasy novel about Forest Park [2011's Wildwood].

KM: Right! It's a very different sensibility. It's a good question – what is it that shifts those perceptions? Is it Portland itself changing, or the national perception just looking for entertainment?

CA: On the gritty side, it's an interest-ing question. Twenty years ago Ursula Le Guin collaborated with a photographer on a book about Thurman Street, going from the river up to Willamette Heights. It was a very gritty kind of street they were portraying. It was pre-Pearl District, just before that change really began. It's another example of a very different way of perceiving the city.

In a sense what Portlandia does is remind people of that… in order to satirize the city in this way, there must be something that has changed. Viewers elsewhere are primed to accept that yes, this could be Portland. And you wouldn't have been able to make this twenty years ago.

There are probably the same kinds of nutsy people hanging out in Indianapolis but people would say "Indianapolis? Bah! But Portland, yeah, I've heard that about

When I think about My Own

Private Idaho [Van Sant's

1991 drama]...the underbelly and the youth culture is still

here but it's not as visible downtown...

Page 28 Metroscape

cycle. And it's true – all the statistics show – that over the last 20 years Portland has been attracting college-educated young people.

KM: I read one study that said the median age here is about 35. People come here to open food carts, be writers, join the music

-ginning to happen.

CA: People know that maybe Portland's a -

try. Things are happening there, and there can't be too many people there with the

or whatever. They think it'll be easier to break in in Portland than in Los Angeles. Certainly cheaper to live.

KM: People from L.A. are moving up

into the scene there. It's a smaller pool here, but there are still opportunities. Our

students. We now have over 300. It went through the roof.

SG: -

KM: Yeah, we have a lot of out-of-state,

all gone digital, there is so much that stu-dents can do cheaply that they couldn't a long time ago. And they know there are some opportunities here. Just think about

hosts now.

SG: What role do you think the tax incentives

legislature is reviewing them for the next budget,

but they're capped at $6 million. For instance, one new TNT drama is based in a Portland

incentive money ran out.

KM: Yes, there's a cap, and the money ran out. These three shows have gobbled it up.

SG: Do you think raising those incentives makes sense?

KMhere, but without incentives, it's hard to

here.

SG: What about economics? What effect do you

terms of attracting more industry?

KM: I have to speak from what I know, and we keep growing. We're not stopping. And if you couple that with increased tax

starting, I see that synergy only promot--

centives is the only thing that could stop that.

CAwho will, to be honest, work cheap!

KM: Yes! I mean, I don't want to pro-mote the abuse of interns, but I think it can work really well for all parties because internships provide these amazing con-nections and introductions for students,

CA: Another thing about Leverage— which I have not watched consistently be-cause it's not a very good show — is that to set a show like that in Portland, I think it recognizes that we are a big enough city

People know that maybe Portland's a place to

get into the film and TV

industry...They think that it'll be

easier to break in in

Portland than in Los

Angeles.

Page 29Metroscape

to supply those stories. For instance, if you want a CSI-type of show, it's CSI in Las Vegas, Miami, New York… but CSI Topeka wouldn't be very convincing. So, Portland has to be big enough to have the plausibility.

SG: Do you think that would have happened ten years ago?

CA: In terms of size, yes… but I think it's a change of recognition. Probably in the last 15 years, Portland has started making an impression on people who don't know geography at all. There are people who knew that there was a big city somewhere

-ured out it was Seattle. If you're from New York, you had a hard time holding in your mind that there could be multiple big cities out in this cold, wet part of the country. And you knew it was Seattle be-cause of the Space Needle, or Bill Gates, or knowing they made airplanes. They needed something iconic to hold onto to keep that recognition. And now, people know that there is a Portland.

KM: And I think it's fascinating because we've got three very different TV pro-grams. There's Leverage with the big-city feel. And there's Grimm, which keys into the whole fairy-tale aspect. And there's Portlandia, which is a standup comedy routine about all the silliness of Portland. And the city can sustain all three of those images. That's fascinating… we're big enough.

SG: You sound proud.

KM: Yeah! I am!

SG: Most of Portland seems to take a certain pride in all the attention being paid to the city

by television audiences. Do you think the sur-rounding suburbs and counties that are part of the metro area feel neglected?

CA: In general? Probably. In the last election, Clackamas County voters were

Portlandized". And some of it is cultural. There's an idea that "If Portland is really like these Portlandia people, we don't want them out here!" There's always been that city/suburbs idea.

Portlandia obviously is focused on the city, because I don't think there's a whole lot of Portlandia fodder in Gresham. But because of their focus, the other shows can be anywhere, and people can identify with them a little easier. There are crimi-nals and bad guys and fraudsters that sometimes hang out in the suburbs!

SG: Right — Leverage did an episode recently about sabotaging a big-box retail outlet out in the suburbs to save the local mom-and-pop hardware stores.

CA: All right! There's an urban-studies theme!

SG: image?

CA: Well, we've had this kind of hip, pro-gressive, cool brand, and simultaneously this idea of being a well-planned city with lots of participation: kind of wonky and less cool. I think the show we could host is something about bureaucrats and city planning – kind of an urban Parks and Rec-reation.

KM: We should pitch a spin-off! If you can do all those CSI's, why not a Parks and Rec: Portland? M

There are people who knew that there was a big city

somewhere out north of

San Francisco, and they

figured out it was Seattle.

They needed something

iconic to hold onto...And

now, people know that there is a

Portland.

Page 30 Metroscape

Imagine commuting by canoe from Estacada to Vancouver. Or trekking trails from Forest Grove to Forest

Park. Or biking from a backyard in Battle Ground to Beaverton and back.

Imagine a seamless network of urban parks and trails in the Portland/Vancou-ver metro area—one that connects 32 cities, six counties and two states. One that makes metro-wide non-motorized travel—by water, by foot, by bike—a real alternative to cars, buses, trains.

Would you save money? Be healthier? Come to count on that daily dose of ferns and birdsong, along with your morning coffee on the go? Feel even greater pride of place, living within The Intertwine?

“More and more, this is a mainstream idea—that cities need nature, that people need nature as part of their daily lives. That's what we're doing,” says Michael Wetter, Executive Director of the Inter-twine Alliance.

a vision to enhance, stitch together, and then expand, over 1,250 miles of exist-ing bike and pedestrian trails. The Inter-twine—the name Alliance partners gave to the vast network—could ultimately stretch from Canby, Oregon, to Cowlitz County, Washington, defying manmade

-tity.

“We're trying to change the investment paradigm—that a trail is as valid a form of transportation as a street,” Wetter says.

But more than paradigms will need to shift if the Intertwine Alliance is to real-ize its vision within our lifetimes.

According a 2011 letter from Wetter to Intertwine stakeholders, “At current rates of investment, it will take more than 190 years to complete a basic regional trails network.”

THE INTERTWINE ALLIANCEFounded in 2009 with a skeleton staff, start-up capital from Metro, and a man-date to “build and protect the region's network of parks, trails and natural areas,” the Intertwine Alliance now counts near-ly 70 public and private organizations—from the city of Gresham to KEEN Footwear—as partners in the coalition.

“We're in our infancy with the Inter-twine Alliance, literally coming out of the birth canal. But we're light years from where we were in 1980, in terms of the public demanding access to nature in the city,” says Mike Houck, a founder of the Intertwine Alliance and Director of the Urban Greenspaces Initiative.

Houck is referencing the conserva-tion efforts that he and other locals have supported for years—from our sprawl-retarding urban growth boundary, estab-lished in 1980, to Metro's 1992 adoption of the Metropolitan Greenspaces Master Plan—a document that later formed the template for the Intertwine Alliance.

“The basic philosophy of the urban growth boundary was to protect nature from the city. Now we understand that we

Exploring the Intertwine1,250 miles of parks, trails, and natural areas

by Ramona DeNies

"We're trying to change the

investment paradigm—

that a trail is as valid a form of transportation

as a street."

Page 31Metroscape

need nature in our urban spaces,” Houck says.

Following successful ballot measures spearheaded by Metro in 1995 and 2006 that raised public funds for parkland ac-quisition, then-Metro Council President David Bragdon called for regional gov-ernment to support the creation of “the world's greatest system of parks and

“Each campaign required a huge amount of energy. One idea behind the Intertwine Alliance was to keep the en-ergy of those one-offs,” Houck said.

Launched with 17 partners in 2009, the coalition now claims 66 partners—and

counting—among those actively invested in furthering the vision of the Intertwine.

With a broader base, the Inter-twine Alliance is fast gaining resources and leverage. Yet

the young organization, say staff, must expand carefully—to accommodate the diverse goals of coalition partners, while achieving results tangible enough that the organization's four-petaled daisy contin-ues to elicit that precious “aha” of rec-ognition from trail users, legislators, and grantmakers.

THE VISIONAs of spring 2011, the Intertwine con-sisted of 1,250 miles of designated bike

Salmon Creek in Clackamas County. Photograph courtesy of Mike Houck

Page 32 Metroscape

and pedestrian trails; 12,000 acres of developed parks; and 24,000 acres of publicly-owned natural areas. The Alli-ance estimated that over the space of that year, 8.3 million users visited the region's parks, trails and natural areas.

“We know that we need to acquire more land to create more parks and trails, and we also know that park providers have in-

The Intertwine Alliance is the regional table to come up with strategies for mak-

get the resources to manage the system,” Houck said.

Yet growing the pie—securing the federal funding necessary to ac-quire land, enhance parks, and

than Houck, David Bragdon and other Intertwine Alliance founders anticipated back in 2007.

“There's the perception that this kind of work can only happen in good eco-nomic times,” says board member Judy Bluehorse Skelton, a Portland State Uni-versity faculty member in Indigenous Na-tions Studies.

Skelton, Houck and Wetter each acknowledge that federal funding for urban trails and natural areas can suffer from political and economic shifts. The Intertwine Alliance's for-mation during the nation's economic downturn has meant that in addition to rigorous urban planning, strong messaging plays a crucial role.

According to Wetter, key to the co-

the case that growing the Intertwine is not only an issue of conserva-tion, but economic necessity—that the bucket in which policymakers should place the work of the Inter-twine Alliance is not Forestry, but Transportation.

Skelton agrees that a paradigm shift is in order.

“The old extraction and exploi-

costs down the road. Part of our problem in the past is that we haven't looked far enough down that road. We're very much at a time where regardless of economic highs and lows, we have to in-vest,” Skelton says.

-certainty strengthens rather than hurts the rationale for a non-partisan organiza-tion like the Intertwine Alliance.

“Government is essential to what we're trying to do. We provide stability over time, a buffer as political winds shift—that's one of the Intertwine Alliance's major functions, as far as I'm concerned,” Houck says.

Cycling along the Columbia Slough. Photograph courtesy of Mike Houck

"The Intertwine

Alliance is the regional table

to come up with strategies for making the

pie bigger..."

Page 33Metroscape

THE FUTURE OF FOUR PETALSTo look at the productivity of the Inter-twine Alliance since inception, one might think that federal funding had been plen-tiful for the young coalition.

Among the highlights from the past two years: in 2010, the Intertwine added to its total mileage the 21-mile Banks-Vernonia State Trail. Metro gained more than 750 additional acres of parkland in Multnomah County, in addition to the 1,100 acre Chehalem Ridge acquisition. In June, the Alliance saw the opening of the Trolley Trail—a historic streetcar line transformed to trail, from Gladstone to Milwaukie.

Organizational visibility is also grow-ing—and not just through the prolifera-

A recently relaunched website earned the Intertwine Alliance a national award for Education and Communication from the Coalition for Recre-ational Trails, as well as the President's Award for Tourism from Travel Portland. In July 2012, a collaboration with Port-land Monthly Magazine produced a glossy “Inter-twine edition,” complete with maps and trail ad-venture opportunities.

Over 300 people at-tended the Alliance's October 2012 Partners Summit, which featured as keynote speakers Con-gresswoman Suzanne Bonamici and Mickey Fearn, Deputy Director of the National Park Ser-vice. Summit attendees witnessed the unveiling of a Regional Conserva-

tion Strategy—representing a coordinated effort between over 130 original contrib-utors, from the Audubon Society to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wild-life—that canvasses biodiversity over the nearly 3,000 square miles that comprise the Greater Portland-Vancouver Region.

The partners also previewed the IA's pioneering Urban Forestry Strategy that,

-egy in the nation.

Such momentum springs hope that, with continued support, the IA may be able to move the needle on Wetter's pro-jection of 190 years to complete the pro-posed six-county, bi-state trails system.

The enormity of that timeframe, rea--

ing on nearer-term goals in its 2011-2012 Annual Report. Planned for the nearer term are campaigns to grow the partner base in size and inclusivity, expand the na-

Exploring Oaks Bottom north meadow wetland. Photograph courtesy of Mike Houck

The enormity of the [190-year] timeframe has the nonprofit focusing on nearer-term goals.

Page 34 Metroscape

tional visibility of the Intertwine Alliance and its sister coalitions through the Met-ropolitan Greenspaces Alliance, provide more publications like 2011's Wild in the City: Exploring the Intertwine, and pro-mote Intertwine adventures and contests with partners like KEEN and TriMet.

Wetter would also like to see the state replenish the Urban Trails Fund—a 2009 Oregon

Department of Transportation program that, among other projects, disbursed $300,000 to extend Gresham's Spring-water Trail Spur.

Mike Abbaté, Portland Parks & Recre-ation Director and an Intertwine Alliance board member, is voting for more inter-active website features like smartphone apps, and a hopeful focus on grant seek-ing, despite the scarcity of federal funds.

“What I'd like to see is the IA land a large appropriation or donation that could then be disbursed to the partners to enhance natural areas and trails, as op-posed to building a new neighborhood park. It could be land acquisition, im-proved access, habitat restoration,” Ab-baté.says.

For Skelton, short-term goals for the

Intertwine Alliance include expanding

guides into the Intertwine, inventories of edible and medicinal native plants—as well as welcoming new partners, like the Native American Youth Association (NAYA), into the fold.

But Skelton maintains that despite the overwhelming timeframe projected for the Intertwine's completion, the original vision is both politically and economi-cally tenable.

“If you look forward seven genera-tions, it really begins to guide what is the most sustainable approach to economics. Right now you have a group of people that recognize that the cost is too high, that we have to look at a sustainable economy. Part of it is communication, part of it is transitioning from one way,” Skelton says.

Seven generations, or approximate-ly 190 years. Yet what if we could re-ally push that paradigm shift—maybe achieve the Intertwine, maybe in time for our children's children? M

Ramona DeNies is a Portland area freelance writer.

...despite the overwhelming

timeframe...the original

vision is both politically and

economically tenable.

Contemplating the view from Oaks Bottom. Photograph courtesy of Mike Houck

Page 35Metroscape

Indicators of the Metroscape

Prior to the current recession, the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA Metropolitan Statistical Area

(MSA) showed strong employment growth relative to the United States as a whole. Employment growth in the Portland MSA was very strong from mid-2003, as we re-covered from the last recession, until May of 2008, when employment peaked before beginning a decline that would last through 2009. The region was hit harder by the re-cession than similar MSAs. In the past two years, however, employment numbers in the MSA have increased and, in 2011, an-nual average employment increased by 1.1 percent.

Between October 2011 and October 2012, there was positive growth in total

counties in the Portland-Vancouver-Hills-boro, OR-WA MSA. Multnomah County experienced the highest growth at 1.9 per-cent, followed by Washington County and Clark County, both of which experienced growth of 1.8 percent. Yamhill and Skama-nia Counties experienced negative growth in total non-farm employment during this period.

MSA experienced growth in the number of employees between October 2012 and October 2012. Manufacturing grew more than any other sector, with an increase of 3.7 percent, followed by retail trade which ncreased 2.4 percent. Health Care and So-cial Assistance decreased 0.3 percent and Government decreased 1.2 percent.

Industry Percent ChangeComputer and electronic product manufacturing 0Durable goods 2.3Educational services 0Government -1.2Health care and social assistance -0.3Manufacturing 3.7Professional and business services 0.4Retail trade 2.4Total nonfarm employment 0.9

Percent Change in Total Employment by Industry, Portland MSAOctober 2011 to October 2012

Source: Oregon Employment DepartmentThese data and more are available at: portlandpulse.org

Change in Employment by Elizabeth Morehead

TAKE

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Sportlandpulse.org

For information about the project or to sign up for free introductory workshops

contact Liza Morehead: more@pdx.edu