What UNR does, and why

Portland grassroots group United Neighborhoods for Reform seeks to stem the demolition of viable, affordable housing. Our demolition/development resolution, developed through significant neighbor outreach, gathered endorsements from 43 neighborhood associations citywide. We also regularly take our message to City Hall, starting in December 2014, continuing in 2015 on Feb. 12, June 3 (UNR presenters start at 51:20), Oct. 14 (UNR at 1:07:35), and Nov. 25 (UNR at 1:05); in 2016 on Feb. 17, Nov. 9 and 16, and Dec. 7; in 2017 on May 17; in 2018 on Feb. 1; and many dates since.

"The time is always right to do what is right."
—Martin Luther King Jr.

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Hayhurst and Hosford-Abernethy join up

Activists (from left) Rick Michaelson, Ruth Roth,
Joleen Jensen-Classen, Nancy Neswich, and Frank Dixon
talk about what it took to save some good old houses in 1989.





Add two more to the group of neighborhood associations endorsing the effort for fewer demolitions and more positive development citywide.

Last night's panel at the Architectural Heritage Center featuring activists from the "Overlook Miracle," when 23 people were arrested trying to save old homes in Northwest, proved inspiring and instructive. Portland has a long tradition of successful grassroots efforts big (Tom McCall Waterfront Park, saved from becoming a freeway) and small (most recently, the Markham home in Laurelhurst), and United Neighborhoods for Reform hopes to earn a place among them.

Antidemolition activist Sara Lord (right) from Eliot
Neighborhood describes the current struggle.


Thank you to all the neighborhood activists out there pressing for support of the resolution at their next neighborhood association meeting. For neighborhoods that haven't yet seen the type of development addressed by the resolution, there are many guinea-pig neighborhoods out there (14 have endorsed the resolution so far) saying you don't want to.

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