In mid July we had an amazing week of Community Events for Multnomah Neighborhood Association with the 7/19 Mural Refresh, 7/20 Garage Sale Day, and 7/25 Movie in the Park. Teamwork on all this from many volunteers has really brought summer fun and connection to the neighborhood in a big way!  We'd like to offer a recap and say thank you.

Mural Refresh

Big thanks to Alisha Barker and Peter Samson for running the mural refresh and for the lead artist Amaranta Colindres for returning to collaborate with MNA.  There was an impressive and creative fundraising campaign involved that resulted in large donations from Sherwin Williams, and very cool thematic donations from MVBA local businesses that "sponsored" an animal in the mural (i.e., Annie Blooms sponsored the reading dog; as did FatKitty Ramen, Level Beer, John's Marketplace, Thinker Toys, MultnomahVision, Jay Sasseen at Parrotdice Guitars sponsor other mural characters)!  A-Frame publicizing of the event was excellent.  Embellishments on event day with the music, Mola artwork examples, and themed kid activities were wonderful and so well executed!  Its a successful thing to have a project that was started by one team carry on under different leaders.  Special big thanks to Alisha for joining the fray as the lead event coordinator, a critical role to make it happen! Thank you to Tom Boeker and Sam with Multnomah NET for offering an informational booth.  Andy Spearing and Tom Moore for help with the paint and more. And so many others!  Appreciation to Beth Omansky for assistance obtaining liability waivers. To Mark at Tastebud for the donated lunch. And to Canby st neighbors like Maria Thi Mai for coming out to support our second mural event two years later! And to Darlene Urban-Garrret and Carl Hinds for your collaboration on the support we received via District 4 Coalition.

Garage Sale Day

With 123 sales registered to the map it was a well attended and by all accounts fun and successful day.  I'm collecting feedback from sale hosts that I'll compile and have available in the September meeting folder.  Consistent with last year, we're learning in the feedback so far that almost everyone who hosted also met new neighbors, which is central to our goal of building community (and just about everything we're doing).  Hosts are reporting a number of social benefits of the event beyond the selling of items, to name a few: "Time with my kid," "upcycling all sorts of items, recycling clothes, reducing waste, get new clothes for fall, " "visits with people of all ages," "sparked lots of conversations, neighbors helping each other out," "lots of socializing," "GREAT conversations."  Peter Samson's diligence with accounting and financials as treasurer was instrumental to our ability to sell yard signs and collect donations.

Movie in Spring Garden Park

Thank you Carole Schmidt, Summer Free For All applicant and lead coordinator of the event! It was a pleasure to "pass the mantle" from Friends of SG Park 1.0 to the next generation this summer by working with you on the event.  Thank you Sarah Dodge for co-planning and collecting community input during the event in creative ways. Thank you Diane Parrish for staffing our Friends booth and getting our message out to neighbors.  Thank you Jessica Lanoue and Matt Parrish for support on event day with the fire truck and more!  Thank you Seth Healy for offering a booth next to Friends of SG Park to promote the Westside Watershed Resource Center. Thank you Otto Lange for your musical performance and Joseph Konty for assistance arranging. And Portland Fire & Rescue Fire Station 18 for the fire truck visit for children.  Thanks Portland Parks and Rec staff  Heike Edossa for leading park maintenance event prep (& irrigation schedule) and Kayla Miles for helpful connection to PP&R.

  Friends of Spring Garden Park received feedback at the Portland Parks Foundation Spring volunteer event back in May that it is relatively rare for a friends group to completely hand over leadership to a new generation of entirely different leaders, especially after a gap in time. We have done it, and feel it is fitting with the history of this park as one of strong community engagement. Did you know SG Park involved more community input in the design process than any other Portland Park?

MNA this week has recruited a replacement social media coordinator. That person described their interest in the role as: "the neighborhood has a lot going on."  This month MNA has established a new website task force, thank you to those volunteer.  Web presence has been a key aspect of the success with our events and is in good hands!

Thank you MVBA Social Media Coordinator for boosting our social media efforts with re-sharing and making our partnership with MVBA visible.

The proposal would modify the existing zoning (EG2) to allow for permanent residential housing (CM2 zone) on the site, which is not permitted under the existing zone. Time is of the essence. New zone also allows MSRV to operate after housing emergency ends.

UPDATE: The proposal is moving from Discussion Draft to Proposed Draft sent to the Portland Planning Commission for review. Here is the timeline for Planning Commission testimony.

Submit public testimony on the project's Proposed Draft

• The Proposed Draft of the Affordable Housing Opportunities Project will be available the week of Aug. 4.

• Submit written public testimony through the Map App beginning the week of Aug. 4.

• Planning Commission hearing is set for Aug. 26 at 5 p.m. Sign up for verbal testimony by Monday, Aug. 25 at 5 p.m.

For more information, click here

• Project website: https://www.portland.gov/bps/planning/affordable-housing/news/2025/6/2/offer-feedback-affordable-housing-opportunities

• Public comment portal: https://www.portlandmaps.com/bps/ahop/#/map/

• AHOP team can be reached directly at ahop@portlandoregon.gov

Click hereto see community comments on the proposed change.

MNA is in search of

• Lead planner for Garage Sale Day

• Volunteer coordinator

And has vacancies in the following committees that can be re-activated:

• Land Use Committee

• Schools Committee

• Parks Committee

• Watersheds

• Vice President (this is an officer position)

Volunteer with an existing active committee:

• Livability

• Transportation

• Friends of Spring Garden Park

• Public Safety

• Equity

• Communications

Interested to learn more? contact@mnapdx.org

Important comment period ended 7/18/25 related to an increase in allowed outdoor shelter units at sites such as Multnomah Safe Rest Village. A discussion draft of Regulatory Improvement Code Amendment Package 11 project (RICAP 11) is available to view below:

https://www.portland.gov/bps/planning/ricap11/documents...

See item # MP14 on pages 102-105 for proposed change related to outdoor shelters (e.g., including Multnomah Safe Rest Village).

Submit comments/questions via the MapApp (link below and in bio):

https://www.portlandmaps.com/bps/mapapp/proposals/#/ricap-11

City Council is expected to vote on this proposal in December

The city has changed operation of the Multnomah SRV to Urban Alchemy, effective July 1.

Damien Rouse (Damienrouse@urban-alchemy.us) is the new manager of MSRV.

Urban Alchemy’s 24/7 Portland hotline is 971-269-0024.

The Good Neighbor Agreement is still in effect and our relationship with the MSRV is the same.

For more details, click here for our CAC web page

Do you have ideas about how to make this expansion a success for both the community and SRV participants?

How to share your thoughts:

Email our neighborhood CAC reps at mna-4cac@mnapdx.org.

Email the city SRV team at shelterservices@portlandoregon.gov

Call the city team at: (503) 823-1340

Multnomah Safe Rest Village Website

Do you live in the Multnomah neighborhood? Volunteer now for a position on our group of representatives to the Community Advisory Committee (CAC) for the Multnomah Safe Rest Village (MSRV) at the Sears Armory on Multnomah Blvd.

 You will join 3 other neighbors working collaboratively for the successful and safe operation of the MSRV, and to enhance the quality of life of all residents, MSRV participants, and visitors to the Multnomah neighborhood. Other stakeholders on the CAC include representatives from the City, the MSRV operator, and West Hills Christian School.

 Applications are due July 10. The position will be held open until it is filled. For more on the position and application, click here.

 Questions? Call 503-764-5501 or email Contact@mnapdx.org.

The rain gods did not bless us in June so on the rain delay date Saturday July 19th we hosted our free, family friendly community event to "refresh" the existing street mural “Multnomah Mola” by Amaranta Colindres at SW 36th & Canby with a fresh coat of paint.

Stop by and check it out!

Learn more about the original installation of this mural, the 2023 MNA Street Art Project:

https://www.mnapdx.org/streetartproject

Over 123 sales were hosted in Multnomah Neighborhood Sunday July 20, 2025 in our second iteration of this community event. We’re collecting feedback about how the event went. Offering the event again in 2026 will depend on the availability of volunteers, specifically we are in need of a lead event planner. Thanks for coming out to enjoy the day!

Learn more about the council resolution adopted in May 2025 to improve sidewalks in districts 1 and 4. CLICK HERE

The Equity Committee is focusing on helping immigrant & refugee residents of the neighborhood facing deportation or threat of deportation.

For more, click here for our Equity page