SAVE THE DATE: October 17, 2017.

Eliot Neighborhood Association General Meeting and Community Conversation. It’s time to check in with the constituents. If we call it a Town Hall Meeting, will you come?

These are important times for democracy at all levels. Even in a State where our Federal representatives are strong and carry the support of most citizens, at the local community level YOUR VOICE is, also, needed. Clean air, clean water, safe streets, affordable housing……. All need your attention.

Did you know:

• Eliot was prominent in the Jazz world for many years, and local musicians want to bring some of that back. But venues are scarce and restaurants think one more table is more important than live music?
• The population of Eliot will double from 2017 to 2020 when all the recently built apartments/condos are filled?
• Eliot has the highest proportion of affordable housing of all City districts? But there is a great need for more?
• Eliot is ground zero for diesel air pollution, even considering the whole USA?
• Our schools have lead contaminated water and paint to rival Flint MI?
• The City of Portland is rethinking the Neighborhood Association model and the Office of Neighborhood Involvement?
• The diverter on Ivy Street is an eyesore, as well as controversial for many neighbors? Why can’t it look at least as nice as the one on NE 16th and Tillamook in Irvington does?

Whats happening?

• Central City Concern, The City and The Inner Eastside Business Alliance are teaming up to hire a cleanup crew similar to the crews that keep Downtown nice and neat. They would also work on Eliot streets, mostly near Broadway and the business corridors N Williams, N Vancouver and MLK.
• Our neighbor to the south, the Lloyd District, may soon be our new Neighborhood Association neighbor.
• A micro apartment building will bring the 1st residents to the lower Eliot area on lower N Russell.This building is significant because this will be the only residential building in lower Eliot.

I wanted to extend a belated but very generous thank you to all of you who helped with the Eliot Neighborhood Clean Up on May 13.  We couldn’t have done it without you and the dedication you gave to the event was remarkable.  With dedicating 4+ hours of your Saturday we helped the neighborhood look a little nicer and help residents have a little less clutter. We hope to see you next year or at another event in the not too distant future.

If you are looking to get involved again before next year’s clean up, you are always welcome to attend our neighborhood association meetings or get involved with one of our committees.  Our meetings are on the third Monday of the month at St Philip the Deacon Church at 120 NE Knott St (corner of Knott and Rodney) from 6:30-8:30pm.  Committees meet outside of these meetings and only when working on a project or event if that works better with your schedule.

We’d love to hear your ideas about how we can make the neighborhood better, how we can reach out to more residents, any neighborhood issues you have that we may be able to help with, and also just get to know you better.  See you around the neighborhood!