Eliot Neighbors are incredibly creative at how they bring their waste to the dumpsters we have set up! We’re open 10am-2pm tomorrow- see you soon!
Eliot Dumpster Day 2026 (Part II) Details

Date: Saturday, September 26

“Dumpster Days” are community waste collection events for items that don’t fit, or aren’t allowed, in curbside waste bins.

• WE ALSO WILL HAVE A LARGE FREE PILE!

Location: Legacy Emanuel Visitor Parking Lot, N Vancouver and N Graham Streets – Entrance on Graham

Items accepted 10am – 2pm (or until dumpsters full)

Donations via cash, CashApp, Venmo or Paypal.
Suggested donations: $20 per car/pick-up truck, $40 for full pick-up trucks.
No one will be turned away for lack of funds.

No commercial vehicles, such as box trucks, please.

“Dumpster Days” are community waste collection events for items that don’t fit, or aren’t allowed, in curbside waste bins. This is our second such event in 2026.

We have some options besides the dumpsters:

• mattresses
• Styrofoam
• some electronics / microwaves – as long as it fits in one small pick-up truck
• a community free pile – for things that could be reused – this stuff will be thrown in the dumpsters at the end of the day

In the dumpsters:

Accepting “Household” items only: 

• Mattresses, box springs, and bed frames
• Styrofoam
• Furniture (couch, table, chair)
• Small appliances (toaster, vacuum, microwave)
• Appliances without Freon
• Treated lumber & wood stumps
• Other oversized items too large curbside garbage container

Free area:

• Usable household items can be placed in a designated Free Area to start their next life in a new home.

Not Accepted:

Materials Not Accepted  – and where you can take them
Air conditioners (appliances containing Freon)	Working and under 3 years old? Donate to Habitat for Humanity ReStore at 10445 SE Cherry Blossom Dr, Portland, OR 97216 Broken? Closest places for drop-off (for a fee):Metro Metals Northwest for a fee. -5611 NE Columbia Blvd., Portland, OR 97218, (503) 287-8861 -Bob’s Metals Inc. for a fee. 9000 N Denver Ave. Portland, OR 97217, (503) 295-3636
Asbestos (items commonly containing asbestos: steam pipes, boilers and furnace, floor tiles (vinyl asbestos and asphalt), cement sheet, cement roofing shingles and siding, ceilings and floors, automobile brake pads and linings, clutch facings and gaskets,)	Test items to see if they contain asbestos. If so, two landfills close to the Portland area are permitted to accept asbestos waste by appointment only.  –Hillsboro Landfill 3205 SE Minter Bridge Rd, Hillsboro, OR 97123 : 866-909-4458 –Wasco County Landfill, 2550 Steele Rd, The Dalles, OR 97058 : (541) 296-4082If items test negative for asbestos, bring the test with you and dispose at Metro South Transfer Station at garbage rates. -Metro Central Transfer Station – 6161 NW 61st Ave. Portland, OR 97210, (503) 234-3000
Bags of garbage/Cardboard	Metro Central Transfer Station – 6161 NW 61st Ave. Portland, OR 97210, (503) 234-3000 Place extra trash in tied-off bags beside curbside trash bins at residence for $5 a bag. Place extra broken-down cardboard beside regular curbside recycling bin for no fee.
Chemicals (pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, poisons, antifreeze, motor oil, thinners & solvents, household cleaners, pool and spa chemicals, paints and stains)	Take to Metro Central Transfer Station for no fee at Hazardous Waste section – 6161 NW 61st Ave. Portland, OR 97210, (503) 234-3000
Concrete –	Drop-off for a fee – call for current fee.  – Porter Yett Co., 5949 NE Cully Blvd. Portland(503) 282-3251 – Portland Sand and Gravel, 10717 SE Division St. Portland (503) 252-3497
Drywall – See “Asbestos”
General construction & demolition debris – See “Asbestos”
Hazardous waste	Take to Metro Central Transfer Station for no fee at Hazardous Waste section – 6161 NW 61st Ave. Portland, OR 97210, (503) 234-3000
Oils, gasoline –	Motor oil should always be in: leak-proof, see-through plastic containers with screw-on lids (transparent, clean milk jugs, juice or soda bottles, for example). No containers larger than one gallon. No oil contaminated with other fluids.  Motor oil free curbside pickup: – Leave containers next to recycling containers at the curb. Check with hauler for quantity limits. Pickup not available for apartments. Motor Oil free drop off up to 5 gallons at O’Reilly Auto Parts SE Powell Store, 3955 SE Powell Blvd. Portland 97202, phone (503) 233-3807 – O‘Reilly Auto Parts Sandy Blvd. Store, 5915 NE Sandy Blvd Portland, OR 97213, phone (503) 281-7833 Vegetable Oil  – drop-off free at  – SeQuential Pacific Biodiesel : 3335 NW 35th Ave., Portland, OR 97210 phone: 1-800-447-3794
Paint cans with liquid paint	Take up to 5 gallons for free to PaintCare participating facilities:  – Dick’s Color Center PaintCare909 SE Salmon St. Portland(503) 236-6919 – Rodda Paint PaintCare-SE Taylor321 SE Taylor St. Portland(503) 233-6016 – Sherwin Williams PaintCare-NE Broadway30 NE Broadway, Portland(503) 288-6477
Propane tanks	Take to Metro Central Transfer Station for no fee at Hazardous Waste section – 6161 NW 61st Ave. Portland, OR 97210, (503) 234-3000
Refrigerators (with Freon)	Working and under 3 years old? Donate to Habitat for Humanity ReStore at 10445 SE Cherry Blossom Dr, Portland, OR 97216 Broken? Closest places for drop-off (for a fee): – Metro Metals Northwest for a fee. 5611 NE Columbia Blvd., Portland, OR 97218(503) 287-8861 – Bob’s Metals Inc. for a fee. 9000 N Denver Ave. Portland, OR 97217(503) 295-3636
Yard Debris	Drop-off for a fee: – Wood Waste Management 7315 NE 47th Ave. Portland(503) 493-3370 – ECR 12409 NE San Rafael St. Portland 97230(503) 253-0867 – Metro Central Transfer Station – 6161 NW 61st Ave. Portland, OR 97210, (503) 234-3000

Would you be interested in hosting a yard sign for a week? We can deliver and pick them up if that is an issue. Reach out to info@eliotneighborhood.org !

“Dumpster Days” are community waste collection events for items that don’t fit, or aren’t allowed, in curbside waste bins. This is our second such event in 2026.

Eliot Dumpster Day 2026 (Part II) Details

Date: Saturday, September 26

“Dumpster Days” are community waste collection events for items that don’t fit, or aren’t allowed, in curbside waste bins.

Eliot Dumpster Day 2026 Details

Date: Saturday, May 16

Location: Legacy Emanuel Visitor Parking Lot, N Vancouver and N Graham Streets – Entrance on Graham

Items accepted 10am – 2pm (or until dumpsters full)

Donations via cash, CashApp, Venmo or Paypal.
Suggested donations: $20 for a car, $20 per pick-up truck, $40 for full pick-up trucks.
No one will be turned away for lack of funds.

No commercial vehicles, such as box trucks, please.

We have some options besides the dumpsters:

• mattresses
• Styrofoam
• some electronics / microwaves – as long as it fits in one small pick-up truck
• a community free pile – for things that could be reused – this stuff will be thrown in the dumpsters at the end of the day

In the dumpsters:

Accepting “Household” items only: 

• Mattresses, box springs, and bed frames
• Styrofoam
• Furniture (couch, table, chair)
• Small appliances (toaster, vacuum, microwave)
• Appliances without Freon
• Treated lumber & wood stumps
• Other oversized items too large curbside garbage container

Free area:

• Usable household items can be placed in a designated Free Area to start their next life in a new home.

Not Accepted:

Materials Not Accepted  – and where you can take them
Air conditioners (appliances containing Freon)	Working and under 3 years old? Donate to Habitat for Humanity ReStore at 10445 SE Cherry Blossom Dr, Portland, OR 97216 Broken? Closest places for drop-off (for a fee):Metro Metals Northwest for a fee. -5611 NE Columbia Blvd., Portland, OR 97218, (503) 287-8861 -Bob’s Metals Inc. for a fee. 9000 N Denver Ave. Portland, OR 97217, (503) 295-3636
Asbestos (items commonly containing asbestos: steam pipes, boilers and furnace, floor tiles (vinyl asbestos and asphalt), cement sheet, cement roofing shingles and siding, ceilings and floors, automobile brake pads and linings, clutch facings and gaskets,)	Test items to see if they contain asbestos. If so, two landfills close to the Portland area are permitted to accept asbestos waste by appointment only.  –Hillsboro Landfill 3205 SE Minter Bridge Rd, Hillsboro, OR 97123 : 866-909-4458 –Wasco County Landfill, 2550 Steele Rd, The Dalles, OR 97058 : (541) 296-4082If items test negative for asbestos, bring the test with you and dispose at Metro South Transfer Station at garbage rates. -Metro Central Transfer Station – 6161 NW 61st Ave. Portland, OR 97210, (503) 234-3000
Bags of garbage/Cardboard	Metro Central Transfer Station – 6161 NW 61st Ave. Portland, OR 97210, (503) 234-3000 Place extra trash in tied-off bags beside curbside trash bins at residence for $5 a bag. Place extra broken-down cardboard beside regular curbside recycling bin for no fee.
Chemicals (pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, poisons, antifreeze, motor oil, thinners & solvents, household cleaners, pool and spa chemicals, paints and stains)	Take to Metro Central Transfer Station for no fee at Hazardous Waste section – 6161 NW 61st Ave. Portland, OR 97210, (503) 234-3000
Concrete –	Drop-off for a fee – call for current fee.  – Porter Yett Co., 5949 NE Cully Blvd. Portland(503) 282-3251 – Portland Sand and Gravel, 10717 SE Division St. Portland (503) 252-3497
Drywall – See “Asbestos”
General construction & demolition debris – See “Asbestos”
Hazardous waste	Take to Metro Central Transfer Station for no fee at Hazardous Waste section – 6161 NW 61st Ave. Portland, OR 97210, (503) 234-3000
Oils, gasoline –	Motor oil should always be in: leak-proof, see-through plastic containers with screw-on lids (transparent, clean milk jugs, juice or soda bottles, for example). No containers larger than one gallon. No oil contaminated with other fluids.  Motor oil free curbside pickup: – Leave containers next to recycling containers at the curb. Check with hauler for quantity limits. Pickup not available for apartments. Motor Oil free drop off up to 5 gallons at O’Reilly Auto Parts SE Powell Store, 3955 SE Powell Blvd. Portland 97202, phone (503) 233-3807 – O‘Reilly Auto Parts Sandy Blvd. Store, 5915 NE Sandy Blvd Portland, OR 97213, phone (503) 281-7833 Vegetable Oil  – drop-off free at  – SeQuential Pacific Biodiesel : 3335 NW 35th Ave., Portland, OR 97210 phone: 1-800-447-3794
Paint cans with liquid paint	Take up to 5 gallons for free to PaintCare participating facilities:  – Dick’s Color Center PaintCare909 SE Salmon St. Portland(503) 236-6919 – Rodda Paint PaintCare-SE Taylor321 SE Taylor St. Portland(503) 233-6016 – Sherwin Williams PaintCare-NE Broadway30 NE Broadway, Portland(503) 288-6477
Propane tanks	Take to Metro Central Transfer Station for no fee at Hazardous Waste section – 6161 NW 61st Ave. Portland, OR 97210, (503) 234-3000
Refrigerators (with Freon)	Working and under 3 years old? Donate to Habitat for Humanity ReStore at 10445 SE Cherry Blossom Dr, Portland, OR 97216 Broken? Closest places for drop-off (for a fee): – Metro Metals Northwest for a fee. 5611 NE Columbia Blvd., Portland, OR 97218(503) 287-8861 – Bob’s Metals Inc. for a fee. 9000 N Denver Ave. Portland, OR 97217(503) 295-3636
Yard Debris	Drop-off for a fee: – Wood Waste Management 7315 NE 47th Ave. Portland(503) 493-3370 – ECR 12409 NE San Rafael St. Portland 97230(503) 253-0867 – Metro Central Transfer Station – 6161 NW 61st Ave. Portland, OR 97210, (503) 234-3000

This article first appeared in the Eliot News! There will be another issue in September. The Eliot NA wants you to know that we are here to support your block party! Sign up here for a low-effort non-competitive $100 grant! or reach out to board@eliotneighborhood.org.


By Norm Van Eeden Petersman, Strong Towns & Allan Rudwick

How did my family end up with over 40 people mixing and mingling on the street in front of our home last night?
Easy: I just hit “print.”

I printed out a rough-and-ready invitation to a block party in front of our home and the rest of the plan came together once things were set in motion. Hitting that print button and stuffing our invitations into mailboxes may not seem like a big deal, but it was really the biggest hurdle for me: It was the point of no return.

Once we did that, we were committed to seeing the party through and we’re so glad that we did. We had no idea how many people would show up, but we knew that there would at least be a few of our closest neighbors there.

Our neighbors, some of whom have lived in our neighborhood for over 40 years, said that it was the first block party that they could remember. Some neighbors recalled that they would meet up for a bonfire and fireworks at Halloween, but this was the first party where everyone was invited and so many people attended. One couple moved their 38th anniversary dinner to the night before so they could attend. Another family celebrated their father’s 59th birthday with cake for all of us, and another grandmother invited her grandkids over just so they could be there for it. One of our older neighbors, who doesn’t get out as often these days because of her husband’s health needs, said she looked at the invite and said to him, “I’m going to this whether you come with me or not!” And so he came with his walker and held court with stories and quips to keep us all entertained. An enduring image for me of the night was another older couple walking up the street carrying a pair of lawn chairs between them. The common refrain, when everyone was heading home, was, “Let’s do this again—and soon!” That was music to my ears and all the encouragement I need to plan for a Fall-themed block party.

Are you wondering how you can do something similar?
There are so many guides out there (I’ve read several of them over the years), but I realized that it was not a lack of information that was holding me back. I was waiting for perfection, and that was the problem. I was waiting for a group to come together to apply for a community grant. I was waiting for our conversations with neighbors who agreed that “we should do something” to mature into a full-fledged party. I was waiting for what I’d seen in photos and stories of neighborhood parties that were happening for the 30th year in a row with bouncy castles, petting zoos, and stilt walkers.

I would still be waiting if I hadn’t hit “print.“

Yes, we had to scramble once our initial estimate of 15 people grew to over 40 as the RSVPs rolled in last minute. And, ok, we were aware that our “unofficial” street closure wasn’t exactly by the book. And sure, we ran out of forks and bowls and people were eating birthday cake off of napkins with their hands. But by the time 9 p.m. came and folks were still sticking around, I knew that we were onto something great.

What would you like to see in your neighborhood? Make an invitation, hit “print,” and figure everything else out as you go! You’ll be glad you did.

The Eliot Neighborhood Association Board wants give small grants (up to $100) to neighbors who want to host a block party or other outdoor event in the neighborhood.

Because we know that the foundation of neighborhoods is actual neighbors, we want to do what we can to encourage people meet their neighbors.

By Alison Lelko

Have you ever driven past the train-station shaped building at the intersection of N Vancouver and N Russel and wondered “What’s going on inside that building?” The answer is more delightful than you might imagine. 

Inside the Columbia Gorge Model Railroad Historical Society in the Eliot Neighborhood is a 60’ x 70’ HO-scale model of the Gorge, complete with intricately detailed models of Union Station, the Vista House, Multnomah Falls, in situ. HO scale trains, both steam and diesel, traverse the detailed landscape, which stretches from Portland to Bend. 

As you enter the layout, you’re first greeted by miniature Portland, set in 1957, complete with the society’s newest building (built in 2025) – Portland’s own Franz Bakery with its spinning loaf. In this miniature world where people stand just ¾ inch tall, no detail has been spared. Amusement rides really spin at Oaks Park, an animated woodchopper chops logs in Hood River, and coal cars transport fuel along the Oregon Trunk Line.  

The diverse group of Portlanders that maintains the layout comes from all walks of life – the oldest member is in their 90’s and the youngest members are just 12 years old. The Historical Society’s 140 members meet every Tuesday evening, at which time the public can pre-arrange to visit the layout, or attend a meeting to consider joining the society. Without a doubt, however, the best time to visit the layout in action, with trains galore, is during their biannual Open House, taking place in May and November. 

The next CGMRHS Open House is Saturday, May 2nd and Sunday May 3rd, from 10 am – 5 pm. Tickets are available online and pre-purchase is encouraged: www.cgmrhs.org. Tickets are $12 for adults, $5 for kids aged 3 – 12, and free for under 3 years. 

Led by Eliot NA co-Chair Allan Rudwick

When: Saturday, February 21st at 3pm

Where: Meet at Harder Day Coffee on MLK and Tillamook.
2031 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Portland, OR 97212

What:  

• We will walk North along MLK and talk about the benefits of adding street parking along the majority of the corridor to revitalize the street, improve business access and calm traffic. 
• We will do some data collection about vacant spaces
• We may post some flyers
• We will also talk about the places, spaces and buildings and the spots that could be future places. 
• Return southbound will be on the #6 bus.

https://www.mlkpdx.org/walk

A local Eliot resident, known as Lady Max, attended our July general meeting to share her safety concerns during the open public comment period. 

Her first concern is the overall volume of fast moving vehicle traffic on NE 7th, even after the speed bumps were installed. She feels that rush-hour traffic has also increased, possibly diverting away from MLK by apps like Waze, or drivers just wanting to bypass stoplights. On 7th, this higher traffic is clashing at busy pedestrians crossings as they near Knott, and an increase in cycling numbers since the Earl Blumenauer pedestrian and bicycle bridge opened across I-84 on NE 7th Ave in 2022.

On NE 7th, there is an added crash risk is from blocked crossing visibility from cars parked too close to crossings. Especially when cars park in marked no-parking zones close to corners

Lady Max shared one spot specifically that she has observed and photographed over 50+ violations in only a few months period. The location has a sign, in which the homeowner keeps very well pruned around, but drivers continue to park there. After hearing a neighbor’s dog yelp because a truck got super close close when its owner tried to cross at Russell, Lady Max got really mad and decided to take action for the sake of ALL the neighbors. 

She asked various city staffers including PBOT’s Safe Streets program for ideas during community events. Considering PBOT budget limitations, she learned it might be necessary to do a little tactile urbanism. PBOT won a grant to paint 200 daylight corners but that doesn’t cover the need over all of Portland, it barely scratches the surface.

They suggested she attend her local neighborhood association meetings, and reach out to organizations like Strong Towns PDX. She created a petition to ask the city for traffic reduction with a diverter, and has several hundred signatures so far. She attended city counselor’s ‘Coffee in the park’ to bring attention to the matter. Lady Max rallied attendees to our August 11 Land Use meeting, which included Senior Council Aide Jacq Tjaden who works with councilor Sameer Kanal’s office and Mauricio Leclerc – a manager in the Area planning team at PBOT. Eliot’s Land Use and Transportation Committee (LUTC) met with some neighbors including Steve Cole from Irving neighborhood association. We talked for a bit and then went for a walk 7th. We left the meeting with no firm commitments from the City, but it was good to retell the story from our perspective and we think there may be room to continue the conversation there.  

After the meeting, Lady Max and the LUTC came up with a plan to clean and paint the No-Parking section of the curb that Max had documented more than 50 violators at. Over Labor Day weekend, a few of us gathered to get the first curb done. It looks great and we are already seeing the impact of less drivers parking there. 

We are always looking for community involvement and new ideas on how to make our neighborhood more livable and safe. This project was doable with tools we had readily available. If other neighbors want to do a similar project or have any other issues they want addressed feel free to reach out at info@eliotneighborhood.org or attend a future next meeting.

Our next LUTC meeting will be TODAY, September 8th at 6:30 PM – meeting indoors at 7th and Russell again.

If you are interested in helping out in any way, please contact info@eliotneighborhood
– sponsors / volunteers welcome