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• 1. [Article] Cathedral Waterfront Plan

  The Cathedral Park Neighborhood Association anticipated the imminent development of 15-acres of waterfront property (the Steel Hammer Site) in the heart of their community and worked with the PSU MURP ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Cathedral Waterfront Plan Author: Murthy, Mathangi, Boschetti, Tabitha, Anderson, Michelle, Kini, Saumya, Lehman, Rosa, Brown, Violet Year: 2015 The Cathedral Park Neighborhood Association anticipated the imminent development of 15-acres of waterfront property (the Steel Hammer Site) in the heart of their community and worked with the PSU MURP team to bolster the voice of the community through public engagement and thoughtful urban planning. The student team reached out to the neighbors, talked with shareholders, conducted site analysis, and developed a shared community vision for the Steel Hammer Site, which resulted the Cathedral Waterfront Plan that includes: Twelve community goals for future development Three scenarios demonstrating how development on the Steel Hammer Site could contribute to community priorities without disregarding practical and business considerations Strategies for negotiating community benefits on the site The PSU student team also developed a toolkit of strategies and tips for future public engagement in the neighborhood and ways the neighborhood can influence the development process in light of the current and intense market pressures in North Portland. This project was conducted under the supervision of Sy Adler, Marisa A. Zapata and Susan Hartnett Title: Cathedral Waterfront Plan Author: Murthy, Mathangi, Boschetti, Tabitha, Anderson, Michelle, Kini, Saumya, Lehman, Rosa, Brown, Violet Year: 2015 The Cathedral Park Neighborhood Association anticipated the imminent development of 15-acres of waterfront property (the Steel Hammer Site) in the heart of their community and worked with the PSU MURP team to bolster the voice of the community through public engagement and thoughtful urban planning. The student team reached out to the neighbors, talked with shareholders, conducted site analysis, and developed a shared community vision for the Steel Hammer Site, which resulted the Cathedral Waterfront Plan that includes: Twelve community goals for future development Three scenarios demonstrating how development on the Steel Hammer Site could contribute to community priorities without disregarding practical and business considerations Strategies for negotiating community benefits on the site The PSU student team also developed a toolkit of strategies and tips for future public engagement in the neighborhood and ways the neighborhood can influence the development process in light of the current and intense market pressures in North Portland. This project was conducted under the supervision of Sy Adler, Marisa A. Zapata and Susan Hartnett Close

• 2. [Article] Beyond Fruit: Examining Community in a Community Orchard

  The Fruits of Diversity Community Orchard, located in Portland, Oregon in an affordable housing neighborhood, is a site of alternative food provisioning in which a group of people, organized by two nonprofits, ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Beyond Fruit: Examining Community in a Community Orchard Author: Becker, Emily Jane Year: 2015 The Fruits of Diversity Community Orchard, located in Portland, Oregon in an affordable housing neighborhood, is a site of alternative food provisioning in which a group of people, organized by two nonprofits, work together to manage fruit and nut producing plants. Through conversations with volunteers who participate regularly and participant observation, this study explores the questions: What does community mean in the context of a community orchard? In what ways does partnering with a nonprofit from outside the neighborhood influence community and the way the project is operationalized? This thesis situates community orchards within the literature on alternative food networks (AFN) and highlights three key findings drawing on literature about community development and race in AFNs. First, neighbors and non-neighbors who participate in the project propose different definitions of community. Second, neighbor involvement is limited by a number of factors, including neighborhood divisions and organizational challenges. Notably, orchard participants do not reflect the racial and ethnic diversity of the neighborhood, putting this project at risk of creating a white space in a majority people of color neighborhood and reproducing inequality rather than fighting against it. Finally, this research complicates the notion of community in alternative food networks and demonstrates how collaborating with an organization from outside the neighborhood impacted the community through increasing non-neighbor participation and through their communications, aesthetics, decision making, and inattention to racial dynamics in the neighborhood and orchard. Title: Beyond Fruit: Examining Community in a Community Orchard Author: Becker, Emily Jane Year: 2015 The Fruits of Diversity Community Orchard, located in Portland, Oregon in an affordable housing neighborhood, is a site of alternative food provisioning in which a group of people, organized by two nonprofits, work together to manage fruit and nut producing plants. Through conversations with volunteers who participate regularly and participant observation, this study explores the questions: What does community mean in the context of a community orchard? In what ways does partnering with a nonprofit from outside the neighborhood influence community and the way the project is operationalized? This thesis situates community orchards within the literature on alternative food networks (AFN) and highlights three key findings drawing on literature about community development and race in AFNs. First, neighbors and non-neighbors who participate in the project propose different definitions of community. Second, neighbor involvement is limited by a number of factors, including neighborhood divisions and organizational challenges. Notably, orchard participants do not reflect the racial and ethnic diversity of the neighborhood, putting this project at risk of creating a white space in a majority people of color neighborhood and reproducing inequality rather than fighting against it. Finally, this research complicates the notion of community in alternative food networks and demonstrates how collaborating with an organization from outside the neighborhood impacted the community through increasing non-neighbor participation and through their communications, aesthetics, decision making, and inattention to racial dynamics in the neighborhood and orchard. Close

• 3. [Article] Parking Space Estimation in the City of Portland

  This project is a collaboration with Portland Bureau of Transportation, to study city required parking lots spaces, and allowed on-street parking space in Portland. As the city begins to re-evaluate its ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Parking Space Estimation in the City of Portland Author: Colder, Ashley, Weakley, Madison, Zoeller, J. Robert Year: 2016 This project is a collaboration with Portland Bureau of Transportation, to study city required parking lots spaces, and allowed on-street parking space in Portland. As the city begins to re-evaluate its transportation systems to encourage more travel by buses, trains, and bikes, we want to explore what is the current parking situation by the city of Portland. To understand better about the parking situation in Portland, and how this might affect the parking policies in the future in Portland. The scope of this project is limited to East Portland. The group was assigned to the Far-Southeast (Far-SE) area. The Far-SE TSP is bounded by East Burnside Street on the north, the I-205 freeway on the west, and the city limits on the east and south. The TriMet MAX Blue line runs east-west along the northern boundary and the MAX Green line runs north-south on the west. Major topographic features include Powell and Kelly Buttes as well as Johnson Creek. The predominant land use is low-density, single-family residential on relatively large lots, although there has been a significant amount of infill development through subdivision of large lots. Commercial development stretches along the five main arterials running through the district (Division Street, Powell Boulevard, Foster Road, Stark Street, and 122nd Avenue) and is generally low density. Title: Parking Space Estimation in the City of Portland Author: Colder, Ashley, Weakley, Madison, Zoeller, J. Robert Year: 2016 This project is a collaboration with Portland Bureau of Transportation, to study city required parking lots spaces, and allowed on-street parking space in Portland. As the city begins to re-evaluate its transportation systems to encourage more travel by buses, trains, and bikes, we want to explore what is the current parking situation by the city of Portland. To understand better about the parking situation in Portland, and how this might affect the parking policies in the future in Portland. The scope of this project is limited to East Portland. The group was assigned to the Far-Southeast (Far-SE) area. The Far-SE TSP is bounded by East Burnside Street on the north, the I-205 freeway on the west, and the city limits on the east and south. The TriMet MAX Blue line runs east-west along the northern boundary and the MAX Green line runs north-south on the west. Major topographic features include Powell and Kelly Buttes as well as Johnson Creek. The predominant land use is low-density, single-family residential on relatively large lots, although there has been a significant amount of infill development through subdivision of large lots. Commercial development stretches along the five main arterials running through the district (Division Street, Powell Boulevard, Foster Road, Stark Street, and 122nd Avenue) and is generally low density. Close

• 4. [Article] Accessory Dwelling Units in Portland, Oregon: Evaluation and Interpretation of a Survey of ADU Owners

  Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) are booming in Portland, Oregon. ADUs are small separate living units on single family lots that are often called granny flats or mother-in-law units. Over the last few ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Accessory Dwelling Units in Portland, Oregon: Evaluation and Interpretation of a Survey of ADU Owners Author: Palmeri, Jordan Year: 2014 Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) are booming in Portland, Oregon. ADUs are small separate living units on single family lots that are often called granny flats or mother-in-law units. Over the last few years, fee waivers from the City of Portland have increased ADU development from 30 units per year to over 200 units. These discreet forms of density can offer a variety of environmental, social, and economic benefits to ADU owners and their communities. Many of these benefits, however, have always been speculated rather than substantiated by data. In an effort to better understand the real impact or benefit of this housing form, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and partners conducted a survey of ADU owners in Portland, Eugene, and Ashland, Oregon. This was the largest survey of ADUs owners ever conducted in the United States and the results have significant utility in policy for Oregon cities and beyond. This presentation will present the results of survey and highlight topics such as ADU affordability, environmental impact, occupant demographics, owner demographics, community economic impact, and car ownership and parking statistics. Attendees will gain knowledge of ADU development trends and learn about how ADUs contribute to our communities. Title: Accessory Dwelling Units in Portland, Oregon: Evaluation and Interpretation of a Survey of ADU Owners Author: Palmeri, Jordan Year: 2014 Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) are booming in Portland, Oregon. ADUs are small separate living units on single family lots that are often called granny flats or mother-in-law units. Over the last few years, fee waivers from the City of Portland have increased ADU development from 30 units per year to over 200 units. These discreet forms of density can offer a variety of environmental, social, and economic benefits to ADU owners and their communities. Many of these benefits, however, have always been speculated rather than substantiated by data. In an effort to better understand the real impact or benefit of this housing form, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and partners conducted a survey of ADU owners in Portland, Eugene, and Ashland, Oregon. This was the largest survey of ADUs owners ever conducted in the United States and the results have significant utility in policy for Oregon cities and beyond. This presentation will present the results of survey and highlight topics such as ADU affordability, environmental impact, occupant demographics, owner demographics, community economic impact, and car ownership and parking statistics. Attendees will gain knowledge of ADU development trends and learn about how ADUs contribute to our communities. Close

• 5. [Article] Downtown Revitalized, Community Organized: a Comparative Analysis of Tulsa, Oklahoma and Portland, Oregon

  This thesis explores the relation between successful revitalization efforts and community engagement initiatives. The cities of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Portland, Oregon are compared on their most recent planning ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Downtown Revitalized, Community Organized: a Comparative Analysis of Tulsa, Oklahoma and Portland, Oregon Author: Wagoner, Amber Year: 2016 This thesis explores the relation between successful revitalization efforts and community engagement initiatives. The cities of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Portland, Oregon are compared on their most recent planning documents related to their downtown and/or central city. In 2010, The City of Tulsa adopted the Tulsa Comprehensive Plan, as well as the Downtown Area Master Plan (DAMP). These documents began a new era of revitalization after decades of disinterest and neglect for Tulsa’s downtown area. Portland’s revitalization efforts date back to the 1972 Downtown Plan. The plan launched participatory planning policies and inspired enthusiasm for a vibrant central city that continues to this day. The most recent Central City Plan (2016) echoes many of the earlier plan’s values and visions for Portland. Contextualization of Tulsa and Portland suggest that although they are at different points on their revitalization timeline, their commonalities as cities far outweigh their differences. Comparative analysis between the cities’ shows that Portland’s policies to assure citizen involvement throughout the planning process have led to stronger and more transparent plans which have withstood the test of time better than comparable documents in Tulsa. Increased community ownership of the planning process in Tulsa is suggested in order to guarantee these plans achieve their goals and stay relevant over time. Title: Downtown Revitalized, Community Organized: a Comparative Analysis of Tulsa, Oklahoma and Portland, Oregon Author: Wagoner, Amber Year: 2016 This thesis explores the relation between successful revitalization efforts and community engagement initiatives. The cities of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Portland, Oregon are compared on their most recent planning documents related to their downtown and/or central city. In 2010, The City of Tulsa adopted the Tulsa Comprehensive Plan, as well as the Downtown Area Master Plan (DAMP). These documents began a new era of revitalization after decades of disinterest and neglect for Tulsa’s downtown area. Portland’s revitalization efforts date back to the 1972 Downtown Plan. The plan launched participatory planning policies and inspired enthusiasm for a vibrant central city that continues to this day. The most recent Central City Plan (2016) echoes many of the earlier plan’s values and visions for Portland. Contextualization of Tulsa and Portland suggest that although they are at different points on their revitalization timeline, their commonalities as cities far outweigh their differences. Comparative analysis between the cities’ shows that Portland’s policies to assure citizen involvement throughout the planning process have led to stronger and more transparent plans which have withstood the test of time better than comparable documents in Tulsa. Increased community ownership of the planning process in Tulsa is suggested in order to guarantee these plans achieve their goals and stay relevant over time. Close

• 6. [Article] Cultivating Common Ground? A Case Study of a Community Garden Organization in Northeast Portland, Oregon

  When it comes to the topic of environmental sustainability, most of us will readily agree that we face a litany of local and global environmental threats in the twenty-first century. As such, we would ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Cultivating Common Ground? A Case Study of a Community Garden Organization in Northeast Portland, Oregon Author: Zinschlag, Bryan James Year: 2014 When it comes to the topic of environmental sustainability, most of us will readily agree that we face a litany of local and global environmental threats in the twenty-first century. As such, we would largely agree that the need to address climate change and other issues is urgent. Where this agreement tends to end, however, is on the question of whether this urgency is so great that we need not address issues of inequality and environmental justice when organizing sustainability efforts. Some are convinced that, because sustainability efforts are "saving the world for everyone", so to speak, issues of environmental justice are secondary at best. On the other hand, "just sustainability" advocates argue that no such effort is truly sustainable unless it considers winners and losers from the onset. I will argue the latter and demonstrate the potential consequences of a sustainability effort that has failed thus far at engaging those who might benefit most from involvement. This study is an exploration of the City Soil Network (CSN), a community garden organization comprised of seventeen garden sites throughout Portland, Oregon. Thirteen of these sites are in Northeast Portland, an area with a history of racial and ethnic discrimination and both inequalities and boundaries that prevail across the same lines today. A significant number of these residents are food insecure or at risk of becoming food insecure. Furthermore, recent gentrification in Northeast Portland has disproportionately displaced African Americans and members of other historically marginalized communities. As such, these groups tend to view recent neighborhood changes as a new variation on a decades old theme of injustice. Previous research suggests that community gardens can play a role in addressing all of these problems to some degree. However, this body of research has yet to explicitly analyze the relationship between local historical context, gentrification, the conflicting rhetorics of environmental sustainability and environmental justice and outcomes for community garden organizations. This case study includes content analysis of organizational publications, participant observation from four of the CSN's garden sites in Northeast Portland. It also includes interviews with eleven members of the CSN, representing all three levels of involvement with the organization, and six interviews with representatives of community organizations that serve Northeast Portland in some capacity. This study finds that the CSN largely consists of members of a preexisting community of sustainable agriculture enthusiasts. As such, those involved tend not to live near their garden site(s) and are distinct in a number of ways from the diverse neighborhoods that surround many of the CSN's garden sites. The organization has made very few neighborhood-level outreach efforts thus far, and those that have been made have largely been unsuccessful. Understandings expressed by both groups of interviewees help to explain why this has been the case. They also compel me to introduce the potentially adverse impact of gentrification on understandings of neighborhood socioeconomic conditions into the just sustainability debate; we need to consider that unjust sustainability can be the result of not only a lack of concern for inequality, but also a simple lack of awareness of it. Interviewees also provide suggestions for how the CSN or other community garden organizations might be more successful in appealing to marginalized communities. Title: Cultivating Common Ground? A Case Study of a Community Garden Organization in Northeast Portland, Oregon Author: Zinschlag, Bryan James Year: 2014 When it comes to the topic of environmental sustainability, most of us will readily agree that we face a litany of local and global environmental threats in the twenty-first century. As such, we would largely agree that the need to address climate change and other issues is urgent. Where this agreement tends to end, however, is on the question of whether this urgency is so great that we need not address issues of inequality and environmental justice when organizing sustainability efforts. Some are convinced that, because sustainability efforts are "saving the world for everyone", so to speak, issues of environmental justice are secondary at best. On the other hand, "just sustainability" advocates argue that no such effort is truly sustainable unless it considers winners and losers from the onset. I will argue the latter and demonstrate the potential consequences of a sustainability effort that has failed thus far at engaging those who might benefit most from involvement. This study is an exploration of the City Soil Network (CSN), a community garden organization comprised of seventeen garden sites throughout Portland, Oregon. Thirteen of these sites are in Northeast Portland, an area with a history of racial and ethnic discrimination and both inequalities and boundaries that prevail across the same lines today. A significant number of these residents are food insecure or at risk of becoming food insecure. Furthermore, recent gentrification in Northeast Portland has disproportionately displaced African Americans and members of other historically marginalized communities. As such, these groups tend to view recent neighborhood changes as a new variation on a decades old theme of injustice. Previous research suggests that community gardens can play a role in addressing all of these problems to some degree. However, this body of research has yet to explicitly analyze the relationship between local historical context, gentrification, the conflicting rhetorics of environmental sustainability and environmental justice and outcomes for community garden organizations. This case study includes content analysis of organizational publications, participant observation from four of the CSN's garden sites in Northeast Portland. It also includes interviews with eleven members of the CSN, representing all three levels of involvement with the organization, and six interviews with representatives of community organizations that serve Northeast Portland in some capacity. This study finds that the CSN largely consists of members of a preexisting community of sustainable agriculture enthusiasts. As such, those involved tend not to live near their garden site(s) and are distinct in a number of ways from the diverse neighborhoods that surround many of the CSN's garden sites. The organization has made very few neighborhood-level outreach efforts thus far, and those that have been made have largely been unsuccessful. Understandings expressed by both groups of interviewees help to explain why this has been the case. They also compel me to introduce the potentially adverse impact of gentrification on understandings of neighborhood socioeconomic conditions into the just sustainability debate; we need to consider that unjust sustainability can be the result of not only a lack of concern for inequality, but also a simple lack of awareness of it. Interviewees also provide suggestions for how the CSN or other community garden organizations might be more successful in appealing to marginalized communities. Close