Monthly Archive for March, 2009

If your business is in need of some financial assistance, here are links to a variety of resources available to small businesses in Portland.

Portland Development Commission (PDC): If you click on the pdf document on the right-hand side of the page, it contains a detailed description of small business resources in Portland, starting with the PDC and then covering other resources in the area.

Additionally, attached is a copy of a chart that summarizes financial assistance resources available through PDC. Terri Williams 503.823.3442 is the main contact for these resources.

Oregon Economic and Community Development Department (OECDD). Click on “Financial Assistance” to view the various programs available through OECDD. Business finance contact: Pam Brunell 503.986.0172.

U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Disaster Relief: The SBA is making low-interest loans available to Portland-area small businesses that were impacted by the storms that occurred between December 14, 2008 and January 4, 2009.

SBA Disaster Recovery Info on Mayor Adam’s Website.
FAQ’s and more information can be found here.

Loan Requirements and Application Documents to File by Mail:

You can file online by visiting here.

U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009: As part of the federal stimulus package, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provides $730 million to the SBA to improve its loan programs. Included in the Act are loan fee reductions, higher guarantees, new SBA programs, and secondary market incentives.

For additional information, please see here.

For SBA contacts in the Portland area, please see here .

Not all stimulus funds are going to road and construction contractors. Professional services are also needed. Contact brigdetbayer@pcc.edu and request a copy of Mid March e-News from PCC SBDC, Issue 17. It’s full of links to state and educational projects.

With the assistance of PSU Students working on their Masters, the CEIC has created a Strategic Plan for the future. Our goal is to have this plan be a framework for our district and be incorporated into the Central City Plan being created by the City of Portland Bureau of Planning.

The goals for the CEID Vision and Strategic Plan are to:
• Raise awareness of the CEID potential.
• Establish a shared vision for the CEID through 2040.
• Guide city planning, development, land use and public policy.
• Facilitate partnerships and coordinate the efforts of public and private stakeholders.
• Ensure the CEID remains a vital contributor to the economic viability, livability and
sustainability of the City of Portland for the next 30 years and beyond.

Due to the size of the plan, it is divided into two parts. strategic-plan-part-1 and strategic-plan-part-2

Michael Reese, Precinct Commander at Central Precinct has agreed to meet with Central Eastside business and property owners. His goal is to listen to concerns about how things will work in the very likely event that the SE Precinct will be closed and the officers who patrol our neighborhoods will be dispatched from Central Precinct.

We will be meeting on Thursday, March 19 at 6:30pm at St Philip Neri Paulist Center: located along 16th Avenue near Division. There is a parking lot at 16th and Divison; enter from SE 16th. Enter the building through the door with the ADA access ramp. The receptionist can direct you to the meeting room.

This will be a meeting to share with the Commander our concerns about how policing of the close-in Eastside will be addressed under Central Precinct management, and to discuss and work with the commander to assure that there is a smooth transition to a new system, and that the police and crime-control issues on the eastside are heard and answered now and in the future.

The question of whether the closures of the precincts will occur and how the precinct boundaries will be drawn is not a matter over which Commander Reece has jurisdiction or control, and should be taken up with Police Chief Seizer or City Council.

Members of neighborhood and business associations that will become a part of the Central precinct as well as those that will be split by the proposed precinct boundaries are encouraged to attend.

If you would like to attend, please RSVP to Susan Pearce at sue@suepearce.biz or call 503.232.5138. If you are unable to attend but would like attend one in the future, please let Susan know.

The City of Portland is requiring all Bureaus to cut up to 5% of their budgets. In order to achieve theirs, the Portland Police Bureau are promoting a “Precinct Restructuring Program” which they say will cut more than $3.6 million without taking police officers off the street.

The plan is to return to the pre-1994 three precinct structure which will eliminate Southeast and Northeast precincts. The officers assigned to the CEID would report and be headquartered at the downtown Central Precinct.

According to Chief Rosie Sizer, police officers will most likely patrol the areas they current do, they will just report for roll call at different locations.

Our precinct is still scheduled to have a desk clerk and people will still be able to access forms and information during the same hours as now, however the reduction in police presence in and around the area is likely to be noticed.

If the restructuring takes place, it will become effective in July.

The Central Eastside Street Plan Project is currently being conducted by the Portland Bureau of Transportation.

The open house meetings are designed to provide more detailed information about this project and to solicit ideas and comments to help shape design solutions for the project area.

To see the date and time of the Open House along with the streets being affected, please click here: Central Eastside Street Plan flyer

If you have any questions or comments, please contact Robert Hillier.

Bob Hillier
Freight Planning Coordinator
Portland Bureau of Transportation
1120 SW 5th Avenue, Suite 800
Portland, Oregon 97204
503 823-7567
Robert.hillier@pdxtrans.org