Author: Chris Waldmann

SNA President

News from the President

Hi Neighbors! I’m writing this in the aftermath of the big February snowstorm. Sunnyside looks beautiful with the sun shining off the fresh snow. Hopefully, when you read this, spring will be showing its green face again!

During the February board meeting we focused on land use — specifically revitalizing our Land Use and Transportation Committee. We had several folks join us who are interested in this important work and we voted to create a committee. We are moving forward with choosing a chair and establishing some priorities for Sunnyside. If you are interested in joining the committee, please contact us at [email protected].

We are still searching for new board members and officers for the SNA. Elections will be held in May. Please contact us at [email protected] if you’d like to learn more.

We look forward to seeing you in March at our next general meeting on March 9th at 7:00 p.m. Keep an eye on the website (sunnysideportland.org) for agenda details. As always, if you have something you’d like to discuss or learn more about, we’d love to hear from you!

What’s Your Preparedness Story?

For those of you who don’t know me, I’m a Sunnyside Neighborhood Emergency Team (aka NET) member and I’m tasked with encouraging all Sunnysiders to be prepared, not scared.

I’m shifting the focus of my news articles for the rest of 2023 to hearing and sharing your efforts, successes, and even frustrations with preparedness within your own families and blocks. We learn best from stories, so think about sharing yours with me. The best way to reach me is via email at [email protected]. 

Once you’ve emailed me, I will reply with a series of questions assessing where you are in your efforts to be prepared. I would also be willing to meet in person or via Zoom to chat once you have answered my follow-up questions. Then I will write an article for the newsletter, which, depending on space limitations, would be published sometime in 2023.

Looking forward to hearing from you and sharing your stories. Happy 2023.

Sunnyside Neighborhood Community Cares (SNACC) Committee Updates

The Sunnyside Shower Project (SSP) is branching out and forming partnerships to bring additional services to our neighbors living outside. Cricket Wireless representatives will be on-site registering shower guests for low-to-no-cost phone plans. OHP enrollment specialists will be helping ensure guests can get the insurance they need to access medical care. We hope to soon staff the showers with medical students who can offer on-site wound care services. Although we are excited to report that SSP recently received a Community Small Grant from SEUL for the second year running, we are still in need of funds to pay our houseless volunteers and to provide essential supplies and services to our guests. If you are interested in supporting the Sunnyside Shower Project, either financially or by joining our growing volunteer pool, please email [email protected] to learn more.

Sunnyside Neighborhood Community Cares (SNACC) Committee Updates

The SNACC committee will meet Thursday January 19th from 6:30–8 p.m. at Southeast Uplift. We are continuing to seek in-kind and financial donations, as well as volunteer support to sustain a new four-day shower schedule at the Sunnyside Community Center. If you are interested in volunteering, please email [email protected].

If you’d like to donate, visit www.sunnysideshowerproject.org/donate for more details. 

News from the President

Happy Holidays Sunnyside! 

The SNA met on November 10th for our bi-monthly meeting. A big topic of conversation was Mayor Ted Wheeler’s new plan to open large designated campsites across the city and to gradually ban unsanctioned camping by Portland’s houseless residents. Sam Adams, from the Mayor’s office, kicked off a series of meetings with neighborhood stakeholders on November 9th to discuss their vision. The pilot site would open with space for up to 150 people. They eventually expect to have six sites, with space for up to 250 people at each site. The mayor’s office says that each city-owned site would be managed by a private contractor, providing two meals, heated tents and access to service providers, like mental health, housing coordinators and drug treatment. The camps would be fenced and would have security, including in the 1000 feet surrounding each site. There are still many details to work out, including site selection and finances. Many meetings with the mayor’s office will continue over the coming months. They hope to be off the ground within 18 months.

We also had a presentation from Quiet Clean PDX (QC PDX). This organization is working towards a future where Portland would be free of gas-powered leaf blowers, as they greatly decrease air quality, cause extensive noise pollution and may present particular health hazards to their operators. This was an educational presentation and we may look at endorsing their campaign in the future, if the neighborhood is interested.

In other news, Portland voted for a new form of government with multi-member districts, proportional ranked-choice-voting, and a city administrator to manage bureaus! This is a big change for our city, and Portland needs you to stay involved. Over the coming months there will be many opportunities to participate in shaping the new government. Keep an eye on https://www.portland.gov/transition for opportunities to serve your community by making this change a reality.

The SNA board will have its monthly meeting on December 8th and we will return for our next general meeting in January.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season filled with friends, family and bright tidings for the coming new year. And I hope to see many of you at Sunnyside’s brightest tradition – the lights on Peacock Lane!