May 2009
1. Street
Access for Everyone Initiative Update
2. Clean & Safe Security Update
3. Clean & Safe Maintenance Program
4. West Side Community Court
5. Neighborhood Based District Attorney
6. Westside Community Court Work Crew
7. Crew Comments
8. Theft Accountability Class
9. Sidewalk Ambassadors
10. Travel Portland Update
11. OLCC Investigations
12. New Restaurants Opening Downtown
13. Market Research Department
14. Alliance Development Committee Update
15. Downtown Marketing Initiative
1.
Street Access for Everyone Initiative Update
Portland
City Council held a hearing in late April Commissioner Fritz's
proposal to temporarily extend the Street Access for Everyone
(SAFE) initiative for five months. The initiative includes
a host of important services for homeless individuals and
prohibits sitting, lying or placing belongings on downtown
and Lloyd District sidewalks from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
The purpose
for the extension is so Commissioners Fritz and Fish can conduct
further review of the SAFE Oversight Committee's recent report
to council and to seek additional public input. Co-sponsored
by Mayor Adams and Commissioner Saltzman, council approved
the extension in a 4-1 vote during a second reading the following
week.
Alliance
President and CEO, Sandra McDonough, testified at the hearing
on behalf of the Alliance, Portland Downtown Services, Inc.
(PDSI) and the Downtown Retail Council and called SAFE, "A
model of how diverse communities and interests, working together
in good faith, can find common ground and pragmatic solutions
for issues that have stymied other communities."
The Alliance
will continue working for the continuation of SAFE in the
coming months and will continue reaching out to the media
about the importance of this program. In case you missed some
recent stories and editorials, click
here for The Portland Tribune piece and read the
Portland Business Journal story here.
The Alliance
and PDSI board would like to thank you for contacting city
council about the SAFE ordinance. You can thank them for voting
for the five-month extension by using the addresses listed
below.
samadams@ci.portland.or.us
nick@ci.portland.or.us
amanda@ci.portland.or.us
dan@ci.portland.or.us
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2.
Clean & Safe Security Update
Central
Precinct Commander Mike Reese reports that last month's successful
drug mission on Southwest Fourth and Washington resulted in
more than fifty indictments for drug dealing. Retailers and
business owners all report significant decreases of drug activity
in the area, but Central Precinct and our Clean & Safe security
officers will continue to be vigilant to ensure the problem
does not displace to another downtown area.
On March
31, the city's annual emergency shelter bed program closed
for the season and will reopen November 1. The result is that
approximately 200 more homeless will be looking for shelters
or other places to sleep in and around downtown. Clean & Safe
is working closely with the city and homeless agencies, and
using the Street Roots Resource Guide to assist those seeking
indoor shelter. Call Clean & Safe at 503-224-7383 should you
need assistance with securing appropriate shelter for homeless
individuals on your block.
Clean
& Safe contacted nearly every bar owner within the Business
Improvement District (BID) to request their attendance at
a 'Bar Summit' to pre-plan for this summer's influx of patrons.
The result was a large turnout representing most of the bar
owners, private security and law enforcement resources in
downtown. The discussion focused on education, enforcement
and communication, and this collaboration should go a long
way in ensuring a safe and fun environment for everyone who
wants to enjoy downtown over the next few months.
Clean
& Safe security officers remain a capable force in observing
and reporting any type of activity that involves public safety.
Here are two excellent examples: The first involved a Clean
& Safe officer on patrol in a Smart Park garage who discovered
gasoline leaking from a parked car and pouring down the entrance
ramp. Portland Fire was called to assist, and a potentially
lethal situation was eliminated. In the second, a Clean &
Safe officer observed a subject verbally harassing and then
physically pushing a Nines Hotel security person. The irate
male pushed the security officer after being asked to leave
following the Trailblazer rally. The Clean & Safe officer
asked the individual to wait for the police to arrive, then
followed him while calling police. Central Precinct officers
arrived and arrested the subject for harassment. Great job
and a big thanks to Portland Patrol, Inc. for their fine work
making downtown a great place for us all.
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3.
Clean & Safe Maintenance Program
In April,
Clean & Safe cleaners were featured in a short documentary
regarding the new Portland Loo entitled 'People Can't Wait.'
The filmmaker chose the Loo because it is open 24 hours every
day and located in proximity to a large demand.
Our Clean
& Safe cleaners are testing a quick wipe graffiti removal
cloth and are finding that it may be an option for businesses
who would like to quickly perform their own removal of small
amounts of graffiti. Please call Clean & Safe at 503.224.7383
if you would like more information about this new item, or
whenever you would like assistance removing a ground floor
level graffiti tag.
The cleaners
report the following:
- 1,502
graffiti tags removed from public/private spaces and Tri-Met
- 1,356
bags of trash removed
- 743
calls for cleaning responses
- 134
needles removed
- 185
items of drug paraphernalia
- 2,306
restroom inspections and cleaning
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4.
West Side Community Court
The West
Side Community Court reports in April that:
- 282
defendants were ordered to perform community service
- 85
defendants were in compliance with their court ordered service
- 115
defendants were working toward completion
- 22
defendants were unsuccessful and facing additional court
sanctions
- 36
jail days saved by the program
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5.
Neighborhood Based District Attorney
The Neighborhood
Based District Attorney reviewed 190 cases for April and issued
178.
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6.
Westside Community Court Work Crew
Our Crew
Leader reports:
- 670
block faces covered
- 140
bags of trash removed
- 8 hours
spent at Loaves and Fishes
- 1,312
street cleaning hours
- 26
drains cleared
- 99
people reporting for crew
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7.
Crew Comments
In April,
two former crew defendants told the crew leader what they
are now doing with their lives since finishing their court
ordered community service obligations. One member is seeking
employment and treatment through Central City Concern and
another stated he had been two weeks clean and sober, although
still living on the streets.
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8.
Theft Accountability Class
The Theft
Accountability Class remains at a seventy-eight percent success
rate.
- 63
sentenced to attend
- 21
successful completions
- 2 failures
resulting in jail sentences
- 40
open cases
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9.
Sidewalk Ambassadors
The Ambassadors
report that there are many requests for brochures, maps and
other information at the kiosk as the weather warms. The Ambassadors
also handed out Clean & Safe information to 45 businesses
and talked with owners about the appropriate way to call in
disturbances and cleaning requests that affect their business.
The Portland
Trailblazer Rally on April 17th made it the busiest Ambassador
day in downtown this year. An estimated 15,000 people were
at the gathering and the Ambassadors were there to assist
in the spirit of the occasion and to give directions afterwards
to retail and restaurant destinations for these visitors.
Another great day for downtown-thanks, Blazers!
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10.
Travel Portland Update
Travel
Portland is currently promoting two short-term consumer-marketing
programs. The Portland Perks package includes: advantageous
rates at major downtown hotels, free overnight parking, breakfast,
and a coupon book for retailers, restaurants, and attractions.
Portland Perks recently added a limited-time program enhancement
of a $75 AMEX gift card for guests who stay two nights at
14 hotels participating in the program.
The other
new marketing program involves Travelocity and drives targeted
customers to a customized Portland microsite touting tax-free
shopping and other Portland attractions, and offers a $50
discount on three night hotel and air packages. More
information about the two programs >>
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11.
OLCC Investigations
The OLCC
is continuing its investigation into the liquor license application
submitted by the owners of Club Rouge, an adult entertainment
club seeking to open at 403 SW Stark. The OLCC will host a
hearing in June to determine whether or not to grant a license
to these owners.
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12.
New Restaurants Opening Downtown
Two new
restaurants will be opening soon in downtown. The Original
at the new Courtyard by Marriott will offer a retro-futuristic
diner concept. Nel Centro at the Hotel Modera is David Machado's
(Vindalhoo, Lauro's Kitchen) newest restaurant with a menu
based on the culinary traditions of the French and Italian
Riviera. Both restaurants will open in May.
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13.
Market Research Department
As part
of our commitment to the vitality of the urban core, the Downtown
Services team at the Portland Business Alliance collects and
disseminates information related to downtown real estate and
development. Our downtown market research includes:
- Annual
Business Census & Survey of all businesses, governmental
entities & non-profit agencies located in the I-5/I-405
loop;
- Custom
demographic site analyses; semiannual pedestrian traffic
counts of 15 intersections within the Business Improvement
District;
- Annual
report of all development and redevelopment projects that
are recently completed, under construction or planned in
the Central City; and
- Inventory
of available downtown commercial properties.
We recently
received this positive feedback from broker Jon Kellogg of
Commercial Realty Advisors NW regarding our market research
who said:
"....the
head of real estate for (Prospective National Retailer) loved
the Alliance maps. They were extremely useful during our tour
yesterday. She said that you have raised the bar for all the
other cities where she does business! Nice work and please
pass this message on to your GIS/research team and whoever
is responsible for allocating funding for this program. Thanks."
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14.
Alliance Development Committee Update
The Development
Committee, a subcommittee of the Central City Standing Committee,
has joined the Urban Land Institute to create a Commercial
Development Strategy. The purpose of the strategy will be
to inform the Central Portland Plan Update on how to maintain
and improve the market position of the central city as a competitive
location for commercial activity in order to:
- Encourage
and enable commercial development in the central city;
- Support
retention of market share in the central city; and
- Stimulate
the demand for central city office space.
The joint
committee meets generally every other week to address specific
topics impacting development and will generate a draft by
the end of June 2009.
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15.
Downtown Marketing Initiative
April
featured a Spring Fashion campaign with support on eblast
and Web site dedicated to spring fashion trends. The promotion
was also supported by public relations and related opportunities.
Preliminary planning has begun for the next fiscal year marketing
program, which commences on July 1.
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