For the past several years, members of the Northeast 42nd Avenue community in Portland, Oregon, have led a series of grassroots efforts to improve the vitality of our neighborhood commercial district. Together, we’ve applied for community funding, established public art and formed the 42nd Avenue Main Street Collaborative. Now we’re opening a new chapter, fueled by an innovative initiative presented by the Portland Development Commission. This program, known as the Neighborhood Prosperity Initiative, makes funding available for community-determined investment in the commercial district. In total, community members will work together to invest approximately $1,000,000 in permanent district improvements over the next several years. Together, we hope to create a prosperous, local, sustainable community for everyone in the NE 42nd Avenue District.
The key to success is community participation in this process. If we’re to make sure that the district grows to meet the needs of the community, then community members will need a voice in shaping its development. Likewise, business owners in the district know their own challenges to reaching prosperity better than anyone, and are critical to achieving the goals of the NPI.
Please lend your thoughts to this process and take a direct part in shaping the future of Northeast 42nd Avenue.
