OLD TOWN COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
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Mission Statement
The Old Town Community Association is hereby organized as a combined neighborhood and business association in accordance with the guidelines established by the City of Portland’s Office of Civic and Community Life. Old Town neighborhood, which includes Chinatown, Japantown, Ankeny Plaza, Skidmore, and the Waterfront, is a diverse area and all of the diverse components of the community have a right to be in the neighborhood. This requires a balance which is best achieved by the various parties working together and communicating with each other. Pursuant to that end the objectives of this organization will be: Education. Provide a forum for education, research, and an exchange of information for everyone within Old Town so that they may nurture the unique nature of the neighborhood and fully participate in its governance and guide its future direction. Support. Broaden channels of communication between the residents, property owners, business owners, non-profit and faith-based organizations, educational and cultural institutions, their employees, students and visitors within Old Town, as well as City Officials, in matters affecting neighborhood vitality and livability. Our work must be done in concert with for-profit, non-profit and governmental entities, including the City of Portland and Multnomah County, the Portland Business Alliance, Clean & Safe and Portland Mall Management Group, so that Old Town is recognized as a united community. Communication, collaboration, cooperation and coordination are necessary in order to muster the resources and approval from beyond the Old Town neighborhood to achieve wider support for the community’s vision of a better future. Real Estate and Commercial Development. Assist in furthering commercial activities and real estate development that will raise the level of residential, commercial, and industrial activity consistent with land use regulations, the interests of community stakeholders, the neighborhood’s development plan, and sound economic practices. All parties will work towards an economic development plan that achieves a vibrant, sustainable environment in which residents, businesses, and cultural, educational, historical, and non-profit organizations can prosper.
About This Cause
Old Town is the Ellis Island of Portland. It’s the place that all immigrants arrived, once Portland was established. It has been home to African-American, Chinese, Japanese, Greek, Jewish, Roma and other immigrant groups, all in search of a better future. Those experiences created intense cultural and community bonds, that would not be dissolved even when social or legal requirements no longer forced these groups to live in old Town. African-Americans set up businesses in Old Town as early as the late 1800s, but after the Vanport floods, the center of cultural life moved to North and Northeast Portland. Decades of redlining, eminent domain, and then gentrification eroded these formerly strong community centers, where people can gather, be seen and feel safe. Meanwhile, the pandemic eroded the landscape in Old Town, leaving more of a blank slate than ever before. At the OTCA, our mission is to make Old Town the most vibrant neighborhood in all of Portland, where the ideals of Portland- justice, fairness, creativity and compassion- are true. We want to see a community that is a balanced ecosystem- filled with museums, cultural centers, higher education, housing for all income levels, and small businesses supporting them all. BIPOC-owned businesses- like The Horizon Enterprise, Goodies Snack Shop, Barnes + Morgan, Kasbah, Deadstock, Orox, Index and more- have found a home here. They are creating a new identity for Old Town- one where everyone is welcomed, seen, and safe- regardless of their background. Our proposal is that the OTCA would setup and administer a fund to support BIPOC-owned businesses. Applicants could receive funding annually, and the funding can be used for physical improvements, cash flow support, or new product + service offerings. The applications would be competitive (reviewed by an internal committee) but attempt to support as many BIPOC-owned businesses in Old Town- new and existing- as possible. Our goal is to give money to business owners that need it directly- not to technical service providers or 3rd parties, because in our experience, sometimes people just need money not advice. OTCA currently manages grants and funds for other groups. We support a social service called OASIS, and have acted as fiscal sponsor for other non-profits in the neighborhood. Currently we are managing over $1,000,000 in physical improvement project dollars for the City of Portland and the Federal Government in 6 different contracts- including refurbishing the Chinatown Gate, adding lanterns across 3rd avenue, and a $500,000 ARPA grant from the federal government. In short, OTCA has a proven track record of innovative programming with all levels of government, community organizations, and businesses.”