|
Dedicated to a vibrant downtown
A message from Mike Kuykendall, PDSI President and Vice President of Central City/Downtown Services for the Alliance This past year saw
some significant results in the Clean & Safe Program. Bill Sinnott, a former Portland Police Bureau Commander, retired after 26 years with the Bureau and joined the Alliance as Director of Clean & Safe in April. Working closely with John
Hren of Portland Patrol, Inc. and Central Precinct Commander Mike Reese, Sinnott forged strong relationships with the law enforcement officials and other security providers in the downtown core to address major public safety issues. The
following are just a few of the many recent Clean & Safe successes:
Reduced crime downtown
In the last year, the Alliance and PDSI worked closely with Mayor Tom Potter to focus on key problem areas in downtown. The Portland Police Bureau allocated additional officer time to this effort, and the BID increased its spending on
security by 30 percent to add more private security patrols. The results were positive: Last year alone, crime was down 13 percent and car prowls were down 27 percent. Forgery, fraud and embezzlement were all down more than 30 percent.
There were no homicides in the BID last year, compared to four in 2005. In addition, over the last 15 years crime in the downtown core is down 50 percent, making it one of the safest neighborhoods in Portland.
New parks contract
The Alliance recently signed a five-year contract with the City to provide cleaning and security in all of the downtown parks. This puts the parks under the Clean & Safe umbrella, which greatly improves coordination. Clean & Safe is
working closely with police on this effort, and there are significant results especially in Waterfront Park. The drug dealers and illegal campers are gone, and graffiti has been greatly reduced after three recent arrests of graffiti
vandals by Clean & Safe officers. Reports from nearby businesses are very positive.
Proposed day shelter and sidewalk ordinance
The Alliance is working with the Mayor, homeless advocates and others in the Street Access for Everyone (SAFE) working group, which has devised a program for addressing livability issues in the Central City. The group's recommendations
include providing day shelters for homeless people, additional public restrooms and seating in the downtown core. It also includes passing a sidewalk obstruction ordinance, which will prohibit people from sitting, lying or placing objects
on the sidewalks in downtown and the Lloyd District. The Alliance and downtown business owners are helping to fund the programs. Passage of the ordinance is expected in March.
Transit mall security
The Mall Security Stakeholders Group, an entity organized by the Alliance, brings together the Police Bureau, Clean & Safe, TriMet, the District Attorney's office, the Downtown Security Network and the City's Office of Neighborhood
Involvement in a coordinated effort to make the transit mall safe and welcoming. This security project covers SW 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th avenues while the mall is under construction. Clean & Safe has centralized the security efforts of the
various organizations for enhanced communication and dispatch. To request assistance with non-emergency security issues on the transit mall, call Clean & Safe at 503.224.7383.
Aid for homeless chronic offenders
The Housing Rapid Response program partnership between the Alliance, the City and Central City Concern targets the top 200 homeless criminal offenders in downtown. When arrested, these chronic offenders are given the choice between being
taken into custody or placed into housing, where they receive counseling for addictions and other services to end their homelessness. Many of them have hundreds of arrests. The program has been very effective since it began in October
2005. Since its inception, the crime rate for this group of individuals has dropped 71 percent.
Sidewalk Ambassadors assist in TriMet mall relocation To help ease the transition of the bus mall to its new temporary location on SW 3rd and 4th
avenues, TriMet contracted with the Alliance's Sidewalk Ambassadors to distribute information and answer questions from people and businesses about the move. During the month of January, the Sidewalk Ambassadors worked seven days a week,
rain or shine (or snow!).
Ambassador January statistics:
-
Total Interactions: 5,768
-
Information referrals: 2,550
-
Publications distributed: 2,550
-
City and/or property owner service referrals: 80
-
Business visits: 141
These numbers do not reflect all of the interactions related to the TriMet project.
City Council endorses Business License Fee reliefAddressing an issue that has long been the top concern for local businesses, Portland City Council has unanimously endorsed a plan to provide relief from the City's business
license fee (BLF), a tax that is particularly hard on small, locally owned businesses, sole proprietors and professional service providers operating in the city of Portland.
On January 18, the Council voted to adopt a resolution directing the Office of Management and Finance to draft the necessary code changes to amend the BLF. Council is expected to vote on an ordinance with specific code changes to implement
the tax relief by the end of February.
The Alliance, along with several partner business organizations, worked closely with Commissioner Sam Adams on development of the proposal, which will increase the owners' compensation deduction from $60,000 to $80,000 and the gross
receipts exemption from $25,000 to $50,000. The resolution also expresses Council intent to increase the owners' compensation deduction to $125,000 over five years.
"Passage of this resolution is a very positive development for the Portland business community," said Sandra McDonough, President and CEO of the Alliance. "We appreciate that City Council recognized the need to build some fairness into
this tax for local business owners, and were particularly pleased to see their intent to raise the owners' compensation deduction to $125,000, which is much more equitable than the current $60,000."
McDonough said Mayor Tom Potter has indicated that city budget analysts are already looking at how that five-year phase-in can be built into the city's budget planning. Changes will take effect for the tax year beginning January 2007. The
changes could affect how business owners estimate quarterly earnings for 2007. The changes do not impact 2006 filings due April 15, 2007.
On another front, Multnomah County Chair Ted Wheeler and other county commissioners have said they are committed to working with the Alliance to adopt similar reforms to the County's Business Income Tax as well.
For specific questions related to your business license fee filing requirements, please contact the City of Portland's Revenue Bureau at 503.823.5157 or visit
http://www.portlandonline.com/omf/index.cfm?c=29320.
Smoking ban goes into effect in Pioneer Courthouse Square
City Commissioner Dan Saltzman recently instituted a smoking ban in Pioneer Courthouse Square (where Clean & Safe also provides security services), with considerable support from the Square Board and the Alliance. This ban has made a
dramatic improvement in the livability of the area. The ban was imposed for health reasons, but it has also had a very positive effect on the overall atmosphere in the Square, especially on the west side.
Annual Business Census underway
The Alliance is currently collecting data for the 2006 Downtown Business Census and Survey. Results will show a total count of employees and enterprises by sector, and identify trends in the downtown business environment. The report will
be available in early Spring.
If you have not yet filled out the 2006 Business Census and Survey, call Carly Riter at 503.552.6768 for a copy.
Clean & Safe crews stay busy in January
During January, Clean & Safe security officers engaged in 17,665 interactions with individuals on the streets of downtown Portland as they continue to enhance the safety and security of citizens in the Business Improvement District.
These contacts included 5,181 business assistance and referral contacts, 7,211 pedestrian contacts, 99 arrests, 120 exclusions and an additional 101 non-enforcement "problem solving" contacts.
The Clean & Safe maintenance crew did a wonderful job removing snow during January's storm. They cleared the sidewalks of snow especially in the hilly areas and places where handicap access is most important.
Community Court update
In January, 105 defendants were ordered by the Westside Community Court to perform community service on the downtown work crew. The Community Court work crews removed 44 bags of trash and 22 pieces of drug
paraphernalia. In all there were 846 hours of community service performed by defendants from Community Court.
Twenty-four defendants successfully completed the Theft Accountability Class. The Downtown DA Legal Assistant reviewed a total of 145 misdemeanor cases for prosecution and referral to the Westside Community Court.
Project Homeless Connect provides much needed services On Tuesday January 23, Portland's homeless received much needed services and support
at Project Homeless Connect, held at Memorial Coliseum. Attendees were directed to medical, dental, legal, addiction, and housing counseling services. Members of the Alliance's downtown services team spent the afternoon conducting intakes
and helping people find the services they needed.
"When we work downtown on the streets everyday, we are faced with homelessness and it has an emotional impact on us," said Sidewalk Ambassador Merlin Varaday. "It felt good to participate in an event that makes a significant impact on the
issue."
The Future wins
Win a Window, December's holiday promotion, was a great success. Twenty-three downtown retailers participated, drawing more than 3,000 votes. The Future (931 SW Oak Street) received the most votes for best window. Thanks to all the
retailers who participated in this great program!
Holiday lights come down in February Each year the Alliance manages the Downtown Holiday Lighting Program for the BID. This program
encourages people to shop and celebrate downtown during the holiday season by creating a more festive and safer environment. This year was very successful: The Alliance lit 785 trees with more than 500,000 twinkle lights from November 1,
2006 through February 1, 2007.
A Light Up Company of Oregon crews began decommissioning the lights this month, and are already planning for next year. This will include electrical upgrades at selected locations for the next holiday season. A letter was mailed to all
property owners or tenants who are affected.
Downtown Retail Council looks at parking validation
The Central City Standing Committee has formed a task force including members of the Downtown Retail Council (DRC), Alliance staff, and property owners to conduct a downtown parking validation review. The City of Portland has retained
consultants to study the parking validation program, and their report will be presented to the task force members in February. The task force will review the City's proposals and provide their recommendations to the Central City Standing
Committee this spring.
Downtown Retail Strategy completed
In January, the Central City Standing Committee's Downtown Retail Strategy Task Force, chaired by Chris Kopca, completed a Downtown Retail Strategy Report and recommendations to update the Downtown Retail Strategy adopted in 2002.
The Task Force's report was endorsed by the full membership of the Central City Standing Committee and forwarded to the Portland Business Alliance Board of Directors, which unanimously approved the report. The report was then presented to
the PDSI Board of Directors and the Portland Development Commission.
PDC will consider final adoption of the Downtown Retail Strategy Report in March. To view the updated Downtown Retail Strategy, go to
www.portlandalliance.com.
Developer Tom Moyer announces new downtown high rise office tower
Last month, Alliance member Tom Moyer and his company, TMT Development, announced plans to develop a new 35-story high-rise, mixed-use office development at Park Block Four in the heart of Portland's downtown central business district. The
new $150 million dollar tower, to be named Park Avenue West, will be one of Portland's tallest buildings at 410 feet.
The Park Avenue West will include approximately 525,000 square feet of office, retail, housing and parking space. TMT Development expects to begin construction in fall 2007.
|
