Through a generous grant from Care Oregon, and in collaboration with Living Cully, we have hired Brenna to engage in housing advocacy for residents of mobile home parks in the Cully neighborhood. Brenna began her work this week. She will be working out of the parish office and can be reached by email at brenna@latnet.org. Please read her introduction below.

​Hello!
 
My name is Brenna Bailey, and I have recently joined the St. Charles community as a housing advocacy and stability organizer. I grew up in Minneapolis, MN, a city that I love, but wanted a change of scenery after high school. I headed to the Pacific Northwest for college, fell in love with this region, and decided to stay. My interest in community organizing, tenants’ rights, and anti-displacement work was sparked this summer in Chicago, where I worked and learned alongside some amazing activists in Albany Park, Chicago.
 
As a community organizer based out of St. Charles I will be working closely with Pastoral Associate and Youth Coordinator, Gabe Triplett, and Cameron Herrington from Living Cully. My first priority is to get to know this community and the broader Cully neighborhood, which I had the opportunity to do last summer while working with Hacienda CDC’s youth programming. In the coming weeks and months, you will probably see me emailing, calling, and going door-to-door—using every mode of communication to reach out, earn your trust, listen to your needs and concerns, and learn from your experiences as residents, tenants, and neighbors of Cully. Working alongside Gabe, Cameron, and all of you, we aim to improve material living conditions through healthy home assessments and a “Home Repair Program.” Our long-term goal is to collectively work and organize with residents along Killingsworth in the mobile home parks, addressing issues related to housing security and rent stabilization.

My office is located in St. Charles Church, and I will be doing this work part-time. When I am not in the office or knocking on doors, you can find me at Rigler Elementary coordinating the after-school SUN program. I have been there for several weeks, and have loved getting to know the kids of this community that are running through those halls.
 
Please feel free to email or call me if you have questions, concerns, or just want to introduce yourself. I am always happy to set up a meeting to chat about St. Charles, Cully, and how we can work together in the future.
 
Peace and Solidarity,
Brenna Bailey

We had a great celebration to baptize Isiah Moser, son of Catlin Moser and David "Nick" Rogers. Godparents are Mary Evans and Bryan Nesmith.

by Sr. Phyllis Jaszkowiak

MACG met on Thursday September 29, for their Housing Assembly.  In attendance was Matthew Tschabold from the Portland Housing Bureau. We heard many stories of people fighting to remain in their homes, and for some who no longer can remain because of high rent.  In view of this crisis, MACG had 4 goals for the Assembly.

1. Strengthen accountability for promises of affordable housing.  Matthew Tschabold agreed with us and will work with us to strengthen accountability of promises for affordable housing.
2. Protect tenants with careful phase-in of mandatory inspection program.  The ‘careful phase-in’ piece was needed so that landlords do not raise rents if they need to improve their properties.  Again Mr. Tschabold agreed this is necessary and will work with us to achieve this goal.
3. Increase public funds to meet the growing need of affordable housing.  Proposition 26-179 is proposed.  It is a bond measure for money now to build more affordable homes and apartments.  The ‘Welcome Home Coalition’ is asking for a yes vote come November.  MACG agreed to help get the word out on this proposition.
4. Advance creative community solutions.  Solutions that come from the community usually have a better chance of working well, ideas like the Oak Leaf Co-operative.  We will continue to work with MACG’s various communities to come up with such proposals.

The next MACG Training is Friday evening November 4 and Saturday November 5.  Each institution is asked to bring members to this training.  We will be asking some of you to attend this training.  MACG is working hard, with us and all its institutions, to make a positive difference in people’s lives.  Right now the main issue facing many is affordable housing.  We will need you, at various times, to come to rallies and meetings so that we can move in a positive direction.  Keep tuned for up-to-date news.