This study seeks to evaluate and reflect upon attempts to measure gentrification in the
Interstate Corridor Urban Renewal Area (ICURA) of Portland, Oregon. Established in 2000 by
the Portland City Council, and managed by the Portland Development Commission (PDC), the
urban renewal area relies on the use of Tax Increment Financing (TIF) to fund capital
improvements in a defined area of North/Northeast Portland.
Although twenty urban renewal areas have been instituted within the City of Portland since
the late 1950’s, few in recent history have included substantial residential areas (B. Durston,
personal communication, October 1, 2008). For example, the River District Urban Renewal Area
targeted a largely abandoned industrial area beginning in 1998, resulting in the creation of “The
Pearl,” a vibrant multi-use district with a significant amount of housing.
Although the growth of The Pearl has inspired concerns about gentrification and housing
affordability, the prospect of urban renewal in the heavily residential areas of North/Northeast
Portland prompted stronger reactions. In a largely homogenous city, the ICURA contains
sections of 10 neighborhoods, including historically African American neighborhoods.
History makes the racial composition of neighborhoods relevant. Previous actions of PDC
led to the relocation of hundreds of African American households to make way for large-scale
redevelopment projects. In addition, persistent patterns of legal and illegal discrimination
contributed to income and housing instability. Homeownership rates for African Americans in
Portland remain well below population averages.
However, the neighborhoods within the ICURA were characterized by a deteriorating
housing stock, declining employment opportunities, and criminal activity. To many, urban
renewal represented both a threat and an opportunity. By necessity, the implementation of urban
renewal causes change. In both fact and perception, these changes are likely to be simultaneously
positive and negative.
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