Welcome to the Business Voice - the newsletter for Portland's Business District Associations. To unsubscribe, use the link at the bottom of the page.

---

Board and President's retreat, July 10, 2:00 - 5:00 PM, Friendship Lodge, 5700 NE Sandy Blvd. RSVP to Retreat

---

VISIONPDX
If you missed your association's focus group, you can respond online at VISIONPDX. Just remember to select APNBA at Question 15, Where did you hear about this. Or, you can fill out the form, available to business associations, and mail it to APNBA, PO Box 5123, Portland, OR 97208-5123.

The survey continues until August 31.

---

Dealing with graffiti
14B.80.040 Procedures - The owner or occupant of any property in the City shall remove any graffiti from such property within ten (10) days of the graffiti’s appearance.

The city's Graffiti Abatement Program provides graffiti removal assistance to property owners, at the discretion of the graffiti abatement manager and upon receipt of a signed permission form. The City works with two contractors:

• Youth Employment Institute (YEI) has three crew leaders and crews of at-risk youth that are able to power wash or paint out graffiti from properties up to the second floor. They work across the City and are responding with same-day service in many cases. The City asks property owners to provide matching paint for special colors and/or when the surface to be repaired is excessively large (Many jobs take 5+ gallons of paint).
  
  Starting July 1, a crew will work 4 hours every Saturday. From July 11 to August 22nd, three ‘walking crews’ will remove graffiti from right-of-way properties throughout the eastside of Portland. Contact Graffiti Abatement at 503-823-5860 with suggestions for areas needing attention.
  
  
• Goodbye Graffiti primarily does jobs requiring special treatment: Historic buildings - old brick, stone, concrete; and upper level work (above the second floor). Goodbye Graffiti is the contractor used on abatement jobs resulting from a warrant. They can power wash (or low pressure wash); paint; repair glass; and also apply anti-graffiti coating to porous surfaces. All jobs done by Goodbye Graffiti must be pre-approved upon receipt of a “proposal” or estimate of costs. Frequently the City will share costs of removal or application of anti-graffiti coating with the property owner.
  
  Their most successful program is called Ever Clean. They maintain a graffiti-free zone around one building or an entire business hub by inspecting and removing graffiti weekly for a flat monthly fee. For more information, visit www.goodbyegraffiti.com or call them at 503-231-1414.

Report graffiti vandalism to the 503-823-4824 hotline or online at: www.portlandonline.com/oni - select “report a graffiti problem.” E-mail digital photos to mdennis@ci.portland.or.us or mail hard copies to: Marcia Dennis, 1221 SW 4th Ave., Room 110, Portland OR 97204.
Remove graffiti promptly – call 503-823-5860 if you need assistance.

Doing a "Walk and Talk"
A Walk and Talk does more than help you create a mailing list. It's a way to introduce the business association to new businesses, update the district on current events and plans, and re-connect to formerly active members. Plan to walk your entire district every five years or so. It's simple, but time-consuming.

• Split the district into 3 - 4 block areas and either assign them to your board or plan to do a few at a time.
• Provide printed sheets for entering the data.
• Introduce yourself and ask to speak to the owner or manager.
• Bring identification, such as an association business card.
• Ask about the business - show interest in them.
• Explain who you are, what the association is and how it can help them.
• Ask for the information you need, name, address, phone, fax, email, web site, etc.
• Invite them to the next meeting or event.
• Thank them and leave them your newsletter, brochure, directory - some tangible reminder of the association.
• Follow up with a postcard, phone call or email within a week.

Coming Events
July 7: First Friday Visual Art Evening 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm Division and Clinton Streets. Rin Carroll Jackson, rinzdezigns@mindspring.com.

July 7-9: Nob Hill Sidewalk Sale - NW 21st and 23rd Streets. Peggy Anderson, 503-706-6532.

July 8: Foster Road Art Walk - 56th - 64th & SE Foster, 10:00 - 6:00 PM. Sidewalk sales, live music, food artists. Kid activities 1 - 4PM at YArts Center.Kristin Yount, 503-265-1438.

July 15: Mississippi Avenue Street Fair Mississippi between Fremont & Skidmore. Bridget Bayer, 503-752-8517.

July 15: Hillsdale Pancake Breakfast, Hillsdale, Alan Bacharach, 503-452-0447.

July 15: Woodstock Street Fair SE Woodstock 42nd - 48th, Chrisy Landers, 503-804-9844, christylan@aol.com.

July 22: Division/Clinton Street Fair, SE Division & Clinton, 12th - 50th Jean Baker, 503-234-7642.

July 27: Last Thursday on Alberta Street.

August 1: Montavilla Street Fair, Stark St 76th - 82nd, Alema McCray, 503-318-5741.

August 5: Fremont Fest, Fremont 42nd-60th, Sandra Lefrançois, 503-705-9069.

Tell us about your event - Contact the Editor.

Top of Page