Sustainability History Project

[This post written by Chris White, Daniel Gray, Tony Smith]

The Coalition for a Livable Future‘s Regional Equity Atlas (REA) provides a wealth of information regarding the socio-economic conditions of Portland and the metro area. This tool is useful for research regarding many various aspects of the equity pillar of sustainability. One potentially useful aspect of this resource is the ability for small and large businesses to find new areas for investment and development. One example of a positive development is the Yellow Line expansion along Interstate Ave. in North Portland.

There have been significant instances where communities were not included in the planning stages of major development. The REA has made note of two major projects which have left the community feeling neglected. In the 1950s the construction of the Memorial Coliseum uprooted many members of the local community without proper compensation. Another example is the construction of I-5 which tore through the same community as the Memorial Coliseum had done a decade before.[1]

There is a significant difference between how proponents of these two projects approached the local community and how the MAX Yellow Line project was built. For the MAX line, Trimet actually created a dialogue with this community, which has been disenfranchised multiple times in the past. They contacted community leaders, held community discussions and provided safety nets for local business that were at risk of adverse consequences during the construction. They also contacted local artists and gave a third of their sub-contracts to minority and women owned firms. By bringing this example to our attention, the REA provides an example of potentially positive methods and applications for businesses when seeking development in marginalized areas.

For growing and new businesses, the atlas provides a resource for identifying areas for development and ways to approach these areas in a respectful manner. For example, the atlas provides a map that demonstrates the availability of potential marketplaces. The map of people’s access to food in their community would be invaluable information for grocery stores and farmer’s markets [Map 6-1, p. 71]. Another map demonstrates the availability of transportation for the Metro area [Map 5-2, p. 56]. Some areas which lack access to public transportation could necessitate the need for auto repair shops, car parts stores etc. Also, when viewed as a dynamic whole the different aspects influence each other.

There is also information on levels of disposable income. This is extremely important for growing businesses to find appropriate markets for their specific product(s). When considering expansion many companies hire marketing teams and do extensive and expensive research. Because of this atlas, corporations have easy access to information that would otherwise come at the expense of valuable time and resources. This gives Portland an advantage when companies are looking for new markets to expand into. For example, by comparing different statistical distribution maps, it is possible to draw meaningful conclusions regarding business opportunities. The maps of 1989 Median Household Income [Map 2-14, p. 25], 2000 Minority Home-ownership Gap [Map 3-7, p. 39], 2000 Distribution of Children in Poverty [Map 2-12, p. 23], and 2000 Population Distribution [Map 2-1, p. 12] maps correlate well, and illustrate motivations for gainful employment and availability of labor. The 2000 demographic maps for distribution of African-Americans [Map 2-5, p. 15], Hispanics [Maps 2-7A & 2-7B, p. 17], Asians [Maps 2-8A & 2-8B, p. 18], and Native Americans [Maps 2-9A & 2-9B, p. 19] serve as a guide for corporations seeking to invest in minority-owned local businesses.

The benefits provided by the atlas include information that provides incentive to invest as well as market research. This levels the playing field for smaller businesses seeking information on new markets and existing demographics. A plausible outcome for this atlas is the creation of a tool for the private sector. If utilized correctly the Atlas could be a means to spur positive change, community development, economic progress, and upward social mobility.

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[1] See Regional Equity Atlas, “Chapter 5: Transportation.”

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