Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration Commons^™

Defining, Tracking, And Displaying Regional Equity Conditions: Two Approaches From The Portland-Vancouver Metropolitan Region, Meg Merrick

Institute of Metropolitan Studies Publications

This report explores the strengths and weaknesses of two significant regional indicator projects for the Portland‐Vancouver metropolitan area. Specifically, this paper focuses on the measurement of equity conditions at a regional scale. In 2003, the Coalition for a Livable Future (CLF), in partnership with Portland State University (PSU), launched the nation's first regional equity atlas endeavor that pushed the notion of equity to the forefront of regional discourse. Defined primarily in terms of access to opportunities, especially in spatial terms, the atlas took advantage of the analytical capabilities and graphic power of mapping and maps to convey its findings. Published …

The African Immigrant And Refugee Community In Multnomah County: An Unsettling Profile, Ann Curry-Stevens, Coalition Of Communities Of Color

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Since 1975, African immigrants, refugees and secondary migrants have been relocating to Multnomah County and now represent the fourth largest immigrant community after Latino, Asian, and Slavic immigrants. The African community here is incredibly diverse in its make-up, with over 28 different African countries and numerous ethnic groups represented. Estimates from 2003 suggest that African immigrants make up 2% of the foreign-born population in the Portland Metro (tri-county) area. Nearly half (45%) of the tri-county area’s African foreign-born population is from eastern Africa, including Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Other countries of origin include Sudan, Sierra …

Here, We Are Walking On A Clothesline: Statelessness And Human (In)Security Among Burmese Women Political Exiles Living In Thailand, Elizabeth Hooker

Dissertations and Theses

An estimated twelve million people worldwide are stateless, or living without the legal bond of citizenship or nationality with any state, and consequently face barriers to employment, property ownership, education, health care, customary legal rights, and national and international protection. More than one-quarter of the world's stateless people live in Thailand. This feminist ethnography explores the impact of statelessness on the everyday lives of Burmese women political exiles living in Thailand through the paradigm of human security and its six indicators: food, economic, personal, political, health, and community security. The research reveals that exclusion from national and international legal protections …

An Examination Of Gentrification And Related Displacement Of Black Residents In Portland's Boise Neighborhood, 1990-2010, Jordan Jordan

University Honors Theses

Issues related to gentrification and its primary consequence, the displacement of vulnerable populations from their homes and communities, are rightly considered among the most pressing social concerns faced by urban communities. Portland, Oregon has seen many of its neighborhoods undergo the gentrification transition, especially in traditionally Black neighborhoods. The Boise neighborhood lies within Northeast Portland's Albina district, which has served as the cultural and commercial heart of Portland's Black community for generations. In the 1990 Census, over 70% of the population of Boise (situated within Multnomah County Census tract 34.02) were Black, while 26% were White. By 2010, those figures …

Sustainable Municipal Operations: Independence, Oregon, Portland State University. Hatfield School Of Government. Center For Public Service, Ed Gallagher, Dave Rouse, Dennis Kurtz, Tanya Johnston

Center for Public Service Publications and Reports

Portland State University, Hatfield School of Government (PSU), and Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA), has formed a partnership to develop Sustainable Municipal Operations Plans that documents sustainability and energy management best practices. The goal of this partnership is to determine how a City/municipality can actively manage energy as a controllable expense by following a predetermined operation protocol. The PSU team developed a framework of best practices for sustainable municipal operations in different categories including facilities, fleet, purchasing, operations and the work environment. After identifying pilot jurisdictions, the team applied these best practices to the current operations of local governments in …

Sustainable County Operations: Yamhill County, Oregon, Portland State University. Hatfield School Of Government. Center For Public Service, Ed Gallagher, Dave Rouse, Dennis Kurtz, Tanya Johnston

Center for Public Service Publications and Reports

Portland State University, Hatfield School of Government (PSU), and Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA), has formed a partnership to develop Sustainable Municipal Operations Plans that documents sustainability and energy management best practices. The goal of this partnership is to determine how a county/municipality can actively manage energy as a controllable expense by following a predetermined operation protocol. The PSU team developed a framework of best practices for sustainable municipal operations in different categories including facilities, fleet, purchasing, operations and the work environment. After identifying pilot jurisdictions, the team applied these best practices to the current operations of local governments in …

How Might Ecologists Make The World Safe For Biodiversity Without Getting Fired?, David Johns

Political Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

This essay raises the following questions: What if conservation success depends less on speaking truth to power than on organizing a political force that can bring more pressure to bear on decision makers than their opponents? But what if natural scientists, by virtue of their knowledge, passion, commitment, are pretty much the only group that can be trusted with the fate of biodiversity and leading humankind out of their destructive ways? What if begging policy makers to do the right thing means barren oceans, the end of many species, and the end of wild places (not to mention a more …

Designbridge: Integrating Transportation Into Service Learning Design/Build Projects, Juli Brode, Nico Larco, John Roswell

TREC Final Reports

This proposal develops transportation-related projects through the work of designBridge. This active, student-based organization is composed of members from the University of Oregon’s School of Architecture and Allied Arts working cooperatively with participants from the UO’s Planning, Public Policy and Management, Landscape Architecture, Geography, and Art departments. The program provides an opportunity for students to gain valuable, real-world experience by encouraging them to explore significant design issues in the community, to seek appropriate solutions to transportation problems, and to develop professional skills. Students are engaged in all phases of the design and building process, from the first client meeting through …

Sustainable Municipal Operations: Albany, Oregon, Portland State University. Hatfield School Of Government. Center For Public Service, Ed Gallagher, Dave Rouse, Dennis Kurtz, Tanya Johnston

Center for Public Service Publications and Reports

Portland State University, Hatfield School of Government (PSU), and Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA), has formed a partnership to develop Sustainable Municipal Operations Plans that documents sustainability and energy management best practices. The goal of this partnership is to determine how a City/municipality can actively manage energy as a controllable expense by following a predetermined operation protocol. The PSU team developed a framework of best practices for sustainable municipal operations in different categories including facilities, fleet, purchasing, operations and the work environment. After identifying pilot jurisdictions, the team applied these best practices to the current operations of local governments in …

Assessing Soil Lead Contamination At Multiple Scales In Oakland, California: Implications For Urban Agriculture And Environmental Justice, Nathan Mcclintock

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Publications and Presentations

As urban agriculture grows in popularity throughout North America, vacant lots, underutilized parks, and other open spaces are becoming prime targets for food production. In many post-industrial landscapes and in neighborhoods with a high density of old housing stock, the risk of lead (Pb) contamination at such sites is raising concerns. This paper evaluates the extent to which soil Pb contamination may be an obstacle to the expansion of urban agriculture in Oakland, California. Using a combination of soil sampling at 112 sites, GIS, “hot spot” analysis, and reconstructed land use histories, the research reveals that soil Pb concentrations are …

Oregon's Health Insurance Coverage Holds Steady, But The State's Uninsured Rate Remains High, Jason R. Jurjevich, Jack Byerly

Publications, Reports and Presentations

Data released in August 2012 from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Small Area Health Insurance Estimates (SAHIE) program show that Oregon continues to have one of highest rates of uninsured residents in the U.S. According to Census estimates, 639,710 or 19.7 percent of Oregonians under age 65 were without health insurance coverage in 2010. For the under-65 population, Oregon’s uninsured rate ranks as the 15^th highest rate in the country.

Compared to 2009, the 2010 data show no statistically significant change in the overall uninsured rate for Oregon. Similarly, there were no statistically significant changes for Oregon between 2009 and …

Analysis Of Travel Time Reliability For Freight Corridors Connecting The Pacific Northwest, Miguel A. Figliozzi

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

A new methodology and algorithms were developed to combine diverse data sources and to estimate the impacts of recurrent and non-recurrent congestion on freight movements’ reliability and delays, costs, and emissions. The results suggest that traditional traffic sensor data tend to underestimate the impacts of congestion on commercial vehicles travel times and variability. This research also shows that congestion is not only detrimental for carriers and shippers costs but also for the planet due to major increases in GHG emissions and for the local community due to large increases in NOx, PM, and other harmful pollutants.

The methodologies developed throughout …

Contextual Influences On Trip Generation, Kelly J. Clifton, Kristina Marie Currans, Christopher D. Muhs

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

There is national interest in building data that expands upon the existing Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) trip generation rates to include sites located in a multi-modal context. Current ITE rates represent travel behavior for development in single lots and uses, primarily measured in low-density suburban areas. Despite evidence that a more compact urban form, access to transit and a greater mix of uses generates fewer and shorter vehicle trips, local governments are often compelled to use current ITE trip generation rates to evaluate transportation impacts and calculate transportation system development charges (TSDCs). This is due to: a) the expense …

Ballot Measure 26-146, City Club Of Portland (Portland, Or.)

City Club of Portland

No abstract provided.

Ballot Measure 82 And Ballot Measure 83, City Club Of Portland (Portland, Or.)

City Club of Portland

No abstract provided.

Police Use Of Force: A Review Of The Literature, Portland State University. Criminology And Criminal Justice Senior Capstone

Criminology and Criminal Justice Senior Capstone Project

Our research led to 22 articles with information relevant to the subject of police use of force. The studies explored a variety of topics, ranging from media coverage of force to characteristics of deadly force encounters and many issues in between. The information presented below is a summary of the most significant and useful data gathered from these studies. The material has been divided into five categories: Definitions and Prevalence, Suspects (those who experience force), Officers (those who use force), Patterns of the practice, and Implications, which include best practices or prevention over abuse. The “Definitions and Prevalence” section provides …

Visualizing Demographic Change: Gentrification And Older Moms In Portland, Robert Lycan, Charles Rynerson

Publications, Reports and Presentations

A presentation that attempts to shed light on social processes in Portland, Oregon, and provide a look at how GIS and demographic tools can be used to dissect complicated issues.

A Pitch For School Geo-Demography, Robert Lycan, Charles Rynerson

Publications, Reports and Presentations

A presentation that seeks to provide a snapshot of the field of school demography, and briefly outlines the major approached used in school enrollment forecasting. Also shows examples of how contract research leads to interesting research issues, and describes how these can fit into a university setting.

Measuring The Longitudinal Effects Of Food Carbon Footprint Training On Consumers: Knowledge, Attitudes, And Behavioral Intentions, Robin Wikoff, Gretchen N. Rainbolt, Wayne Wakeland

Complex Systems Faculty Publications and Presentations

Although the supply chains through which foods are produced, processed, and transported can have a significant impact on carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, consumers are largely unaware of how their food choices may impact the environment. Based on a previous related study, we hypothesized that a web-based training process could increase consumer knowledge and perhaps influence consumer behavior longitudinally. To test this, food distribution networks were modeled and analyzed to determine CO₂ footprints for a variety of foods, and a training process was designed to teach consumers about the CO₂ emissions for different types of foods that …

Public Perceptions Regarding The Use Of Force By Police In Portland, Oregon, Greg Stewart, Kris R. Henning, Brian Renauer

Criminal Justice Policy Research Institute Research Briefs

The current study sought to assess public perceptions regarding the frequency of force used by Portland police and determine whether these beliefs are consistent with officially recorded data on force used by officers in recent years.

Total Employer Cost Of Compensation Study -- Phase 2.0, Robert Winthrop, Phil Keisling, Masami Nishishiba, Max Bernstein, Bonnie Crawford, Jonathon Gant, Andre Lipinski

Center for Public Service Publications and Reports

In the spring and summer of 2012 the State of Oregon commissioned a study from Portland State University’s Center for Public Service to examine the single biggest cost of most government jurisdictions: personnel costs. Working closely with the League of Oregon Cities and the Association of Oregon Counties, the state and the CPS research team identified 21 different city and county jurisdictions in Oregon and southwest Washington, in addition to using state of Oregon data. The research team then identified 11 different job titles that were chosen for their range of duties and the relatively high degree of position comparability …

Is Portland Really The Place Where Young People Go To Retire? Migration Patterns Of Portland’S Young And College-Educated, 1980-2010, Jason R. Jurjevich, Greg Schrock

Publications, Reports and Presentations

For many metro areas, including Portland, being economically competitive in today’s knowledge and information economy depends on attracting and retaining young, college-­‐educated (YCE) migrants. On this indicator, Portland has been most successful: since 1980, the Portland metropolitan region has attracted college-­‐educated individuals under the age of 40 at some of the country’s highest net migration rates in good economic times and bad. Though not unique to Portland, the resiliency of Portland’s migration streams, even in periods of economic uncertainty, calls attention to an increasingly selective group of YCE migrants who appear to place greater relative value on non-­‐economic factors—from political …

Is Portland Really The Place Where Young People Go To Retire? Analyzing Labor Market Outcomes For Portland’S Young And College-Educated, Jason R. Jurjevich, Greg Schrock

Publications, Reports and Presentations

Few segments of the population are more critical to Portland’s future economic vitality than the young and college‐educated (YCE). In the last several decades the Portland metropolitan region has become a magnet for YCEs nationally, boasting one of the country’s highest net migration rates for college‐educated individuals under the age of 40, a trend that has continued in good economic times and bad. The infusion of human capital from other regions has undoubtedly been a benefit to Portland, especially given Oregon’s historically low levels of investment in higher education.

However, in recent years there has been growing concern about the …

Value Of Travel Time Reliability Part Ii: A Study Of Tradeoffs Between Travel Reliability, Congestion Mitigation Strategies And Emissions, Miguel A. Figliozzi, Alexander Y. Bigazzi

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Capacity, demand, and vehicle based emissions reduction strategies are compared for several pollutants employing aggregate US congestion and vehicle fleet condition data. We find that congestion mitigation does not inevitably lead to reduced emissions; the net effect of mitigation depends on the balance of induced travel demand and increased vehicle efficiency that in turn depend on the pollutant, congestion level, and fleet composition. In the long run, capacity-based congestion improvements within certain speed intervals can reasonably be expected to increase emissions of CO2e, CO, and NOx through increased vehicle travel volume. Better opportunities for emissions reductions exist for HC and …

Oregonians Nearly Unanimous In Support Of Reentry Services For Former Prisoners, Jody Sundt, Renee Vanderhoff, Laura Shaver, Sarah Lazzeroni

Criminal Justice Policy Research Institute Research Briefs

The vast majority of Oregon prisoners — 94% or more — are released to the community after serving a median sentence of five and a half years. Most former prisoners struggle to resume their family relationships, find employment, secure housing, and access healthcare. The Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) estimates that close to 60% of inmates are addicted or drug dependent, two thirds have an education need such as adult basic education or a GED, and half of inmates have a mental health need. Finally, close to 30% of those released will be convicted of a new felony within three …

Operational Guidance For Bicycle-Specific Traffic Signals In The United States, Christopher Monsere, Miguel A. Figliozzi, Sam Thompson, Kirk Paulsen

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The research consisted of two phases: 1) a synthesis of practice and 2) and analysis of cyclist performance characteristics. The synthesis of current practice reviewed the literature, current engineering design and operational guidance documents, and surveyed the jurisdictions about their current deployments of bicyclespecific signals. This report summarizes research of cyclist behavior at signalized intersections in Portland, Eugene, Corvallis, Beaverton and Clackamas County, OR. These signals had both bicycle-specific indications and vehicle-only signals. A total of 4,673cyclists were observed. For each cyclist observed arriving on red, a set of descriptive variables were collected (e.g., age, sex, helmet use, presence of …

Behavioral Perspectives On Home Energy Audits: The Role Of Auditors, Labels, Reports, And Audit Tools On Homeowner Decision-Making, Aaron Ingle, Mithra Moezzi, Loren Lutzenhiser, Zachary Lawrence Hathaway, Susan Lutzenhiser, Joe Van Clock, Jane Peters, Rebecca Smith, David Heslam, Richard Diamond

Center for Urban Studies Publications and Reports

Our study focused on the perspective of homeowner decision-making in response to home energy audits, combined with attention to the quality of the recommendations that homeowners receive, as well as the perspectives of some key industry actors on auditing and home energy labels. Unlike a program evaluation, the research was not designed to answer detailed questions about program effectiveness in terms of costs, savings, or process, nor was it designed to provide direct answers to questions of how to get people to do more audits or more retrofits. Rather it “steps back” toward a better understanding of more basic questions …

Focal Point, Volume 26, Portland State University. Regional Research Institute

Research and Training Center - Focal Point

This issue of Focal Point focuses on the recognition that mental health and physical health should not be considered separately. It addresses how the mind and body impact each other, and how we can strive to achieve balance within ourselves.

Entanglement: Health, Healing And Society In Africa, Haley Noel

Anthós

As a continent, Africa has been explored, exploited, and largely abandoned by the West. During the colonial era of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, foreign powers encountered diverse cultures, superstitions and disease before promptly labeling the entire continent a dangerous and primitive place. For early explorers and colonialists, disease and the threat of ill health is what defined Africa. They overlooked the pre-existing strategies and practices that Africans had adapted to guard against certain diseases, either ignoring them or labeling the misunderstood safety nets as primitive. Also overlooked was the importance of societal organization and communal cooperation among …

The End Of The Honeymoon: Cbpr, Positional Privilege And Working With Community Coalitions, Ann Curry-Stevens

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

This chapter tells a story about the CBPR research project, "Making Communities of Color Count" which partners researchers at the School of Social Work with the Coalition of Communities of Color in Multnomah County. It is not the only story about this project, as the voices of community partners and the rest of the research team are quiet in this retelling, but it is the one that centers the experience of the lead academic in this partnership. I center the joys and challenges of CBPR research, and the avenues that such opportunities offer for academically-based researchers, replete with avenues for …