PROPOSAL INFORMATION
1. Briefly describe the project for which you are requesting funds.
Greening on Foster
The greening of Foster would involve a commercial tree planting, as well as the enhancement of other kinds of landscaping such as bark dusting, planters made and maintained by local school children, hanging baskets, and the landscaping of vacant parking strips on Foster Road between SE 50th and 82nd Avenues. This project grows out of partnerships with Friends of Trees, The Foster-Powell neighborhood association, the Mt. Scott-Arleta neighborhood association, Marysville Elementary school, the Foster Area Business Association, Southeast Uplift Neighborhood Program, and the Bureau of Housing and Community Development.
2. Describe why this project was selected and the need(s) to which it will respond.
In October, 1997 Foster Road, from 50th to 82nd Avenue and the surrounding neighborhoods was designated as the Foster Target Area Project (FTAP), a neighborhood improvement effort focused on the commercial and residential revitalization of the area. FTAP is a long-term project which is expected to last between 3 and 5 years and result in a written action plan created by the community to guide both physical and social improvements in the area. Project activities to date have included both outreach to community members and initial projects such as the Spring Clean-Up and the Mt. Scott Celebration. The business community as well as residents have strongly expressed the desire for physical improvements on Foster which would encourage foot traffic and increase the use of businesses by nearby residents, as well as attract new business to Foster.
With this goal in mind volunteers have undertaken the organization of a commercial and residential tree planting to take place on April 17, 1999. For those businesses unable to plant trees, we would like to offer other landscaping (green) alternatives such as planters made by Marysville school children.
3. Describe how you proposal meets one or more of the program criteria on pages 2 and 3. Priority will be given to projects that best meet the criteria and which offer benefits to the area closest to the applicant's impact area.
Our proposal meets all of the program criteria for funding. As stated above, the beautification of Foster figures strongly in the community's direction for the FTAP plan, and has also been a strong component of both the Foster-Powell and Mt. Scott-Arleta neighborhood plans.
The project will be conducted by a growing core of FTAP volunteers who continue to become involved in FTAP projects such as this one, which fulfill the goals of the revitalization plan. FTAP is driven by a steering committee made up of local businesses and residents, and representatives from the both Foster-Powell and Mt. Scott-Arleta neighborhood associations. Southeast Uplift Neighborhood Program acts as FTAP's fiscal agent, as well as providing the FTAP with the organizing support of a coordinator who will oversee this project.
The tree planting component of this project will take place on April 17th. And the other "greening" activities can easily be completed within the allotted six months.
4. a. Project Period: (number of months to complete)
4 -5 months maximum
Beginning date: January 18th
Completion date: April 30th, 1999
b. Geographic area to be served by project (must be within the City of Portland.)
SE Foster Road from 50th to 82nd Avenue, and SE Duke to SE Powell Street
5. How will the community benefit from you project and in what numbers?
The Foster Target Area is made up of approximately 5,400 residents and 215 businesses, all of which will benefit in many ways from the greening of Foster. Making Foster a more visually interesting and pedestrian friendly street will increase safety, as well as traffic safety, while highlighting Foster's unique culture. This in turn will encourage the other kinds of revitalization in the area such as storefront and home improvements. The project will continue to inspire community identity and pride, and neighbor involvement in the area.