Neighborhood Change

“Neighborhood Change” is a photo-collage that captures one property in NE Portland’s Concordia neighborhood during house demolition, tree removal and new construction. This small house and large Douglas Fir tree are one of many that have been lost due to development in the area. Although, the neighborhood and its houses are far from “affordable,” the increase in price from old to new construction is quite shocking. The property where the house was demolished was bought for $500,000 and the two houses that were built by the developer on the property sold for close to $900,000 each, an 80 % increase in price.

Information in the film notes that many large lots are often split into two parcels, 3,750 square feet each. This occurs under permit 19-119493 PR. Sites under 5,000 square feet are exempt from tree preservation requirements when undergoing development.  For sites over 5,000 square feet, one third of all on-site trees over 12 inches in diameter are to be preserved, but the applicant can choose to pay a fee in lieu of preservation for any trees they wish to remove below the one third threshold. 
 
For more information on trees and development in Portland: https://www.portlandoregon.gov/trees/article/520568

For more information on local tree advocacy: https://www.treesforlifeoregon.org/

For more information on Housing in Portland: https://www.portland.gov/phb/state-of-housing-report 

For a film that further explores neighborhood change in the Concordia neighborhood: https://tinyurl.com/Diaryofastreet