The Portland Community Reinvestment Iniatives (PCRI) have provided affordable housing in northeast Portland for over thirty years. Its massive holdings include more than 800 units, including the recently opened Beatrice Morrow and King+ Parks, both located on NE Martin Luther King Blvd. However, their portfolio also includes 220 scattered single-family homes, many of which were built in the 1920s. PCRI applied to and was awarded three grants totaling more than $630,000 by the City of Portland's Clean Energy Fund's competitive solicitation process.
The Green Door Project is the title of PCRI's efforts to bring energy efficiency to its renters. About the project, Kymberly Horner, PCRI executive director, declared, "Our constituents are the same people identified as a priority population by PCEF [Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund]. As we celebrate Black History Month, it is important to celebrate and honor the past and acknowledge today's strides and tomorrow's commitments that will benefit our community as we go forward.
"Launching the Green Door Project is one of today's events worth celebrating as we embrace climate change and how to best address it."
The festivities kick-off will take place on Wednesday, March 2, at 10:00 a.m. at 305 N Shaver St. in Portland.
The Green Door Project has three main initiatives. First, it will support an emerging local business to perform energy assessments of 30 homes. The resulting Home Energy Scores will inform future investments for PCRI. Next, 30 on-site trainings will eduate local workers on envergy efficiency and home weatherization. Finally, 8 PCRI homes will receive deep energy retrofits and water management upgrades. The organization aims to bring energy savings to its renters while simultaneously investing in Portland's clean energy future.