2025: A Year In Review

Looking back at this past year, it is pretty amazing to see how much we accomplished together with the help of the District 1 East Coalition grant. We kicked things off in the best way possible with our Ice Cream Parade in August. Over 70 neighbors, kids, and dogs trailing an ice cream truck with an escort from Fire Station 12 through the streets. Between the bubbles, face painting, and live music, it was the kind of joyful afternoon that reminds you why community matters. We kept that momentum rolling into October, first by decking out a spooky car for the Elevate Oregon Trunk or Treat where we met hundreds of local families, and then by huddling together with hot cider and crafts for our pumpkin carving day at Helensview. Even though the weather tried to blow us away that afternoon, we still got 56 pumpkins into the hands of neighbors to brighten up their porches. To wrap up the cycle and head into the new year, we officially launched our monthly litter clean-ups in January. It has already been a huge success, with neighbors filling over ten bags of trash while catching up over coffee. Since the grant helped us buy our own permanent supplies, we are all set to keep these monthly clean-ups going and keep Sumner looking its best well into the future. It has been a busy, productive, and fun year, and we are so glad you were part of it.

Moving on to our neighborhood governing rules, our dedicated bylaws committee has been working hard behind the scenes to update our organizational documents to better serve the community. These updated bylaws were officially approved at our January 15 general meeting, and they replace our previous versions from 2020. A big part of this effort was focused on modernizing our processes and making sure our operations are as transparent and inclusive as possible.

As part of this shift, we are changing how we work to make it easier for residents to get involved without the full commitment of a director position. Many of our former director roles have been converted into committees so that more neighbors can participate in the board's work. We currently have committees focused on the SAN lot, community relations, events, and land use and transportation. We are also reshaping our Crime and Safety position into a committee and want to rethink how the public engages with this topic. For example, we would love to include more conversation around disaster preparedness. The new 2026 bylaws reflect how we actually work today and set us up for success as we move forward with our neighborhood goals. You can read the full updated document on our website to see all the details of how our association is structured.

sumnerpdx.org/bylaws/

City Council Update

The City Council recently reviewed public testimony regarding amendments to the chronic nuisance codes. Because the proposal faced significant opposition, the vote has been tabled until February while officials review potential changes. 

PBOT Wants to Hear From You

We are still collecting neighbor stories and photos regarding safety on NE Prescott. Following our recent meetings with PBOT and city representatives, it is clear that they need to hear directly from you to prioritize improvements. If you have experienced near-misses, have trouble with visibility at specific intersections due to parked cars, or have thoughts on adding bike lanes to help slow down traffic, please send your written testimony and any photos to sumner.neighborhood.chair@gmail.com.

Help Support the Rocky Butte Farmer's Market

We are also sharing a quick note on behalf of our friends at the Rocky Butte Farmer’s Market. They have a fundraiser running to support the upcoming season, and you can find more information or contribute at: https://gofund.me/05a145462

Upcoming Events

• District 1 East Coalition Board Meeting: Wed Feb 4, 6:30- 8pm at 737 SE 106th Ave. Zoom link here.

• Parkrose Winter Light Festival Launch Party: Come join the fun at Parkrose Hardware on Fri Feb 6 from 6-8pm at 107th and Sandy. There will be hot drinks, music and a special festival art installation! Where lights! More info at: https://historicparkrose.com/glowup and check out the rest of the festival: www.pdxwlf.com

• Gateway Night Market: Sat Feb 7, 2-7pm. Tented outdoor market featuring food, music & lights! Oregon Clinic South Parking Lot (NE 99th Ave & NE Pacific). 

• BPS Presents: Land-use 101 Training- zoning focus. Feb 12, 6:30-8pm. Zoom only: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81340142394?pwd=NfUezqHtDtPQ7qmBHdkVBIEyAAUPo2.1 

• Next SAN Board Meeting: Join us on Zoom for our Tues Feb 15 board meeting. Link & agenda available at: https://tinyurl.com/bdz5adr7 

• SPACC Community Leadership Committee: The first TIF District meeting is on Feb 18, 6-8pm at 10636 NE Prescott St. These meetings are open to the public.

• Sumner Monthly Litter Patrol: Sat Feb 21, 10-12pm. Help keep Sumner clean and join us for coffee and treats. More info to come at: sumnerpdx.org 

• Human Trafficking Community Conversation: We are partnering with Madison South and the Portland Police Human Trafficking Unit for an important discussion on March 5 from 6:30-9pm in the McDaniel High School Library. Reach out to madisonsouthna@gmail.com with any questions.

• City Club of Portland presents - District 1, Meet Your City Councilors: March 10, 6:30-8pm at the IRCO Sokhom Tauch Community Center. Register for free at: https://tinyurl.com/5n8dnj2s