I hope you have been able to stay cool this week. It has been another hot one! My team and I are working hard to keep you all informed, preparing for the upcoming Special Session on redistricting, and developing our policy priorities for the short session in 2022. Read on for critical information on COVID-19, redistricting, heat resources, and more!
Community Events
Neighborhood Health Center’s Sixth Annual Community Health Fair
Please note that this event has been canceled.
In lieu of an in-person event, NHC is…
Delivering up to 300 MilkRun boxes of fresh produce to members of our community who may be experiencing food insecurity.
Distributing 400 totes and backpacks to patients at our area clinics with face masks, hand sanitizer, toothbrushes, water bottles, snacks, sunscreen, coloring books and more.
Looking for opportunities to deploy our new mobile medical vans to bring vaccines and school-aged immunizations and other health services directly to at-risk communities this fall.
Skyline Grange Garage Sale
When? Friday and Saturday, September 17th-18th Where? Skyline Grange, 11275 NW Skyline Blvd What? Skyline Grange is holding their fall Garage Sale. Clean out your garage by donating items to help improve, modernize and transform the Grange building. Proceeds go to the Grange’s Capital Improvement Fund. The deadline to donate items is Sunday, September 12th at noon. For more information, email skylinegrange894@msn.com.
THPRD Summer Events
Tualatin Hills Park and Recreation District will be hosting several small-scale outdoor events this summer, bringing joy to our community by positively activating our parks with arts and culture. View the full event schedule here.
Constituent Events
This interim period I will be hosting a mix of in-person and virtual events. I will still be available over Zoom if you prefer; my office can help set up a time for that. The best way to set that up is through my email, Rep.MaxineDexter@oregonlegislature.gov. If my work schedule changes and I must cancel a walk, a notice will be posted in the newsletter and it will be posted on social media.
Forest Park Walks
Please join me on my morning walk every other Tuesday at 8:00 a.m. The next walk will be on Tuesday, August 31st. We meet by the information board just past the green gate at the beginning of Forest Park’s Leif Erikson trail (4099 NW Thurman St, Portland, OR 97210). We will walk and talk as we proceed up the main trail. Wear comfortable walking shoes! This is an out and back walk; you may join us for as much of the walk as you choose.
Constituent Coffees
Thank you to everyone who attended a constituent coffee in July and August. It is my privilege to connect with you all and to hear your thoughts on what we can do to improve our community. We did one in Fields Park, near the Fremont Bridge, and one in Mill Pond Park in Northwest Heights. If you have thoughts on where we should host another one, let my team and I know!
Please join me on Tuesday, September 7th at 6:30 pm for a House District 33 Redistricting Town Hall. As one of the fastest growing areas in the state, HD 33’s district borders will become smaller, which means we need to identify communities of common interest, as well as what changes should and should not be considered. If you are a part of, or know of, a community based organization that should be part of this conversation, please let my team know and we would be happy to reach out. This is an important opportunity to share insight about your community and my team is happy to support anyone wishing to testify on September 11th or 13th who isn’t clear on how best to prepare and have your message heard. We will do our best to provide interpreter assistance if given prior notice, so please encourage your neighbors and friends in the district, even if they are English language learners, to participate.
Every 10 years, the U.S. government is constitutionally obligated to do a census to count every person in the country. The data is collected via questionnaires sent to every household and includes questions about how many people live in each home, group living situations, gender, age, race, and sources of income. The 2020 Census is now complete and by the end of this month, the data collected will be ready for use in redistricting.
The census data helps determine how electoral districts are drawn and the number of seats each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives. Depending on how populations have grown or declined, some electoral districts will be redrawn or subject to change. House District 33 saw an increase in population of at least 5,000 people, although we can safely assume it has grown even more by the growth of Multnomahand Washington counties. Every House District needs to grow by approximately 6,000 people for the district lines to not have to change significantly, maintaining the new district average of 70,621 constituents.
Oregon overall saw a 10.6% increase in population since the 2010 Census, whic has earned us an additional Congressional District. We will now have six U.S. House Representatives. Not only does this give Oregonians more federal representation in Washington D.C., but it influences how our federal government and organizations allocate resources and public funding, including education, healthcare, transportation, and emergency response services. How a district is drawn will also impact how communities' voices are reflected and represented in our governments, as well as the diversity of candidates who run for office.
Map line criteria and rules for drawing maps:
Legislators are following a people-centered process for drawing state and federal district lines. The more Oregonians participate, the better the quality of the process. There are criteria that must be met for how districts are drawn and these must be legally upheld. Per the National Conference of State Legislators (NCLS), “these criteria are intended to make the districts easy to identify and understand, and to ensure fairness and consistency.” Criteria are:
Contiguity: Districts should be physically adjacent, meaning parts of a district should be connected at some point with the rest of the district (NCLS).
Geographic or political boundaries: The natural landscape that makes our communities unique as well as established boundaries for entities like neighborhood associations are considered, however the law specifies that lines shall not be drawn to favor any political party, incumbent legislator, or other person.
Transportation Links: A resident of the district should be able to easily travel within it.
Communities of interest: Maps should keep communities of interest together. This is defined as a "group of people in a geographical area, such as a specific region or neighborhood, who have common political, social or economic interests” (Fair Vote).
Equal Population: Most importantly, each district should be as close to equal in number as possible. This ensures that a vote in Malheur County counts as much as a vote in Multnomah County.
Testify and make your voice heard.
Redistricting determines how resources are allocated and to which communities based on representation. This is why it’s so important that we receive as much public input and testimony as possible. I, as your legislator, want to hear from you to make sure we’re keeping communities of interest together and ensure every Oregonian has fair representation.
Think about your community in the last ten years: how it’s grown, and how the legislature should draw the lines to ensure your community isn’t divided. What makes your community unique? Do the current district boundaries divide or keep your community together? If available, use data on income, education, housing, transportation to compare your neighborhood to ones nearby. How has your community come together to advocate for common interests or important services? We want to hear from you!
There are three ways you can make your voice heard:
In person, at one of our six public hearings in September.PLEASE notify our office or the Redistricting Committee if you wish to testify and would benefit from an Interpreter’s assistance. We will absolutely find a certified interpreter to assist but having as much advance notice as possible is extremely helpful for some languages.
Virtually on Microsoft Teams.PLEASE notify our office or the Redistricting Committee if you wish to testify and would benefit from an Interpreter’s assistance. We will absolutely find a certified interpreter to assist but having as much advance notice as possible is extremely helpful for some languages.
Submit written testimony online
Mark your calendar!
Here are the dates for the public hearings for in-person testifying (Subject to change/cancellation due to COVID restrictions).
September 8 - Bend at 5:30 PM
September 9 - Eugene at 5:30 PM
September 10 - Salem at 9:00 AM
September 10 - Oregon City/North Clackamas County at 3:00 PM
September 11 - Central Portland at 9:00 AM - Hillsboro/Beaverton at 3:00 PM
September 13 - Oregon Capitol in Salem at 9:00 AM, 1:00 PM & 5:30 PM
Don’t let us legislators have all the fun; draw your own map!
ESRI is a geographic information system software that anyone can use to draw, save, and submit a map with lines that you draw through the software. Until the 2020 Census data is received in August, you can draw maps using the data from 2010. Here’s how to draw a map:
Scroll down the page to the header: “Redistricting Software Information.”
From there, you can access ESRI (click “Redistricting Application”), along with written and video tutorials on how the software works.
Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation Fall Program Registration
Registration for Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District’s fall programs, classes and activities begins Saturday, August 28, at 8 a.m. for in-district residents. Out-of-district registration begins on Monday, August 30.
Fall Schedule Available Online August 6: Details will be available on the district’s website at www.thprd.org.
Online registration is encouraged! The fastest, easiest, and best way to register is at www.thprd.org.
In-person registration available at open facilities: Walk-in registration at open facilities is allowed starting on Saturday, August 28 at 8 a.m. Please verify your center’s operating hours at www.thprd.org.
Centro de Bienvenida: They will continue to have bilingual staff and volunteers serving Spanish-speaking patrons. All non-English speakers needing extra assistance are encouraged to attend this event. It runs from 7:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 28, at THPRD’s Howard M. Terpenning Complex at 15707 SW Walker Rd.
High Heat Resources
Stay Cool & Safe
Yet again, expect temperatures over 90 degrees in the Metro area this weekend, not to mention the heat of the past few days. Washington County has created a map of cooling spaces which can be viewed here and are available in a list format here. You can find other heat-related resources from the City of Hillsboro here. Multnomah County has resources for help when it’s hotas well. Below are some additional tips for how to stay cool:
Keep cool at splash pads and fountains around town. You cancheck this website for splash pads and fountains that might be operating, including:
Keller Fountain (SW 3rd and Clay)
Salmon Street Springs (1000 SW Naito Parkway)
Bill Naito Legacy Fountain (2 SW Naito Parkway)
As of 8/10, the following THPRD splash pads is open:
Timberland Park (11600 NW Stone Mountain Ln, Portland, OR 97229)
Multnomah County has these 24-hour/day Cooling Shelters, operating through 9 am Sunday, August 15:
Sunrise Center, (18901 E Burnside St, Gresham)
Arbor Lodge, 7440 N (Denver Ave, Portland)
Portland Building, (1120 SW 5th Ave, Portland)
Kellogg Middle School, (3330 SE 69th Ave, Portland)
This particular location will open at 6 pm Thursday, August 12 and will operate through 9 am Sunday, August 15
Portland Community Centers and Misting Centers:
Open noon to 9 p.m. July 29-30. Pets welcome, except Dishman
Portland Building (1120 SW 5th St., Portland)
Matt Dishman Community Center (77 NE Knott St., Portland)
Charles Jordan Community Center (9009 North Foss Ave., Portland)
The City of Portland is also opening outdoor misting centers:
Glenhaven Park (7900 NE Siskiyou St, Portland, OR 97213)
Mt Scott Park (SE 72nd Ave &, SE Harold St, Portland, OR 97206)
Knott Park (NE 117th Avenue and, NE Knott St, Portland, OR 97220)
Capitol Hill (10723 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland) -Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Fairview-Columbia (1520 NE Village St. Fairview) - Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Gregory Heights (7921 NE Sandy Blvd., Portland) - Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Gresham (385 NW Miller Ave., Gresham) - Thursday 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Hillsdale (1525 SW Sunset Blvd, Portlandl) - Thursday 12.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Holgate (7905 SE Holgate Blvd, Portland) - Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Hollywood (4040 NE Tillamook St., Portland) - Thursday 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Kenton (8226 N Denver Ave, Portland) - Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Midland (805 SE 122nd Ave, Portland) - Thursday 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
North Portland (512 N Killingsworth St) - Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Northwest (2300 NW Thurman St) - Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Rockwood (17917 SE Stark St) - Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
St. Johns (7510 N Charleston Avel) - Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Troutdale (2451 SW Cherry Park Rd) - Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
These Washington County cooling centers have extended hours:
24-HOUR COOLING CENTER: Hillsboro Civic Center - Pet Friendly (120 E Main St, Hillsboro, OR 97123), Open now - Sunday at 8 p.m.
Located in the space above Outdoors In
TriMet route numbers: 46, 47, 48, and 57
MAX stop at Mark O. Hatfield Government Center Station
Face coverings and physical distancing are required.
Curfew from 10 p.m.-6 a.m.
Sleeping mats provided.
Sack lunch, dinner and water provided.
Pet-friendly location. Pets must be crated at all times. Please bring your own crate and supplies to take care of your pets. Crates may be available.
24-HOUR COOLING CENTER: Cloverleaf Building, County Fairground - Pet Friendly (802 NE 28th Ave, Hillsboro, OR 97124), Open now - Sunday at 8 p.m.
TriMet route numbers: 46 and 48
MAX stop at Fair Complex/Hillsboro Airport
Adults 18 and older.
Face coverings and physical distancing are required.
Curfew from 10 p.m.-6 a.m.
Sleeping mats provided.
Sack lunch, dinner and water provided.
Pet-friendly location. Pets must be crated at all times. Please bring your own crate and supplies to take care of your pets. Crates may be available.
OVERNIGHT COOLING CENTER: Beaverton Community Center - Pet Friendly (12350 SW 5th St. Beaverton OR 97005), Friday and Saturday from 9 p.m. to 10 a.m.
TriMet route numbers: 76
All ages.
Face coverings and physical distancing are required.
Curfew from 10 p.m.-6 a.m.
Sleeping mats provided.
Snacks and water provided.
Pet-friendly location. Pets must be crated at all times. Please bring your own crate and supplies to take care of your pets. Crates may be available.
You can also go to theBoys & Girls Aid Safe Place for Youth which is open 9 a.m. – 8 p.m. for anyone ages 12-20. The organization is located at 454 SE Washington Street in Hillsboro and has air conditioning, food, cold water, showers and recreational activities.
Transportation Options
Trimet will take anyone going to a cooling center for free - This will last for the duration of the Extreme Heat Wave of State of Emergency, and at time of publication, will end on Saturday at 10pm. Let the bus operator know you are heading to a cooling center and they will not deny you a ride.
For those enrolled in the Oregon Health Plan (OHP), either with a Coordinated Care Organization (CCO) or as a Fee for Service (often known as “open card”) member, transportation options include:
Health Share of Oregon (Ride to Care): 503-416-3955 or 855-321-4899
Trillium (MTM): 877-583-1552
OHP Fee for Service (Tri-County MedLink): 866-336-2906
For individuals not enrolled in OHP who need transportation assistance, there are other options:
Ride Connection serves older adults and people with disabilities in Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties (Mon-Fri). Call 503-226-0700.
TriMet LIFT is a service for people who are unable to use regular buses and trains due to a disability or disabling health condition. Eligibility requirements apply and individuals should be enrolled before scheduling. Call 503-962-8000.
One Call is for Providence members only. Call 866-733-8994.
COVID Update
The Delta variant is spreading throughout our community and putting increasing strain on our already weary and full hospitals. I have been caring for patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) who have severe COVID pneumonia since March of 2020, and it has become increasingly obvious how exhausted and short-staffed my healthcare colleagues and I are. OHSU projects that without new safety measures, our hospitals will be thoroughly overwhelmed in just a few short weeks. They estimate that Oregon will be nearly 500 beds short for folks that need care. This means we won’t be able to give the same quality and efficiency of care that we expect for things like heart attacks, cancer and strokes. In response to these projections, and a 7 day average new case rate of nearly 1,500, the Governor announced an indoor mask mandate, effective today, August 13th.
Thankfully, we now have very effective vaccines! But as of last month, 91% of COVID-19 deaths were among Oregonians who were unvaccinated. I cannot emphasize enough how critical people getting vaccinated is to everyone’s health, especially because as the infection spreads, the chance of more variants emerging increases — ones that have the potential to do far more harm than Delta. Unfortunately we still have a large percentage of Oregonians, especially in some counties, who are unvaccinated and the rates of infections are exponentially increasing.
In accordance with CDC recommendations, Governor Brown has directed the OHA and Oregon Department of Education to write rules instituting universal masking requirements for anyone over the age of 2 enrolled in a public school. The rule will also apply to in-person summer programs.
There will be exceptions to this rule, such as band practice or in sports where a mask could be a strangulation hazard, such as gymnastics or wrestling.
The Oregon Department of Education and the OHA will continually issue updated advisory guidance for the 2021-22 school year: you can find their framework here.
Local Business Highlight
Bing Mi is a Chinese food truck that sells authentic Chinese street food — namely, their savory crepes with a variety of textures and customizable ingredients. They were even featured on Eater PDX’s list of outstanding Portland food carts!
They are open daily at the Nob Hill Food Carts (1845 NW 23rd Pl, Portland, OR 97210). For more information, you can check out Bing Mi’s website or their Instagram.
If you own or know someone who owns a small business in House District 33, fill out this form to possibly be highlighted in a future newsletter and/or social media post from my office.
Unemployment Update
All pandemic-related federal benefit programs expire on September 4th, including Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC), Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) and the Mixed Earner Unemployment Compensation (MEUC). Those receiving regular Unemployment Insurance benefits may see a reduction in the amount they receive each week after September 4th due to the extra $300 weekly FPUC program and the $100 weekly MEUC program benefit amounts ending. Please note that even if you have a positive PUA or PEUC balance, you may not receive benefits for weeks after the program expires.
The requirement for individuals receiving unemployment benefits (traditional UI or PEUC) to be actively searching for employment was waived at the beginning of the pandemic but will be phasing back in starting July 31, 2021. That means if you are receiving benefits, you will be required to register in the state’s iMatchSkills database and begin actively looking for work. The state will send you a letter with your personal deadline for creating your iMatchSkills profile. Regular UI and PEUC claimants must complete and report five work-seeking activities each week they claim benefits. Read more about the work search requirements and other relevant information on the Employment Department website.
Almost all WorkSource Oregon Centers are now open for in-person assistance to help people find jobs and businesses find talent from 8:30 AM to 5 PM. If you are interested, please call your local WorkSource Oregon Center to make an appointment. People also may continue seeking WorkSource Oregon job assistance virtually and by phone.
Besides the federal benefit programs, there is still additional assistance available now and after September 4th, such as rental and housing assistance, health care services from the Oregon Health Plan, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and 211.org. The Unemployment.oregon.gov resources page also lists programs for workers and people who are self-employed.
Emergency Rental Assistance Program
Application Processing Update
The state funded Supporting Tenants Accessing Rental Relief (STARR) program was fully utilized and served almost 8500 households. Oregon Housing and Community Services is still working hard to process thousands of applications, which is why they are working with seventeen local program administrators to do so. For data on their progress, visit their data dashboard.
On August 3rd, alimited eviction moratoriumwas put in place by the federal government. This moratorium covers renters living in communities experiencing substantial or high transmission of COVID-19, which includes all Oregon counties at this point in time. The new moratorium protects renters for up to two months, through October 3. You can refer to this map for the latest updates. In addition, Oregon has two new laws that provide important protections to help tenants.
During the period of July 1, 2021 through February 28, 2022, Senate Bill 282 prohibits landlords from evicting tenants for not paying owed rent that came due between April 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021.
Senate Bill 278 says that if a tenant shows their landlord documentation that they have applied for rent assistance, the landlord is not allowed to evict the tenant for nonpayment for 60 days (or 90 days, for Multnomah County tenants) to allow for processing of the application.
For more information on both of these bills and the federal eviction moratorium, visitOregon Law Help.
Eligible Oregonians who receive their internet from Comcast or Ziply Fiber can apply to receive discounts of up to $50 a month and a $100 one-time discount for the purchase of a laptop, tablet, or desktop computer.
The program will end when the fund runs out of money, or six months after the Department of Health and Human Services declares an end to the COVID-19 health emergency, whichever is sooner.
The best way to stay informed and connect with my legislative work is through my Facebook page (State Representative Maxine Dexter), my Twitter account (@RepDexterOR), and my Instagram (@RepDexterOR). In addition, please feel free to reach out to my office at Rep.MaxineDexter@OregonLegislature.gov.
I am honored to represent you in Salem and look forward to continuing to serve you and this amazing community we share.
Gratefully,
Maxine Dexter, MD
Oregon State Representative
House District 33
Resources
Congressman Earl Blumenauer’s office has compiled an exhaustive list of COVID resources here.
National Suicide Prevention Hotline | 1-800-273-TALK (8255)- Crisis Text Line | Text HOME to 741741
Oregon Youthline | Call 877-968-8491 or text teen2teen to 839863 between 4pm - 10pm to text with another teen.
National Youth Crisis Hotline | 1-800-442-HOPE (4673)
Housing assistance: Family Promise of Beaverton is committed to helping children and their families affected by homelessness in the Beaverton area. (https://www.familypromiseofbeaverton.org/#homepage)
Housing assistance: Community Action helps pay rent and help to get people in need of housing. (https://caowash.org)
Housing assistance: Salvation Army Female Emergency Shelter serves women in the community who are experiencing homelessness. (https://safes.salvationarmy.org)
Housing assistance, utility assistance, food assistance: United Way of the Columbia-Willamette provides access to critical services like housing assistance and utility assistance and access to food. (https://www.unitedway-pdx.org)
Utility assistance: Oregon Energy Fund is a 30-year-old nonprofit that provides energy bill assistance to low-income Oregonians in support of household stability. (https://www.oregonenergyfund.org/about-us/)
Disability assistance: Plan For Work services help individuals with disabilities and provide different services to those in need. (https://www.droregon.org/plan-for-work)
Youth assistance: New Avenues for Youth provides meals, showers, laundry, respite from the streets, engagement activities, and legal counsel. (https://newavenues.org/our-services)
Food assistance, water bill assistance, and grants, utility assistance: Care To Share coordinates assistance to families and individuals who seek emergency food and other basic necessities. (http://www.caretosharehelp.org)
Food assistance: Mercy Corps Northwest provides assistance for community members returning from prison. (https://www.mercycorpsnw.org/work/)
Food assistance, housing assistance, utility assistance, disability assistance: Department of County Human Services ensures that everyone can reach their potential and contribute to communities. (https://multco.us/dchs)
Follow Representative Dexter on social media to stay connected!
