About OHB

Our Happy Block is a Southeast Portland Neighborhood Coalition formed to improve livability through sustainable community (re)design and volunteer projects.

Our Happy Block 'proper' is located on SE Woodstock and SE Martins between 80th - 82nd Avenues
But our Initiative includes the larger surrounding community.

Completed Projects include:
Love-Bomb Mural, Parking lot depave and redesign, Native Plant Learning Garden, Stormwater Rain Gardens, Street Trees, and an ongoing Neighborhood watch
.

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Our Initiative transformed the Neighborhood and Calvary Church parking-lot into a safe, beautiful and ecologically friendly area!

We'd like to thank all of our community partners and volunteers for encouragement and funding!
We so much appreciate your generosity!

Click here to see Our Happy Block's projects.
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This was written before we actually did all the work:
Community Need: A Livable Community
This project will provide significant improvements in what is currently a huge, ugly, dangerous parking lot.  The area has a high rate of criminal activity, is in environmental distress, and is at the heart of a dense residential area with small businesses. The neighborhood has organized and created a Coalition to turn this eyesore into a community resource. With a direct view of the parking lot shared by over 25 separate residences, 4 businesses, a church, community organizations, 2 major bus routes, a designated bike lane, and major foot traffic... this Community Livability Project will bring a great sense of relief and empowerment to the broader community.
Community Benefit: Improved Quality of Life
  • Reduce crime rate (saving enormous amount of resources that would otherwise be spent on law enforcement)
  • Make a more livable community
  • Promote environmental stewardship and educates the public about storm water solutions.
  • Beautify neighborhood 
  • Provide safer and more attractive off-street parking, day and night, for the various users.
  • Addition of on-street parking for Martins Street Condos
  • Provide a safer environment for children playing in the area  
  • Support strong partnerships between businesses, residents, and community organizations
  • Increase community involvement and social capital
Goals:
  • Introduce native plants to the neighborhood
  • Stimulate investment in the area
  • Revitalization of commercial and residential areas in surrounding area
  • Neighboring residents and businesses will directly benefit from:
    - Increased safety
    - 4 additional on-street parking spaces just across from Martins St. Condos
    - Beautifying views for businesses, pedestrians
    bicyclists, and existing homes
    - Improving 600 linear feet of streetscape on Woodstock Blvd and Martins Street
Environmental Impact:
  • Infiltration Basins will  eliminate 374,000 s.f. of annual storm water runoff thus reducing discharge of untreated sewage into Willamette River - Improving watershed health
  • Improve Soil and Water Quality
  • New 'naturescape' will improve habitat conditions for birds and insects
  • Decreases urban heat island effect by removing asphalt and adding shade trees and vegetation
    (4,300 s.f. of asphalt will be removed (depaved) and recycled)