South West Hills Residential League

Get Involved in the 21st Century

Mar 14, 2000

The Southwest Hills Residential League (SWHRL) just celebrated its 30th birthday and on behalf of the Board of Directors I thank all of you for making 1999 a great success. Please continue supporting us to make 2000 the best year ever!

We are all very fortunate to live in a neighborhood where the residents have such diversified talents, great values, and widespread commitment to excellence. Volunteering as the president of your neighborhood association, I have tried to uphold those standards and the experience has been an enlightening and rewarding one for me. I have grown a lot from working with the Board and interacting with the many knowledgeable and caring members of our neighborhood. During my tenure as president I have been convinced that the SWHRL Board is one of the greatest advocates you have to uphold the very high standards you expect for our community. To continue to be effective in protecting your interests, SWHRL needs your help now. As regional development pressures continue to escalate, complex issues will surface at a greater pace and many will require an immediate professional response to minimize adverse impacts on our neighborhood. Your direct involvement could prove pivotal in many circumstances.

The importance of your neighborhood association is best illustrated by the City Planning Bureau?’s approval of a highly inappropriate condominium project adjacent to the hairpin turn on SW Upper Hall. The approved plan included a massive condominium complex with an uncovered rooftop parking lot with access from the 180-degree turn on Upper Hall. Neighbors filed an appeal with the City Adjustment Committee, and because of the strategic efforts and persuasive intervention of the immediate neighbors, the SWHRL Board, Goose Hollow Foothills League, and expert land-use attorneys this project has at least temporarily been foiled. The Adjustment Committee voted unanimously to approve the neighborhood?’s appeal. Failure at this juncture would permanently have destroyed one of the most precious scenic view corridors in Portland. The out-of-state property owner and the local developer will probably resubmit a new proposal for the site. In order to be ready for next round on this issue, and others looming, SWHRL could certainly benefit from your personal involvement, professional expertise, business and political connections, or any other resources you could offer to support our efforts to protect the community assets we value the most.

Historically, SWHRL is one of the oldest neighborhood associations in the Portland Metropolitan area and was established in 1969.


In 1974 the Portland Office of Neighborhood Associations officially recognized SWHRL?’s geographic boundaries. Twenty-two volunteers representing individual neighborhoods such as Gander Ridge, Broadway Drive, Vista Bridge, Healy Heights, Council Crest, Green Hills, Humphrey Park, and others make up its Board of Directors. SWHRL operating revenues are entirely based on voluntarily contributions from its residents. By not receiving tax-revenues from the City, our neighborhood association has maintained a uniquely independent status that may improve our credibility in dealing with government organizations. From its inception, SWHRL has focused on issues effecting our values and quality of living. Such efforts include, but are not limited to land-use, parks and recreation, pedestrian and traffic safety, storm water mitigation, noise abatement, scenic resource protection, public works, and crime prevention.

Thanks to the relentless efforts of the volunteer members of the SWHRL Board, dedicated residents, local business owners, and an increasingly proactive City staff many important goals have been achieved in a short time period. Council Crest Park, Healy Heights Park, and Portland Heights Park have undergone significant upgrades, and through a matching program between the City and SWHRL the pedestrian and bicycle pathway on Patton Road from Strohecker's to the Shell station, and the sidewalk on upper Greenway to Council Crest Park were funded and completed. Numerous land use applications are being reviewed each month.

There are key people who are responsible for our success and please join me in recognizing Jane Hofmann for her excellence in community service. Jane served as Executive Secretary for SWHRL for 20 years and held the organization together under many different presidents and challenging circumstances. I also want to thank the current members of the SWHRL Board of Directors for their hard work, willingness to facilitate change, and their unselfish dedication to improving the quality of our neighborhood.

As SWHRL continues to evolve we want the community to benefit from your input and ideas. Your participation is critical to the continued success of our organization and the Southwest neighborhoods. Please come to our monthly meetings, give our office a call, or send us an e-mail to let us know what your needs and priorities are. Let us know how we can be most effective working together to achieve our most important dreams and goals.

The Board is seeking youth involvement in our organization, and we are exploring implementing student membership positions on the SWHRL Board of Directors. Young adults should have a voice in how our neighborhoods are shaped for the future. After we are gone, many of them will be living here with their children and grandchildren. Our neighborhood could greatly benefit from our youth?’s contribution to community planning and problem solving. We must capitalize on their knowledge, enthusiasm, new ideas, and invaluable perspective as we leap into the next millennium. The Board would appreciate any recommendations you might have regarding high school and college students within SWHRL neighborhoods who would like to help us design a better future, or who have concerns or issues they would like to present to the Board. To date, the following students from Lincoln High School should be recognized for having expressed an interest in working with SWHRL to get the new youth program off to a good start:

Kelsey Edwardson, SW Hillsdale Avenue
Wesley Grout, SW Buckingham
Andrew Rosenthal, SW 15th
John Schaub, SW Talbot

The SWHRL Board meets in the Ainsworth Elementary School library at 7 PM the 3rd Wednesday of the month and residents are encouraged to attend to voice their needs and concerns!

Let us have another great year!

Knut Eie, President
South West Hills Residential League