Multnomah, Portland, Oregon

Multnomah
Neighborhood
Location in Portland
Coordinates: 45°28′02″N 122°42′46″WPDF map
Country	United States
State	Oregon
City	Portland
Government
• Association	Multnomah Neighborhood Association
• Coalition	Southwest Neighborhoods, Inc.
Area
• Total	1.44 sq mi (3.74 km2)
Population  (2000)
• Total	6,625
• Density	4,600/sq mi (1,800/km2)
Housing
• No. of households	3196
• Occupancy rate	95% occupied
• Owner-occupied	1582 households (49%)
• Renting	1614 households (51%)
• Avg. household size	2.07 persons

Multnomah is a neighborhood in the southwest section of Portland, Oregon, centered on the Multnomah Village business district. The community developed in the 1910s around a depot of the Oregon Electric Railway of the same name. It was annexed by the city of Portland on November 7, 1950.

Multnomah is bordered by SW 45th Ave. on the west, SW Capitol Hill Road on the east, SW Vermont St. on the north, and I-5 in the south. Exceptions are the area north of SW Nevada Ct. and east of SW 26th Ave. (part of Hillsdale), an area south of SW Multnomah Blvd. and north of SW Dolph St. where SW 48th Ave. is the western border, and an area south of SW Marigold St. where SW Capitol Highway is the western border. The neighborhood is bordered by Maplewood, Ashcreek, and Crestwood on the west, Hayhurst and Hillsdale to the north, and South Burlingame, Markham, and West Portland Park to the south and east.

The street fair in Multnomah Village during Multnomah Days 2009. Looking northeast down SW Capitol Highway from its bridge over SW Multnomah Blvd.

A bit of Portland history played out in the Village on April 7, 1987, when Mayor Bud Clark fired Police Chief Jim Davis while the two were having a breakfast meeting at the Fat City Cafe.

The neighborhood celebrates "Multnomah Days" with a parade and street festival on the third Saturday of August.

Historic buildings

• The Multnomah School (1913) has, since 1979, served as the Multnomah Art Center.
• The Nelson Thomas building (1913) now houses Marco's Cafe.
• The 1925 Masonic Lodge (Orenomah Chapter No. 141) is now the Lucky Labrador Public House.

Temporary homeless shelter

In November, 2015, the City of Portland opened up the Jerome F. Sears building as a temporary homeless shelter, which was a controversial shelter operated by an organization called Transition Projects. Then mayor Charlie Hales promised the shelter was going to close on May 31, 2016. In June 2016, the city asked to remain open for three additional months, however the neighbors demanded the shelter closed. Neighbors have expressed that city is trying a "bait and switch" and also commented that the former Army Reserve building was deeded to the city for use as emergency management use only.

Parks

• Gabriel Park (1950)
• A Park (1954), previously Custer Park, named for Gen. George Armstrong Custer. The change was made by Amanda Fritz in December 2020.

External links

• Multnomah Historical Association
• The Southwest Portland Post newspaper