News

A new report prepared by sociology professor Daniel Sullivan and his students examines attitudes and actions among the residents of Northeast Portland's Alberta neighborhood—one of the most racially diverse in the city and one of the most changed over the past 15 years.

The study found that a majority of Alberta-area residents rate their neighborhood favorably and believe that it has improved over the past five years and will continue to improve. Opinions tended to be more positive from residents who reflect characteristics associated with gentrification-homeowners, whites, and those with a college degree.

A lack of affordable housing, poor quality schools, and drug dealing topped the list of complaints. Sullivan's analysis of survey responses found that the more education a respondent had—particularly post-baccalaureate and above—the more neighborhood problems that person perceived. In addition, residents of Alberta for the past 5 to 10 years tended to identify the most problems, while newcomers (less than a year) and old-timers (20 years or longer) identified the fewest. The report has been distributed to interested participants, two neighborhood associations, and was cited in a recent Oregonian article. To view the report online, visit www.sociology.pdx.edu/sullivan.htm.