This Week in the Mercury
Monday, August 4, 2008
Neighborhoods A Tool (well, tool library) Against Gentrification
Posted by Sarah Mirk on Mon, Aug 4, 2008 at 12:05 PM
What started as Eric Fair-Layman trying to maintain his home has turned into him trying to maintain his community. When Fair-Layman bought a home in Woodlawn, he wanted to start doing odd jobs around the house. "I always felt like that was missing," he said, "Some deep manly urge or something." Not wanting to shell out the money for tools, Fair-Layman stopped by the North Portland Tool Library, a volunteer-run venture which loans tools out to neighbors free of charge. But Fair-Layman's new house was just outside of what is technically North Portland. "No matter how I charmed them, I couldn't get in," he said. So in March, he decided to start one in his own neighborhood. After months of planning, the official Northeast Portland Tool Library is set to open August 16th.
The library's not just about helping people fulfill manly tool urges on the cheap. It's an example of the Northeast's new additions using individual enterprise to help the community combat gentrification. "People like me are pushing people out," admits Fair-Layman, who's raising his two kids in his new Woodlawn house while commuting to work as a teacher in Hillsboro, "This is a way to meet some of the old school [people] as well as help some of them stay, hopefully." It's expensive to buy the tools needed to keep homes in good shape, so when families are on tight budgets, their homes can fall into disrepair. The tool library will be free to use and open to anyone who lives in Northeast. "Everyone wants to use this," says Fair-Layman.
There are only a handful of tool libraries in the country and the big ones have a team of employees and federal grants. Fair-Layman had $700 in donations and a dozen regular volunteers. His friends were surprised that he would pursue the idea - he's seen TOOL in concert several times, but never been known for repair work. "They said, 'What is this, a music sharing thing?'" laughed Fair-Layman.
The library is a small garage turned tool shed in the corner of a church parking lot on 20th and Killingsworth. Since all the tools are donated, it's a small and ecclectic mix so far: 32 vices lay on volunteer-built shelves, a big table saw dominates the center of the shed and against the wall are a collection of old shovels.
The North Portland Tool Library has built up a cache of 500 tools since it opened four years ago. In Northeast, there's fewer tools but lots of enthusiasm. On Saturday afternoon, as Fair-Layman greeted the occasional neighbor drawn in by the "Tool Library Open" sign on the edge of the church parking lot, the conversation swirled with giddy ideas. "You should email the permaculture people!" said a woman who came by hoping to check out gutter cleaners but, put off till the 16th, wound up offering to donate some yellow jacket traps, "And have you contacted the carpenters' union?"
"We need a lot right now," explained Fair-Layman, "We want to outgrow the space."
Commenting was not available when this article was originally published.
1
4
First, stopping a phenomena such as gentrification is like trying to stop the tide with a bucket. The underlying economic, cultural and sociological causes are complex if anything.
Second, how is DIY home-improvement a deterent to gentrification? That's an interesting leap of logic, indeed. I'm going to submit it to my freshman college logic intructor to get his take on this.
Third, who claims that setting up a tool library is a any sort of deterent to gentrification? This is enough to cause me to drop character and write: I'd check that person's motor oil. I think they're running a couple of quarts low.
I remain your humble if confused servant,
Jacomus
5
People need tools to damage their houses so that the neighborhood will become a less desirable location to move into.
6
To quote those great American philosophers, Amos and Andy, "Nobody ever 'splained it to me that way, befo, Andy."
Thanks. I feel, well, edified.
I remain your humble servant,
Jacomus
I happen to like Jocomus. He tells it like he sees it, is as arrogant and obnoxious as he wants, doesn't care even slightly what you think. If you ever do think.
9
Most Commented on Blogtown, PDX
-
Mandatory French Fries on Sandwiches: CONDEMN OR ALLOW? by Wm.™ Steven Humphrey
-
Win Valentine's Dinner for Two at Central by Alison Hallett
-
TriMet Budget Cuts Rundown: Fare Increase, MAX Cuts, Killing Free Rail, Oh My! by Sarah Mirk
-
Let's Play the Game of
LoveThrones by Erik Henriksen -
In Which Bobby Roberts Attempts to Ruin the One Thing That Made Me Happy Today by Erik Henriksen
-
Should Portland Ban Cops From Using Horses and Pepper Spray to Bust Up Protests? by Denis C. Theriault
-
New Paris Laws Give Bikes Okay to Run Red Lights; Ooh-La-La! by Wm.™ Steven Humphrey
-
Tonight! KATU Wants Everyone to Be Afraid of Marauding Crazy People! by Denis C. Theriault
-
"I Have Chickens Too!" by Alison Hallett
-
CAT BREADING UPDATE: Which Mercury Employee Succumbed to the Pressure? by Bobby Roberts
Our Friends
- UrbanHonking
- Culture Shock
- Portland Roundball Society
- Steph Cassano
- Cort and Fatboy
- Street Roots
- Powell's Books Blog
- Portland Transport
- Portland Afoot
- Bike Portland
- Eater: PDX
- Portland Food and Drink
- Mr. Movie
- Sunday Softball
- BlueOregon
- Sightline Institute
- Ultra: Arts Portland
- Bitch Magazine
- Blazer's Edge
- Reading Local: Portland
- Portland Food Carts
- Stumptown Vegans
Our Enemies
The Handyman Pro - Your Honey-Do Specialist
Don’t let our name fool you. The Handyman Pro, LLC is a repair and remodel service provider with over 25-years experience. We cover all aspects of construction and repairs for residential and commercial clients.
About Portland Mercury
RSSGoing to Seattle?
Comments (9) RSS