Arbor Lodge Newsletter – February 2026

Message from the Chair

I’ve spoken with several neighbors recently who are struggling with everything that’s going on in Portland and around the country. Neighbors who are afraid to leave their homes, even to buy groceries. Neighbors who are building mutual aid groups to help weather the economic challenges. And neighbors who feel political direct action is needed. 

A neighbor, Heather, is working to bring together neighbors who love gardening to encourage community connection and help create a neighborhood-wide food forest. (You can email Heather if interested.) Another neighbor, Rob, recently hosted around 30 neighbors to talk about how people can take action (he’s even created a Choose Your Own Adventure guide). 

The most important thing I want to say is this: remember that you are not alone. Reach out to your neighbors. If you don’t know anyone in the neighborhood yet, reach out to us. We’re happy to try and help connect you to the people we know who are doing amazing things to make our community better.

Thanks!

Kevin Micalizzi, Chair, Arbor Lodge Neighborhood Association

Neighborhood Meeting

When: Thursday, February 19, 2026, 7:00-8:30 pm

Where: Historic Kenton Firehouse, 8105 N Brandon, or via Zoom.

Agenda:

  • Arbor Lodge Shelter
  • Shelter Community Advisory Committee
  • Portland City Councilor Sameer Kanal
  • Neighborhood Concerns
  • New Web Site
  • District 2 Updates
  • Arbor Lodge Tree Team
  • See full agenda

Arbor Lodge Tree Team

Brian Duncan Memorial Fruit Tree Giveaway

Improve your neighborhood’s air quality, beautify your home, and grow fruit in your yard! The Brian Duncan Memorial Fruit Tree Giveaway sponsored by the Arbor Lodge Neighborhood Association Tree Team is giving away dozens of fruit trees, shrubs, and small/medium-form trees, including some natives to people in our community for free on Sunday, March 1, 2026. Reserve your tree now. 

Want to share your love of trees?

The Tree Team meets on the second Wednesday of each month at 7pm to talk about trees and tree policies, and to plan events like tree walks and bike rides. We would love to have you join us! We meet at  Double Mountain Brewing at 1700 N. Killingworth. Please check arborlodgetrees.org for more information.

Arbor Lodge Shelter

Shelter Updates

  • Tri-Met responded to CAC member (Peggy) 1/15/26, letting us know that they have received multiple reports and that they are trying to rely on Tri-Met security and law enforcement for the issues around the stop at N Fenwick & N Lombard
  • Huge thank you to our neighbors for supplying the needs of the shelter from our CAC webpage “support list.” HUGE thanks, we’ve received shower shoes, sweatpants, pet muzzles, shaving cream/razors, toothpaste, and art supplies! HUGE thanks to Peggy for donating a leaf blower! 
  • The county completed installing the light shields on the Arbor’s exterior lights. The neighbor closest to the shelter has reported that they are working well to limit light pollution. 
  • Arbor toured Vancouver’s future shelter development team. We are the model, and it’s making us really proud. 
  • The Columbian Newspaper toured the shelter to gain insight for Vancouver’s shelter development. 
  • The shelter could really use towels if anyone is interested in donating their unused/old towels. 
  • Arbor is still interested in finding support with building/installing a “free library” towards the Lombard/Denver shelter entrance, hoping to further connect with our neighbors!

Abor Lodge Shelter Community Advisory Committee (CAC) Updates

Portland International Raceway (PIR) Fund

In 1989, a fund was established to mitigate the negative effects of the Portland International Raceway (PIR). During the pandemic, the fund went dormant, but it has recently been restarted, managed by the Portland Parks Foundation. The new North Portland Fund Community Grant Program will be opening soon, and the Arbor Lodge Neighborhood Association can apply for a grant to do whatever we need to “improve” the neighborhood.

We, the neighborhood association, need your ideas. The grant opens March 1, and will close April 15. We will form a small group to meet once to choose an idea, then work on a grant application to fund it.

What would you like to see happening in Arbor Lodge?

Key Criteria include:

  • Work in Priority Neighborhoods: work must provide benefits primarily within: Portsmouth, Kenton, Hayden Island, East Columbia, Piedmont, Arbor Lodge, University Park, Bridgeton, Cathedral Park, St. Johns, or Overlook neighborhoods, or some combination of the above.
  • Supporting Youth and/or Underserved Communities
  • Community Benefit: work must improve the livability of these neighborhoods or the vitality of area businesses.
  • Environmental Impact: Successful applications should also demonstrate positive environmental impact to the outlined neighborhoods
  • Partnership & Engagement: applications should demonstrate broad-based community involvement in planning and implementing the proposed work
  • Feasibility: applicants must have sufficient organizational and fiscal capacity to carry out the proposal, and the grant proposal must include a realistic plan describing how the proposal will be carried out. All applications must include a detailed timeline and budget.

If you would like to submit an idea, please use the Arbor Lodge Ideas form https://arborlodgepdx.org/ideas/  

Around the Neighborhood

Events

[See the North Portland Events Calendar]

Highlighted Events

Other Neighborhood Calendars

Land Use

Support ALNA

The Arbor Lodge Neighborhood Association is an all volunteer 501c3 nonprofit. Interested in volunteering or have an idea for a project to help make Arbor Lodge better? Please let us know.

Love keeping up with everything that’s going on around Arbor Lodge? We need someone to help us build the events list for the newsletter each month. Just reply and let us know if you’re interested. Thanks!


Donations are always welcome to help us continue our work for Arbor Lodge. Delivering neighborhood & park cleanups, the porta potty in Arbor Lodge park, and concerts like Jazz in Arbor Lodge Park.   https://arborlodgepdx.org/donations

Resources