Our Newest At Large Member
June is election month for most neighborhood associations and while we recruited the usual suspects back to our board, we did manage to pick up a new face!
The BNA would like to welcome Noah Lauerman to the crew and look forward to the fresh ideas he may bring.
A little bit about Noah in his own words:
My wife & I have lived in the neighborhood for about 10 years and in our current house since 2004. Our house is one of the oldest remaining homes in the neighborhood, and may be the original Albina Homestead farmhouse, built sometime between 1860 and 1887 (historical research has been inconclusive by the local resident historian (Roos), but further building research suggests pre-1880 construction (One day I’ll put the wondering to rest using dendrochronology).
Diversity, charm, and affordability drew us to the Boise neighborhood, and although it could be argued that only 1 out of 3 of these attributes remains, our emotional investment won’t allow us to leave. We also really like our neighbors. I figured it was time to embrace what’s here now and hopefully help shape what’s coming. I’ve done some work with BNA in the past on design review appeals and I’m interested in contributing whatever I can to improve the community.
We have experienced a lot of change in the neighborhood since we’ve lived here. When we moved in there were regular shootings, prostitution, and drug dealing in front of our house. We worked with the Police (R.I.P. Z-man) and Parole officers, organized local neighbors (many of whom have since cashed out and moved away), and had many confrontations with pimps, prostitutes, dealers, addicts, and gang members to make their choices as uncomfortable as possible. Direct confrontations worked for us, but there were dangerous situations, altercations, vandalism, and death threats (so I wouldn’t recommend this technique if you value serenity). The years of hard work is a testament to how invested we are in this neighborhood after just 10 years.
I’m a strong proponent of the public commons, livability, localized commerce, diversity, and sense of neighborhood. I grew up economically disadvantaged and I worked my way through college fighting wildland fire on contract and Interagency Hotshot crews. My professional career has spanned the private sector in the financial industry as well as the public sector in forestry, emergency response, and infrastructure maintenance planning. I currently work for the Port of Portland.
At one time I was a tattoo enthusiast, which for some reason is still evident from looking at me. I enjoy trail running in forest park, meditation, crappy sci-fi movies, and sarcasm (in no particular order). As for the picture, I thought you could use a laugh.
Welcome Noah!
-The BNA Board