Fellow Profile
Ben Gates
“Today, cities are being built for singles and empty nesters, while family needs are largely ignored, especially the needs of working families. Our urban family development in Portland is an opportunity to show how American cities can be truly livable by attracting and retaining children and families.”
— Ben Gates
Fellowship Host:
Central City Concern
Portland, OR
One example of Ben’s dedication was his facilitation of a neighborhood “family forum." Designed to further the understanding of what families in the central city need, the forum engaged parents and children though the use of a giant neighborhood floor map on which participants imagined and drew neighborhood possibilities. The forum helped rally support for the missing neighborhood amenities of affordable family housing, child care, a school and a community center. Ben took this input and championed the implementation of public policy that prioritizes the development of these vital missing components.
Ben also encouraged his host to adopt the highest sustainability benchmark to date in their Pearl Family Developmentā“the Living Building Challenge. To achieve the water component of the challenge, Ben spearheaded “Achieving Water Independence in Buildings,” a project that attracted the participation of 60 experts. The project team collaborated with officials to reform water regulation in Oregon. Today, due largely to the team's hard work, buildings in Oregon can achieve 70-80% water savings though rain- and gray-water harvesting. Ben distributed this work as open source to allow others to benefit from the team’s "Water Independence Roadmap.”
Ben’s most recent accomplishments include designing and managing the significant rehabilitation of Laura's Place, whose transitional apartments and supportive services help single parents and children find affordable, permanent housing.
Gallery
(hover over image to zoom)
Ben Gates
Portland’s River District: Ben’s office and area of work. The district is comprised of the ‘Old Town/Chinatown’ and ‘Peal District’ neighborhoods.
Portland’s Pearl District offers diverse experiences for children, as seen here in Jamison Square. However, the majority of these families live elsewhere as nearby housing has been built primarily for singles and childless couples.
Ben’s facilitation of a public family forum offered creative ways for parents and children to discuss family needs and opportunities in the River District.
Over 30 volunteers worked to make the family forum happen. Alison, Allison, Ben, and Frank (in the blue socks) created the giant neighborhood map which invited drawing and commenting that helped better understand how children see the neighborhood.
To better understand how a city can better serve parents and children, Ben organized a tour of Vancouver BC for project partners and stakeholders. In the courtyard of Pascal Spino’s home, the Portland visitors learn how certain neighborhood features influenced the Spino family’s relocation from the USA.
Jake, a River District resident, takes Portland’s city commissioner Sam Adams for a ride in Vancouver, BC. Both attended the tour facilitated by Ben to learn how to make Portland’s central city more family friendly.
At his first fellowship retreat in Garrison, New York, Ben was encouraged by the challenges and successes faced by the other fellows as well as their enthusiastic support.
Make a Difference Day, Los Angeles, 2006. Ben, together with other Rose Fellows work to encourage school participation by introducing their work, facilitating a creative drawing exercise, and leading an architecture tour of two famous LA buildings.
