After Aaron Good moved to the Beaumont-Wilshire neighborhood about eight years ago, his first experience with many of his neighbors was when his cat went missing. Good went door-to-door seeking help. Sometimes he got a friendly reception, sometimes not so much. It made an impression about the importance of community.
Good, 33, is the newest member of the Beaumont-Wilshire Neighborhood Association board. He got involved earlier this summer as a result of the controversy over the proposed apartment building on NE Fremont Street. He understands the need for more density, but wasn’t impressed with the proposal from developers.
He also is interested in preventing vandalism, especially to the mural at Wilshire Park. As a result of vandalism at his home, he installed security cameras on his property. Still, Good doesn’t bring a specific agenda to the board.
“I’m sort of just feeling things out,” he said. “I wanted to get more involved.”
Good says he wants to improve the neighborhood. “I get very excited and I follow through,” he said. “That’s what people might tell you about me.”
Good works for Xerox and manages the email and legal archive servers for Nike and other clients. He has a bachelor’s degree in anthropology, but realized he needed to get a job. So he went into information technology, working for companies that included Encyclopedia Britannica.
Good has lived in Portland since 1997 when he relocated here for school. He moved to Beaumont-Wilshire because of its range of income levels and house sizes. It reminded him of Evanston, Illinois, where he grew up. Good lives on NE Prescott Street east of 42nd Avenue. He has a girlfriend, but is single with no children. When he’s not working, he enjoys playing music with friends and working on property he bought in rural Columbia County between St. Helens and Rainier.