DensityFilmMilwaukie.png

"Den$ity: Profit over People in Portland, Oregon" examines how banks and developers, aided by lenient permitting, erected big-box apartments around the city.

(Greg Baartz-Bowman)

A Milwaukie filmmaker will debut a short film on Saturday that looks at the effect of large new apartment complexes on single family neighborhoods.

Greg Baartz-Bowman said he was approached last year by Sellwood residents concerned about plans for a 68-unit complex to be built on three single family lots. In talking with the city and the developer, neighbor George Wolters said he began to learn how little oversight or thought of impact there was surrounding the project.

Wolters asked Baartz-Bowman if he wanted to examine how similar development was happening all over the metro area, especially in Portland's east-side neighborhoods.

Sellwood residents George Wolters and Andrea Raven asked Greg Baartz-Bowman to make a film after fighting with the developer of a large apartment complex.

Over the course of about a year, Baartz-Bowman, with help from Wolters, shot and edited the film in his free time. The result

, Den$ity: Profit over People in Portland, Oregon

is a neighborhood-level look at Portland's recent housing boom. The film features interviews with community activists and city leaders, including Portland City Councilor Amanda Fritz.

Baartz-Bowman, along with collaborators, has produced several documentaries under his production company,

. His last documentary, Un-Dam It!, advocated for the removal of the Kellogg Dam in Milwaukie.

Wolters and Baartz-Bowman say the film is not against density, development or infill, but against the lack of process, poor design and materials and developers who refuse to work with neighbors.

"It's good we have developers coming in and building in our city, but we need stronger standards," Wolters said.

The issue is complex and Baartz-Bowman said he doesn't have all the answers. He hopes the community will provide feedback after watching this cut of the film.

"I'm looking for more ideas and for what I missed," Baartz-Bowman said.

Den$ity

is one of several films to be screened on Saturday, the second night of the five-part Milwaukie Film Series. The screening is free and will begin at 7 p.m. at the Milwaukie Masonic Lodge.

The entire line up of films is available at

. Watch the trailer for the film below.

Density: Profit over People in Portland, Oregon Trailer from Straw Bale Films on Vimeo.