City Council Approves Jodi Ct. Street Painting Planning Project

NEWBERG, Ore. — In a post-pandemic world, what does it look like to build bonds of community that last? David Heddy believes the answer can be found in community street painting.

On May 19, Heddy proposed a pilot street art project to the Newberg City Council—one designed, planned, and executed by neighbors. Councilors were initially skeptical about some logistics, such as supplies and maintenance, but approved the proposal, allowing the project to move into its planning phase.

The proposed location for the Newberg Street Art Project is the Jodi Court cul-de-sac, where residents have already begun making small changes, including adding picnic tables to the center island to encourage outdoor gatherings.

Now that the project is approved, Heddy is working with the city to secure the necessary permits for a street closure. He’s also collaborating with local artists, the Newberg Arts Council, and Jodi Court residents to finalize a design.

“The art should reflect what neighbors associate with Newberg—who we are and what Newberg is,” Heddy said.

He hopes to have a final design within a month and to begin painting by the end of the summer.

Heddy, a 19-year employee of Habitat for Humanity, is no stranger to community building. After years in community care, he concluded that Americans are increasingly isolated from one another. His goal is to reimagine neighborhoods “for community, care, and connection.”

According to Pew Research, the number of Americans who both know and trust most of their neighbors has decreased since 2018.

“I’m inspired by the thought that humans are designed to function as a tribe,” Heddy said. “Neighborhoods are safer when people know each other.”

A report by the Safety and Justice Foundation found that neighbors interacting, looking out for one another, and investing in shared spaces are key to creating safe communities.

Heddy said he has taken inspiration from the City Repair Project, a Portland-based nonprofit that has created more than 70 street paintings in the Portland metro area. The art itself, he explained, is just a vehicle for community-making.

“The magic happens in the work together,” he said. “We are exploring what it really means to depend on each other and create those structures of care.”

He added that community art is about building connections and reclaiming space, and that street art is born from “a deep ethic around public land.” Residents, he said, are stewards of public space, and street art can help reclaim it for people—challenging car-centric infrastructure in the process.

Heddy hopes this project inspires others to think creatively about public space and to reduce the red tape that makes community projects difficult to execute. He envisions a world where the public can more actively care for shared space—starting with individual neighborhoods.

As the community invests in beauty and identity together, Newberg residents can expect changes at the quiet Jodi Court cul-de-sac. Heddy said he plans to create a video documenting the process. If successful, he hopes the project will “build a pathway” for other neighborhoods to invest in community through the power of art.

For more information about public art projects in Newberg, the Newberg Public Art Council offers resources on current initiatives and ways to get involved.