The 82nd Avenue Area TIF Community Leadership Committee is midway through a four-month focused exploration of affordable housing priorities to include in the new East Portland Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Action Plan. Portland requires 45 percent of TIF funds to support affordable housing through a variety of established and emerging programs administered by the Portland Housing Bureau. The previous TIF community exploration work that led to the district’s formation in October 2024 created baseline guidance. As part of the continued public engagement, Prosper Portland created an 82nd Avenue TIF District Plan Survey for people living, working, or using resources in the district.
TIF is a funding tool for physical improvements to a specific geographic area. Although funding comes from people’s property tax payments in that District, it does not raise tax rates on its own. Instead, it freezes the portion of the taxes sent to the County and City general funds at its current level and then diverts increases to a special fund that TIF districts can use for projects in the area where those funds were collected. Because of Ballot Measure 50, passed by voters in 1996, property tax increases are mostly capped at three percent annually unless the county reassesses a property due to construction or other upgrades. After the first five years, the City can issue bonds based on the expected three percent TIF district income, providing capital for projects years ahead of collection. TIF allows the City to reserve a segment of tax dollars for use in the community where they’re collected, rather than spreading tax funds across all areas of the City. As of July 2015, Portland mandates that 45 percent of TIF funds be directed to affordable housing, a policy that has led to 47 percent of Portland’s affordable housing units residing in former TIF districts.
TIF district spending is guided by the five-year Action Plan approved by Prosper Portland’s Board of Commissioners and the Portland City Council. In a co-creation process, the district Community Leadership Committee — consisting of local 82nd Avenue Area residents, business owners, and community members — works with city staff to create a spending plan that reflects community needs. The committee does not select specific projects but instead sets a desired percentage of funds that Prosper Portland and the Portland Housing Bureau spend on distinct types of development or programs. The 82nd Avenue Area TIF will have approximately $20-25 million over the next five years to invest in the district.
The Action Plan will focus on permanent, physical development for the corridor. The survey seeks to expand the Community Leadership Committee’s understanding of the 82nd Avenue corridor as experienced by its occupants. Participants will share perceived strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats, and aspirations. It also includes questions around housing priorities. The survey will remain open for an indefinite period of time. However, early participation helps the thirteen-member committee incorporate public needs into early drafts. Work on the Action Plan has no hard deadline for adoption, but current projections place the final draft work in 2027. People will have time to comment on draft plans when they are created. Spending of TIF funds can occur only after city leaders approve the Action Plan. After participating in the Survey, people can further contribute by attending a monthly evening meeting in person or online, where public comment is accepted. Details are at the 82nd Avenue Area TIF website.
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Disclosure: The author of this article served on the 82nd Avenue TIF Working group and is currently the co-chair of the 82nd Avenue Area TIF Community Leadership Committee. Information presented in this article is based on available public resources, and the author does not speak on behalf of the Committee or any City of Portland bureau.
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