Category: Government

Government

Regular 82nd Ave Corridor Cleaning Proposal

In summer 2026, the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners adopted a balanced $4 billion budget. It included a budget note requesting a proposal to add enhancements to the street-cleaning corridor along the City of Portland’s portion of 82nd Avenue. The proposal was due by October 15th, and Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards’ office says the District 3 representative will bring forward a budget modification at the October 8th Board of Commissioners meeting to fund enhanced cleaning services along 82nd Avenue.

Two workers in neon yellow jackets labeled 'CLEAN START' are wheeling trash bins along a sidewalk near a bus stop on a cloudy day.
CCC crew members Victor Leon and Charlie Smelser collecting litter from NE 82nd Ave and Glisan St in 2025

The fiscal year 2027 budget note acknowledges that County and community-based providers operate locations within the 82nd Avenue corridor that serve the community, including health and human services and shelters. Those activities, along with the density of private businesses and residences in the area, contribute to increased waste and biohazards. The request points to the 2024-enacted Gateway Management District as a template. It funds Basic Sidewalk Cleaning services in the area adjacent to the Gateway Transit Center and the 122nd/Menlo Park Park & Ride. That program is a three-year partnership between the City of Portland, TriMet, and Multnomah County. Each entity contributes $100,000 a year to that Gateway program.

Map showing a section of streets including SE 72nd Avenue and SE 82nd Avenue, with routes highlighted in orange and blue, and a compass indicating north.
Multnomah County provided map. Blue lines indicate cleaning that is currently happening once a week. Pink indicates weekly serviced routes as of first week of October. Anything inside the orange box could increase to 3 times a week.

Brim-Edwards wants $150,000 in General Fund Contingency money to cover two additional days of service on 82nd Avenue through June 30th, 2027. That would increase cleaning service to three days a week in select areas on 82nd Avenue and adjacent high-use streets between NE Killingsworth and SE
Harney Streets. During those cleanups, crews remove trash and debris from public sidewalks, including biohazards and needles, and rinse the sidewalk or pressure-wash as needed. In addition to removing small litter items such as wrappers or plastic bags, workers assigned to the area will coordinate the removal of large items like shopping carts or mattresses if they cannot remove them themselves.

A white pickup truck from Central City Concern with colorful floral designs parked in a commercial area, loaded with trash bags and tools.

Area residents began seeing cleanup crews from Central City Concern (CCC) in October 2025 as Public Environment Management Office (PEMO) led programs started providing basic sidewalk cleaning services in Montavilla’s major business corridors. At the time of the program’s launch, contractors visited Portland’s busiest locations to clean up trash and biohazards from sidewalks on a weekly, bi-monthly, or quarterly cadence, depending on conditions in the area. This County-supported sanitation expansion could significantly improve conditions along 82nd Avenue by better addressing the frequently recurring litter common along the corridor. People interested in providing public testimony about this program expansion can fill out the County’s sign-up form or submit written testimony by Wednesday, October 7th.

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Julia Brim-Edwards is seeking the Multnomah County Chair position. Montavilla News does not endorse individual candidates or ballot measures.

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Government

82nd Ave TIF Committee Action Plan Work

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.

A modern multi-story building under construction, featuring a mix of white and black cladding, large windows, and an orange structural frame. The ground level shows scaffolding and construction equipment.
Timberview VIII Apartments affordable housing in Gateway TIF 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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Government

Portable Sidewalk Signs No Longer Require Paid Registration

On June 25th, the Portland City Council passed new rules governing portable signs placed on city sidewalks. Previous legislation from 25 years ago required businesses that placed sandwich boards and a-frame signs in front of their establishments to pay an annual fee, last set at $114. According to city officials, the cost of the complaint-based enforcement program exceeded the income raised by fees, meaning this removal unburdens businesses that had been paying for these types of signs and could save the city money by not investigating unregistered boards.

Councilor for District 3, Steve Novick, brought the code amendment before the Portland City Council after months of work on the initiative. Novick explained in an interview last March that his Chief of Staff, Spencer Knowles, brought this issue to his attention as an unprofitable pain point for small business operators. “We checked, Spencer discovered that it costs more to administer the permit requirement than it brings in,” remarked Novick. The amount of fees paid into the program dipped from $181,295 in 2013 to $39,308 in 2025. He speculated that its decline likely reflected businesses failing to participate due to lax enforcement or because operators did not know that registration was required. “There’s some well-informed, conscientious people who have to go through the process of paying a fee and waiting for a permit. That just struck us as silly,” said Novick.

A sign for 'glaze' featuring the text 'household gifts & goodies' on a sidewalk, with shops and pedestrians visible in the background under a blue sky.
Image showing Glaze’s sidewalk sign with permit sticker. MV News added the red oval to highlight sticker

Novick’s team recognized that this effort did not require immediate attention, as more impactful city issues took precedence before the amendment reached a vote. However, its passing has a measurable impact on business owners who pay the fee each year, particularly in walkable business corridors. Portable signs help advertise a shopfront at a human scale. Capped at four feet tall, A-Board messages are often blocked from the view of passing traffic by curbside parked vehicles. So they target pedestrians, keeping a sidewalk visually active and letting visitors know that, just a little further down the street, another destination may welcome them. Sidewalk-positioned signs can also help businesses stay visible when healthy street tree canopies block traditional over-doorway signage. As Portland works to increase pedestrian area shade by encouraging tree-lined streets, some business operators have noted that the greenery blocks their signs. Portable sandwich boards have long offered a remedy that does not require an adjacent business owner to aggressively prune the greenery.

A sidewalk sign advertising 'Black Fang Tattoos and More' with details about tattoos, t-shirts, stickers, art, and gifts. It includes the message 'Walk-Ins Welcome' and is positioned outside a store, with another sign for a cookie shop visible in the background.

Business owners may no longer need to pay to register portable signs; however, they are still responsible for maintaining a clear, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)- compliant frontage. Signs cannot block the sidewalk or curb ramps and must be located in front of the business. Shops using these signs should still review City rules and ensure they are not obstructing the public right-of-way. The change will likely not significantly increase the number of sidewalk-placed signs, but should create an equal environment for businesses to use this way-finding tool without annual costs.

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Portland City Council District 3 members are up for reelection in November 2026. Montavilla News does not endorse individual candidates or ballot measures.

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Community, Government

Extreme Heat and Burn Ban

High temperatures and low precipitation in the area caused officials to implement a burn ban starting on June 15th, 2026, and lasting through the summer months. An Extreme Heat warning has triggered Multnomah County’s cooling centers to open for those who need relief from the heat, and TriMet will not turn away people who can not pay a fare when traveling to and from a cooling center between 11 a.m. and 10 p.m. on Monday, June 15th.

Portland’s Fire Marshal issued the recreational fire prohibition for the City due to increased fire danger from the continued hot and dry weather conditions. Effective immediately, people must refrain from using recreational campfires, fire pits, or burning yard debris. Outdoor grills, smokers, and similar cooking appliances are allowed if they use clean, dry firewood, briquettes, wood chips, pellets, propane, natural gas, or similar fuels. Residents should exercise extreme caution when using the allowed outdoor cooking devices and place them at least ten feet away from anything combustible, such as siding, fences, or shrubbery. Residents should also note that personal fireworks are always banned in Portland, as their use can cause injury and fires that spread quickly in dry conditions.

People can contact PF&R at 503-823-3700 for additional information about the burn ban. Although the City prohibits the use of personal fireworks and has implemented a burn ban, emergency services request that people refrain from calling 911 to report violations so the dispatch system can remain open for serious crimes, out-of-control fires, and injuries. For non-emergencies, Portland residents can call the non-emergency line at 503-823-3333 after the holiday. Additionally, individuals witnessing the unauthorized use of fireworks can report the incident online (portland.gov/311/report-fireworks).

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Community, Construction, Government, Infrastructure

Montavilla Picnic Shelter Added to Budget

On May 20th, at the end of a marathon budget session, the Portland City Council approved an $8.5 billion city budget for fiscal year 2026-2027 with a $755,000 line item for a replacement Montavilla Park picnic shelter. Portland City Council Member Tiffany Koyama Lane’s amendment to the budget came back to consideration at the tail-end of the proceeding after a quick revision to specify Parks Local Option Levy money as the intended funding source. This budget addition passed seven to five at the end of an evening Council session that saw many failing amendments with 6-6 ties as city leaders addressed a $160 million revenue shortfall.

A construction site showing the partial demolition of a building, with scattered debris and a bulldozer in the foreground.
Montavilla Park picnic shelter demolition October 2021, photos by Weston Ruter

Political interest in funding a replacement picnic shelter ramped up recently; however, the community’s desire for its replacement began years before. In October 2021, demolition crews removed the aging picnic shelter at Montavilla Park and installed new grass turf rather than preparing the site for an already-designed replacement structure. Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) postponed the planned modern 2,000-square-foot open-walled replacement shelter due to a department-wide budgetary shortfall. Before its removal, the area was fenced off for safety concerns. Earlier this month, a community group began circulating a petition to build that Montavilla Park structure.

Architectural drawings of a picnic shelter, including a floor plan and elevation views from the east/west and north/south. The design features a metal roof, wood rafters, and a concrete foundation.
Proposed Montavilla Park Picnic Shelter from 2021

The petition effort, led by members of the Hope & Bread Street Church who gather in the park for Sunday service, gained community interest, with ABC Television affiliate KATU and MV News covering the campaign. On May 17th, Councilor Koyama Lane from Montavilla’s District 3 included shelter funding as part of her seven proposed budget amendments, later receiving expressed support from other elected officials, including Multnomah County Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards and Oregon Representative Thuy Tran.

Votes for the Montavilla Park picnic shelter did not fall strictly on Portland City Council District lines with District 3 and District 1 residents having local access to the park. District 3 Councilor Steve Novick voted against the funding due to reservations regarding project priorities, given the City staff reductions and program cuts necessary to balance this year’s budget. He expressed support for the project but worried about the potential to overlook other needed projects without an evaluation process to rank community needs. “I would love to be able to vote for this. This is important, but I think that we should make all of these decisions in the context of considering trade-offs, and parks as a huge maintenance backlog,” said Novick, preceding the vote. “I just can’t make this decision out of context. Maybe if we took a long look at all the things that communities have been promised in the maintenance backlog, this would rise to the top. But I can’t say that I’ve done that work, so I can’t support this today.”

Black and white photograph of NE 82nd Street at NE Glisan Street, featuring a mix of storefronts and residential homes, with a wet road and power lines visible.
1933 Portland Archive image. 82nd Ave roadwork looking north from NE Glisan St. A previous Montavilla park shelter is visible at the right but is not the one removed in 2021

Some petitioners supporting replacing Montavilla Park’s picnic shelter had been watching the proceedings since early afternoon and had to wait until nearly 9:30 p.m. for the session’s final budget amendment vote. The Tax Supervising and Conservation Commission will conduct a legal review of the amended budget. The council can make further adjustments to the approved budget, provided that no individual fund is adjusted by more than 10%. In June, the Portland City Council must formally adopt the budget ahead of July 1st, when the new fiscal year begins. At that point, Parks planners can begin project planning for the return of a Montavilla Park picnic shelter, restoring a nearly 100-year run of having a covered outdoor gathering space at this location.

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Portland City Council District 3 members and Representative Thuy Tran are up for reelection in November 2026. Julia Brim-Edwards is seeking the Multnomah County Chair position. Montavilla News does not endorse individual candidates or ballot measures.

Update: Portland Archive image description expanded to note that the shelter shown in 1933 photo is not the one demolished in 2021. It was removed at an unknown date.

Community, Government, Infrastructure

Group Circulates Montavilla Park Picnic Shelter Petition

In October 2021, demolition crews removed the aging picnic shelter at Montavilla Park and planted new grass turf. Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) has postponed the planned modern 2,000-square-foot open-walled replacement shelter due to a department-wide budgetary shortfall. Now, half a decade later, without a functional covered park space, a community group is circulating a petition to build that Montavilla Park structure.

Abandoned covered structure surrounded by a metal fence in a grassy area, with overgrown vegetation and 'Do Not Enter' signs posted.
The aging picnic shelter at Montavilla Park fenced in 2020 and demolished in 2021

Before demolition work began, PP&R updated the Montavilla Park Picnic Shelter project webpage, announcing the pending deconstruction of the structure and noting the lack of funds for its replacement. That web page is no longer accessible to the public. Park staff planted grass seed on the worksite, and signs of the shelter’s past presence are near undetectable. In 2021, PP&R representative Mark Ross confirmed the project’s indefinite delay while emphasizing that staff would continue to seek opportunities to revive it in future budgets.

With Montavilla’s decaying shelter demolished and no longer a danger to parkgoers, the replacement shelter project eventually disappeared from the PP&R project page. However, the picnic shelter is still listed as a Montavilla Park amenity on the location’s official web page and park maps. Tired of waiting for the project to become a priority on its own, Hope & Bread Street Church decided it was time to launch a petition requesting that the project be returned to priority status with PP&R. The faith group uses the park 52 Sundays a year, in all weather. The lack of covered shelter is a significant burden for that group, and they understand it is impacting other park users as well. The petition will collect the digital signatures from all interested parties who want a new picnic shelter in Montavilla Park.

Architectural drawings of a picnic shelter, including a floor plan and elevation views from the east/west and north/south. The design features a metal roof, wood rafters, and a concrete foundation.
Proposed Montavilla Park Picnic Shelter from 2021

Hope & Bread Street Church’s volunteers pride themselves on adapting to conditions and set up portable canopies during the winter months. However, they note that wind and rain limit their ability to keep people dry year-round, and they want to serve attendees with dignity while remaining accessible to those who are not comfortable attending within a traditional indoor gathering space. Although the host petitioner’s need is specific, their request is generic: for all community members and all Montavilla Park users to have access to a covered area within the neighborhood’s public recreation space.

Hope & Bread Street Church’s representative says the petition has 70 signatures from its participants and hopes the community will join their efforts. This request comes at a time when the city faces a budget gap of over $160 million, and many city services will likely face significant cuts. However, even during budget shortfalls, PP&R has tapped System Development Charge (SDC) funds paid by eligible developers. That money is used for capital projects that expand the park system’s capacity, including the expansion of existing parks or facilities. People have until May 17th to sign the petition before it is delivered to the Portland City Council.

Update May 19, 2026: Portland Councilor Tiffany Koyama Lane is proposing seven budget amendments for FY2026–2027, which includes funds to rebuild the Montavilla Park picnic shelter. Portland City Council will consider these and other budget amendments as the city leaders work to finalize a balanced budget.

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Community, Government, New Residence

Advocating for a Jade District Park

In July 2025, Oregon Metro purchased a 1.46-acre property at the intersection of SE 90th Place and SE 89th Avenue for planned Transit-Oriented Development (TOD). For over a decade, community advocates have envisioned the large, sloped property as a neighborhood park and are now seeking support for that project ahead of Metro’s RFP (Request for Proposals) this summer. Residents and interested parties can complete an Online Form to endorse a call for the City to purchase the lot from Metro and to direct Portland Parks and Recreation to create public green space for the expanding community in this area.

A vibrant community park scene featuring people riding bicycles, walking, and playing. In the background, families enjoy a picnic on the grass, while others engage in games. The landscape includes greenery, seating areas, and informational signage.
Park Rendering from the 2018 EPA Greening The Jade project document

Metro’s TOD team plans to introduce new affordable housing at the site with help from partner developers. The early concepts included open neighborhood greenspace, but not at the scale documented in the 2014 Jade District community visioning plan or the 2018 EPA Greening the Jade project. The community outreach recorded in those documents showed a desire and expressed need for green space across all groups in the neighborhood. The Metro-owned property at 2815 SE 90th Place is in the center of a community surrounded by busy city roadways, a State highway, and a freeway. Harrison Park is the closest park to this location, at over half a mile away, and often serves as an extension of the adjoining school’s campus rather than a neighborhood park.

A fenced lot with a grassy area and several structures, including a green shed and nearby houses, under a clear blue sky.
2815 SE 90th Place property with fence

Andrea Pastor, Metro’s Senior Development Project Manager of Housing and TOD, explained in a September 2025 interview that Metro purchased the land along SE 89th Avenue using an allocation provided by the Oregon State legislature for a revolving acquisition fund around 82nd Avenue. “With all of the improvements happening on 82nd, including the planning of the new transit, we wanted to prioritize the area. So we made a specific legislative ask back in 2023 for some funds to buy land near 82nd,” said Pastor. “We have been basically looking and making offers on properties in the area for the last couple of years.” She notes that Metro has often owned land around transit with the intention of developing it. “We are trying to think of ourselves as a regional land bank specifically aimed at building affordable housing near transit.”

A construction site featuring two multi-story buildings with yellow exteriors, in various stages of development. In the foreground, a red car is parked beside a fenced area containing construction materials and tools. A caution sign indicates a roadway that is not improved. The sky is cloudy.
The Jade apartments under construction

The Jade District advocacy organizers seeking support for the park say Metro TOD is willing to sell the parcel, but City of Portland support must be secured before Metro releases an RFP to potential developers in August or September 2026. The park space is across from The Jade apartments, which are currently under construction and will offer 15 units with family-sized accommodations, including three bedrooms and two bathrooms. The workforce housing development will also create 14 one-bedroom and 11 two-bedroom flats. The expanded pool of families on this street would benefit from a new city park with a safe crossing to a play area. The site can also amplify existing green space that is not publicly accessible but protected by Portland’s Bureau of Environmental Services, which owns the lot to the south of this property. It serves as a natural stormwater detention area where plants and soil help absorb the area’s rainwater. It also contains a sewer pump facility that requires 24-hour security for community safety and asset protection. Depending on the City’s flexibility, designers could extend park space into some of the stormwater detention area land without compromising security.

Map of a park featuring various amenities including an air quality monitoring installation, a terraced amphitheater, a multi-purpose paved pad, a nature play area, and a park loop trail. It also shows locations for public art installations and potential housing.
Image from the 2018 EPA Greening The Jade project document

Park designs and amenities presented in the visioning materials are illustrative only and do not constitute final design options. If the idea receives community support through the Online Form and city officials adopt the property for a new park, future community outreach from park planners will drive the development of the green space. Whether the land serves as a public park or affordable housing, this large, underdeveloped property will become a needed community resource as housing density brings more people into the Jade District.

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Crime, Government

Reining in Chronic Nuisance Properties

Portland City Councilor Steve Novick wants to amend a 1992 chronic nuisance property ordinance to lessen the threshold for triggering mandated remedies. He is proposing these changes with the intent of reducing the impact on afflicted neighborhoods from human trafficking and gun violence. The City Council will hear first reading on this proposed amendment at the March 18th session held at 6 p.m. this Wednesday.

Former Congressman Earl Blumenauer introduced the first version of Portland’s chronic nuisance property ordinance while serving as a Portland Commissioner. It received several updates in the years following its enactment but has remained relatively unchanged since 1997. The proposed update considers the current list of Nuisance Activities to be too narrow and the timeframe for accumulating violations to be too restrictive for law enforcement to adequately address contemporary instances of harmful behavior. “We’re proposing that instead of having to have three instances in 30 days to initiate this process —which is a lot, a hell of a lot of bad stuff can go on in the location, and you still don’t have three reports in 30 days— we’re proposing it become two in 90 days,” said Novick.

The councilor says this ordinance has never been intended to punish property owners. Instead, it is designed to encourage responsible site operations. “What it means is, it just gives the police a little more leverage to lean on property owners to play ball,” explained Novick. However, enforcement is not without significant consequences if people ignore recurring complaints. “Well, I don’t know if that’s ever happened, but if you can’t work out an agreement, then the city can go to court, which has happened rarely, and the court can order them to take abatement measures. Then, only if they don’t take abatement measures, then the last resort is that they forfeit the property,” Novick said. Ordinance infractions only accumulate for specific activity from a list of 25 defined types that occur within 200 feet of their property. Those activities include assault, Firearm-related crimes, drug crimes, and prostitution.

Police car blocking a street with crime scene tape in a suburban neighborhood.

Additionally, Novick noted that the existing ordinance did not provide sufficient guidance for property owners to demonstrate a good-faith effort to improve conditions. So part of this update is to build that into the legislation. “Washington D.C. came up with a list of abatement measures to be considered. So we’re borrowing from that and saying, ‘here’s a list of things you might be asked to do,’” said Novick. The intent is to ensure people have a clear path to avoid consequences while minimizing the negative impact on the community. As the updates to the chronic nuisance property ordinance developed in committee, City Council members have worked to address business owners’ concerns. “The Asian American Hotel Owners Association’s Taran Patel testified. He said that he was generally supportive of the idea, but was concerned about what if a hotel reports the activity itself? Is that held against them?” recalled Novick. ” We thought that was a reasonable question, so we added an amendment to the law saying that if the property owner reports the activity themselves, then as long as they are cooperating with the police and following up on that subsequently, that doesn’t go on their record as one of the two instances that lead to invoking the nuisance law.”

In addition to the self-reporting amendment, the committee removed noise complaints from this ordinance, recognizing that such complaints are inconsistent with the other listed nuisances, which mostly focus on crimes that reduce perceived safety. “We’re removing noise as one of the chronic nuisance criteria at [Councilor] Jamie Dunphy’s request, and it’s not really what we’re worried about anyway,” said Novick. He explained that the city is trying to tackle serious issues where people suffer life-changing harms, including physical abuse and trafficking of people for sex work. Sex trafficking has become particularly apparent along NE 82nd Avenue near Leodis V. McDaniel High School and within certain storefronts advertising massage services that have spread across the region. “It identifies unlawful, non-compliant massage parlors as one of the nuisance activities. That’s a new thing, and because of the law that Representative [Thủy] Trần passed,” explained Novick. House Bill 3819, which Representative Trần co-sponsored, gave new investigatory powers to the State Board of Massage Therapists starting on January 1st, 2026, and increased maximum fine amounts. Now, the board can post a placard on the exterior of a business notifying the public if the massage facility is in violation of ORS 687.021 by using unlicensed practitioners.

Some critics of this type of legislation fear that without lodging spaces available, it will push sex work further into unsafe and exposed environments, including cars and public streets. This same perspective sometimes attributes the increase in pervasive solicitation on city streets to the 2018 passage of the Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act (FOSTA) and the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act (SESTA) that shut down many online forums used for connecting buyers and sellers of sex work. Some of those online tools had reportedly made sex work safer by letting sellers check a buyer’s reputation. Since 2018, the nation has seen an increase in street-based sex work, often with associated ancillary crimes occurring around that activity. Novick explained that he heard that perspective from some people, but that counter testimony convinced him that lodging did not provide substantive protections for vulnerable sex workers. “Robin Miller, who’s a survivor and advocate, testified in favor of the proposal several weeks ago,” recalled Novick. “Her experience was that there was nothing safe about being at a motel and was beaten by a supplier [third-party seller of sex] in front of the hotel owner, and the hotel owner didn’t do anything.” That testimony, along with the councilor’s understanding of community needs, has increased his support for this update to Portland’s chronic nuisance property ordinance. “We are concerned about kids walking this gauntlet of sex trafficking,” said Novick. “So you balance interests, and if you think that there’s a community benefit to doing something —and there’s significant numbers of people most affected who think that it’s the right thing to do— I’m willing to go with what I think has the broader community benefit.”

The expressed goal of this update is to further motivate businesses to assist with the problems surrounding their operations. Landowners may not always live in the same neighborhood as their property, but the city says, with this ordinance, that they have a commitment to those communities that should not be discounted. “The underlying question is, does a property owner have some responsibility for what’s going on on their property? I tend to think that they do,” said Novick.

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Government, Infrastructure, Transportation

District 3 Transportation Funding Open House

On Wednesday night, February 25th, community members and City representatives gathered in the cafeteria at Atkinson Elementary School for District 3’s local transportation funding open house. This is one in a series of four in-person events led by the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) to help inform the Portland City Council, which will consider new ways to fund the maintenance and operation of Portland’s streets. Mayor Keith Wilson spoke at the event, summarizing some of the alternative funding options under consideration. People interested in learning more and contributing their perspective can visit the online open house and take a post-open house survey.

Informational poster outlining structural funding challenges, highlighting restricted resources totaling $444 million and various revenue sources for transportation services.

The two-hour event at 5800 SE Division Street saw visitors drop in between 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. as they moved through a self-guided arrangement of poster boards, with City staff available to ask questions and take notes. Portland transportation leaders have spent years warning the community and elected officials that its funding is overburdened by project-based restrictions, preventing 70% of PBOT’s budget from reducing a $6 billion maintenance backlog that impacts road conditions, sidewalks, bridges, signs, lights, and other infrastructure. Much of the funding sourced from Federal and Oregon State sources is for specific projects, such as new crossings or other safety infrastructure, and cannot directly fill potholes or repave roads. Even if a one-time grant were sourced to repair all of Portland’s transportation infrastructure to a “fair” condition, without an updated maintenance revenue source, PBOT assets would decline over the following decades, and a new generation of Portlanders would face the same systemic problem with infrastructure upkeep. In Wilson’s remarks, he painted a troubling picture of Portland’s $85 billion in street assets. “65% of our roads are in a state of not good repair. Most of the nation is above 50%, we are at 35% [for fair condition roads]. So we’re in trouble.”

A man in a blazer is engaging in conversation with a woman in a floral blouse at a social gathering. People can be seen in the background, and the setting appears casual.
Mayor Keith Wilson speaking to attendee at the February 25th transportation funding open house

The primary reason for the funding shortfall is inflation, with the presentation material noting that the costs of transportation, construction labor, and materials have increased rapidly while general funding sources have not kept pace. The mayor also pointed to the inequity and ineffective nature of a fixed gas tax that federal legislators have not increased since 1993. “I think we all know that fossil fuels and liquid fuels are going out of style. I drive an electric vehicle myself, and I don’t pay gas taxes. So when we think about paying our fair share, we have to think about the new generation, the new century, and not look to the last century for a failed taxing policy,” said Wilson. He explained the City is looking at “dozens of different options from around the country and the State” to evaluate for Portland transportation funding.

A workshop setting featuring informational posters about the Street Damage Restoration Fee, with details on damage recovery scenarios and comparisons with other cities. A person sitting at a table with a backpack is partially visible.

In the open house materials, PBOT has surfaced several proposals that may lay the groundwork for future street funding. Visitors read information about a possible “Street Damage Restoration Fee” that would be charged to utility companies, contractors, or other entities that excavate or trench in the public right-of-way, damaging streets and sidewalks. These crews, including other Portland bureaus, must repair the damage. However, that work often fails to adequately restore the full integrity of a street or sidewalk, and those assets can fail prematurely, a decade or decades earlier than expected.

Presentations also asked attendees to consider a “Transportation Utility Fee” as a funding source, as 31 other Oregon cities have implemented. It could be a monthly fee added to existing public utility bills, which residents and businesses pay. That money collected would support basic road maintenance, such as fixing potholes, and requested safety improvements. A “Retail Delivery Fee” concept would require major retailers to pay a fee for packages delivered to customers through the city’s transportation network. This would come from companies like Amazon, Walmart, Home Depot, Target, and eBay. Colorado and Minnesota have programs like this, but Portland could be the first city to enact this if the City Council adopts this idea. This approach could cover prepared-food transportation in addition to, or in place of, packages with a “Third-Party Food Delivery Fee” similarly proposed.

Asset graphic courtesy PBOT

The open house materials also stressed accountability through audits and transparency. Mayor Wilson’s remarks also centered on shifting taxes rather than simply layering new revenue sources on residents. “The one that we’re gonna be talking about is the transportation utility fee that is going to be a replacement for a gas tax… It’s a real fair way that all houses and/or businesses will pay a portion. My promise to you is if council passes this, I will work to phase out your gas tax for fixing our streets because it’s just not fair, and we have to start rethinking how we’re gonna move our city forward.

Informational posters detailing the City of Portland's transportation funding crisis and challenges, including budget timelines and structural funding issues, set up in a community space.

PBOT encourages people to visit portland.gov/pbotfunding for more information and share feedback by noon on Wednesday, March 4th, 2026. After that date, extending into May, Portland City Council members will deliberate on the presented materials and community feedback.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Correction: Updated a percentage in Mayor Wilson’s quote clarifying a statement that most cities in the nation have more than 50% of streets in “fair” or “good” condition and Portland is at 35%.

Promotion: Montavilla News is supported by contributions from businesses like Otter Wax, a neighborhood producer of small-batch specialty goods handcrafted in Portland. Using only natural ingredients, they make modern care products that are steeped in tradition. We thank them for their support.

Government, Property Sale

Housing Authority Selling Former Community Living and Support Home

Home Forward, Portland’s housing authority, is selling a 3,880-square-foot group home in Montavilla as it anticipates a $35 million budget shortfall in 2026. The 1999-built facility at 9350 SE Taylor Street last served as a resident support home for individuals with developmental disabilities operated by Dungarvin Oregon.

The property, bordered by the Interstate 205 Multi-use-path on two sides, is currently secured with plywood “due to prior break-ins while vacant,” according to a real estate flyer. A modest commercial parking lot provides three parking stalls in front of the single-story building and one driveway leading to the eastern entrance. A gated back courtyard faces south and provides separation between two dormitory wings, each with a bathroom at the end. The most recent configuration of the space included five bedrooms, along with laundry, kitchen, office, and storage spaces. The north end of the building features an equally sized “family room” and “living room” flanking the large kitchen, which features residential-style appliances.

Exterior view of a single-story group home with plywood boarding on the windows, situated on a grassy lot with a small shed beside it.
Gated back courtyard

A buyer could reconfigure the space and update the dated quarter-century-old interior in many ways, but the site’s residential zoning limits it to single-family, single-room occupancy housing, or similar group home uses. A new owner could also redevelop the large 16,460-square-foot lot into townhouses or other middle housing to increase density. Its location next to the pedestrian I-205 crossing bridge leading to the MAX light rail station and proximity to the Multi-Use-Path make it a good candidate for Transit-oriented Development.

Aerial view of the property at 9350 SE Taylor Street, outlined in blue, showing surrounding neighborhoods and the adjacent Interstate 205.
Image of 9350 SE Taylor St from Portland Maps

Home Forward—renamed from Housing Authority of Portland in May 2011—is an independent Public Corporation that contracts with the federal government to administer housing programs. It owns around 110 properties. In past years, it has worked with partner groups to build affordable housing. This land, if fully redeveloped, would likely not be an impactful source of affordable housing for the organization that oversees 6,678 units. However, with an asking price of $499,999, selling it will not generate a significant sum to stave off operational budget shortfalls at the nonprofit. In a different financial landscape, Home Forward could have reinvested in this property for a similar group home use or other affordable housing option. The future buyer of this unique property will have an opportunity to reshape this residential block abutting the I-205 border of the neighborhood.

Article and Photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Montavilla News is supported by contributions from businesses like Otter Wax, a neighborhood producer of small-batch specialty goods handcrafted in Portland. Using only natural ingredients, they make modern care products that are steeped in tradition. We thank them for their support.