Commissioner Carmen Rubio

What a joyous day for Portland Pride! I was honored to march with Cascade AIDS Project for the third year in a row, and it was wonderful to see such a strong turnout for the LGBTQ+ community. I’ll continue working to ensure Portland remains a place where everyone feels safe to express their full selves everywhere they go.

Today is a special day that marks another milestone in the comeback of our downtown: After an 18-month drought, the flowing waters of the iconic Keller Fountain are back!

The Keller Fountain is a special place, recognized by Architectural Digest as one of the 17 most important fountains in the world. Attractions like this are a vital part of making downtown a destination of choice for residents, visitors, families, and friends. When we have an activated downtown that brings people into Portland to have a great time, we all benefit.

As rents have risen in recent years, Portland’s Housing Bond has been exceedingly important in preventing more low-income neighbors from becoming homeless. Voters took a leap of faith and trusted us to deliver affordable housing with these public funds — and we are delivering on that promise.

We exceeded our new housing goal by 43%! This week I presented at City Council the latest report on the impressive track record of Portland’s Housing Bond. It has been seven years since we asked voters to invest $258 million of their property taxes into the City’s first housing bond – and our efforts are exceeding all goals in buildi...

"We've got to give people a reason to come to the downtown core of Portland and really experience everything that it has to offer," says Berk Nelson, who manages Portland Events and Film at Prosper Portland. Great interview about our exciting summer events!

Portland's rebound: Becoming a destination again, celebrating women's sports From the Portland Rose Festival to the women's NCAA Basketball Tournament, here's how events are helping Portland rebound.

This morning I joined Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici and housing leaders to celebrate the groundbreaking for Gooseberry Trails in the Hillsdale neighborhood of Southwest Portland!

With 52 affordable, family-sized townhomes, this is Portland Housing Bureau’s largest affordable homeownership development investment — and Habitat for Humanity Portland Region’s largest project in the Rose City.

Homeownership remains one of the most reliable, essential ways of building wealth, establishing economic security and independence, and strengthening social ties to a community. However, it is a privilege that is out of reach for many for a host of reasons, including historic racial and economic exclusion.

These homes are realistically and practically built for today’s family: More than 85% of them will have three, four, or even five bedrooms for multigenerational and other larger families. The development also centers sustainability and values nature, with ample shared greenspace for residents, a playground for children, and energy-efficient design in every home.

I’m saddened to learn about the death of Peter Courtney, the longest-serving state lawmaker in Oregon history. His two decades as Senate President will leave a lasting legacy for generations to come.

Peter Courtney, legendary and longtime leader of Oregon’s state Senate, has died Courtney, the longest-serving state lawmaker in Oregon history, died Tuesday at the age of 81. His booming oratories and one-of-a-kind style made him a Salem legend.

My heart breaks for the friends and family of Naomi Pomeroy, who helped put Portland on the map as a world-class destination for food innovation.

A dynamic force, Naomi was dedicated to the farm-to-table movement, even as she became a star in the cooking world. She worked diligently on behalf of her staff, supported the work of fellow women chefs, and was incredibly generous to causes that were important to her.

Naomi made Portland special. And she will be greatly missed.

Acclaimed Portland Chef Naomi Pomeroy Has Died The 49-year-old James Beard–winning chef was an icon of Portland's DIY food scene.

Angela Rico, who serves as a Senior Policy Adviser in my office, was honored today with a Portland Business Journal “40 Under 40 Award”!

As a staff liaison to Prosper Portland, Angela helps steer small-business growth with an emphasis on racial equity, climate action, and competitiveness. She also has played a lead role in crafting law enforcement policies involving the Police Accountability Commission and body-worn cameras.

When Angela first came to the United States from Colombia, she didn't speak any English and was the first person in her family to graduate from college. Now she’s a voice for change, helping countless underrepresented survivors of domestic violence navigate the criminal justice system through her volunteer work with the Oregon Commission for Women.

Congratulations also to Chabre Vickers, Director of Equity, Policy, and Communications at Prosper Portland. A third-generation Black Indigenous Oregonian who was named a Woman of Influence by Portland Business Journal in 2021, Chabre continues to empower the community as a member of numerous boards, including the Native American Youth and Family Center and Literary Arts.

Today is Portland Neighborhood Emergency Teams Day in recognition of the 1,200-plus active volunteers who give their time and efforts to more than 50 different teams throughout the city. Thank you for caring for our neighbors, and for all you do to keep our community safe!

Working together, especially in the most difficult of situations, is what this program is all about. I am so impressed with its strong network and commitment to this city’s safety and preparedness.

In our worst and most stressful moments, NET volunteers are there. They are the quiet superheroes we may not see every day, but are the first leaders to step up for their neighbors during moments of crisis.

NET reminds us that we are a better city when we are better prepared. I encourage Portlanders of all ages to consider joining their Neighborhood Emergency Team. Learn more at portland.gov/pbem/neighborhood-emergency-teams.

It was so exciting to welcome music lovers back to the Waterfront Blues Festival, which celebrated its 37th year in our beautiful city. I was thrilled to introduce Diggin Dirt, a seven-piece group whose pure, authentic energy exploded off the stage with an infectious sound fueled by a blazing horn section, pulsating rhythms, and searing guitars.

In 2023, Prosper Portland launched the City’s Business Retention Core Team to provide outreach and assistance to retain Portland’s key traded sector employers.

Since its launch last summer, the Retention Core Team has successfully connected with more than 250 businesses representing more than 12,000 employees through outreach, visits, technical assistance, and referrals to City and statewide resources.

These businesses make a vital contribution to fostering economic growth, providing employment opportunities, and contributing to the overall health of our community.

The team continues to proactively engage on highly visible business retention and expansion projects throughout the city.

Read the full story at ProsperPortland.us/News-Events.

The past few years have been challenging for our city — but what we found during the pandemic was that people relied more than ever on the outdoors, on our green spaces, AND on our blue spaces.

So it was my pleasure to join the Human Access Project, Mayor Wheeler, Commissioner Ryan, and City leaders for the Cathedral Park River Fest in celebration of a new swim dock that will become a community gathering space for summer fun.

A few years ago, the Human Access Project laid the groundwork for this moment by organizing a volunteer day to remove concrete blocks from Cathedral Park — transforming the beach to become more safe and accessible for all of us.

Under the tenacious leadership of Willie Levenson, this organization is having a transformative impact to help build a cleaner, better natural environment, to transform our access to the water, and to inspire a new generation of swimmers to take advantage of our beautiful rivers.

Effective today, July 1, the permitting teams from the Environmental Services, Transportation and Water bureaus and the Urban Forestry Division of Portland Parks & Recreation, along with all Bureau of Development Services divisions, are now unified in a single bureau known as Portland Permitting & Development.

These structural changes enable the newly formed bureau to resolve conflicts and concerns more quickly, establish uniform customer service protocols across review teams, and continue improving the timeliness of reviews and inspections.

Portland Permitting & Development features about 350 professionals who collaborate to review development proposals for compliance with zoning and building codes and ensure their seamless integration with the City’s public infrastructure systems, including sewer and water lines, streets and sidewalks, and tree canopy.

More information is available at portland.gov/ppd_launches.

As Pride Month comes to a close, it was wonderful to celebrate the grand opening of a new location for Prism Health, the state’s first LGBTQ+ primary health clinic! The City of Portland supported the Morris Clinic through a $200,000 grant in Special Appropriations funding.

This new health center, located across from Dawson Park in North Portland, will offer culturally responsive primary care, behavioral health, substance use disorder treatment, and pharmacy services – especially for BIPOC and frontline communities in this neighborhood that have often faced barriers to accessing quality care. I’m particularly excited to see increased access to gender-affirming care and HIV care at a time when transgender justice is under relentless attack.

Healthier people lead to healthier families, healthier communities, and a healthier, more inclusive Portland. Congratulations to Cascade AIDS Project and Prism Health!

The nation’s largest continuously operating weekly open-air crafts market, Portland Saturday Market is a local institution — as iconic as the White Stag, the Rosarians, our parks, and our bridges. Today I was proud to congratulate the Market on its 50th anniversary and to thank vendors and supporters for keeping our Central City alive and thriving!

Portlanders made a long-term, generational investment by voting for the 2016 Housing Bond. In this report you will learn about individual projects, and you will hear from staff working hard to serve residents and from residents whose lives have been dramatically impacted.

PHB is glad to present the 2023 Progress Report for Portland's Housing Bond. Thanks to Portland voters, 2023 saw 11 out of 15 Bond projects open, including 1284 homes for Portlanders in need, such as Charles, Marie, and Rochelle, all profiled in this report. Thank you to our partners for their dedication to affordable housing, and for helping us exceed our goals for the Bond!

Read the report now: portland.gov/phb/boc/news/2024/6/27/2023-portland-housing-bond-progress-report

Graphic design: Parachute Strategies
Photography: Heliorana Filmworks

This morning I joined British Deputy Consul General Peter Newman and Envision Racing drivers Robin Frijns and Sébastien Buemi to announce that Portland will be the first city in Oregon to sign the Zero Emission Vehicles Declaration, committing to phasing out the sale of fossil fuel vehicles by 2035.

As the first U.S. city to create a local action plan for cutting carbon, Portland is proud of our longstanding commitment to protecting the environment. I am thrilled that Portland is joining a growing global list by signing onto the Zero Emission Vehicles Declaration, and I and look forward to working collaboratively with public, private, and nonprofit partners to address the most pressing issue facing our planet.

This announcement comes as the ABB Formula E racing series returns to Portland International Raceway this weekend. Portland’s selection as a host city for this all-electric race continues to be a huge win for racing fans, for our region’s economic recovery, and for climate action. For more information go to FIAFormulaE.com.

"We see important employers, important businesses recommitting to downtown, really for the first time since the pandemic, in new ways," says Shea Flaherty-Betin, Economic Development Director for Prosper Portland.

"We put together a core Business Retention Team, an initiative with our Business Advancement Team at Prosper Portland and Mayor Wheeler and Commissioner Rubio. Since then, we've done outreach visits, we've connected with employers, we've taken elected officials to the businesses, and we've done that with over 230 businesses in the city....

"Portland is turning the corner. We're coming back in a really big way."

On the upswing? Downtown Portland grows and invests, sparking optimism Is Portland turning the corner?That's the question many people have asked and debated over the past few years, from kitchen tables to the office to the campaig

I am honored to be supporting yet another great example of a successful community partnership. These types of relationships are pivotal to bridging the digital divide not only in Portland, but statewide as well.

NTEN (formerly known as the Nonprofit Technology Enterprise Network) has a deep background in fellowship work that will help the Digital Equity Service Corps hit the ground running. I look forward to seeing the positive impact this program will have on Portlanders.

City of Portland receives Conference of Mayor’s 2024 Talent for Tomorrow: Digital Equity Challenge Grant for $250,000 BPS in partnership with NTEN have received the US Conference of Mayor's Digital Equity Challenge Grant of $250,000. The application was submitted with the support of Mayor Wheeler and Commissioner Rubio

Today we celebrated the grand opening of the Hazel Ying Lee Apartments in Southeast Portland! This affordable housing community sponsored by Home Forward is historic for several reasons:

• It’s the biggest project funded by Portland’s Housing Bond, bringing the number of homes funded to 1,490, far surpassing our goal of 1,300 units – with another 369 in the works. This development demonstrates the power of the bond, offering essential housing in an area impacted by gentrification.

• It’s the biggest project in Oregon built by a Black-owned construction company, Colas Construction.

• It’s named after Hazel Ying Lee, the first Chinese American woman to fly for the U.S. military during World War II. Born in Portland to immigrant parents, she graduated from nearby Cleveland High School. It was a pleasure to be joined today by members of her family.

Portland's le***an, gay, bisexual, trans, and q***r communities have a long and complex history that must be preserved for future generations. While community historians and scholars have documented this history for many years, the LGBTQ+ Historic Sites Project marks our City's first initiative to recognize and protect LGBTQ+ historic sites.

Two Portland landmarks, Erv Lind Field and Crystal Hotel, added to National Register of Historic Places for LGBTQ+ historical significance Successful listing effort led by Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability with support from Commissioner Carmen Rubio and Oregon’s congressional delegation, led by Congressman Earl Blumenauer.

For nearly 20 years, Travel Portland President and CEO Jeff Miller has served as the ultimate Portland ambassador. He deeply knows the City of Roses and has reflected our values to the rest of the world through his work.

Jeff is a strong manager who has built a stellar, high-performing team that promotes the best of Portland. I'm especially impressed with his leadership in navigating a post-COVID world for our travel and leisure industry.

Please join me in wishing Jeff a happy and well-deserved retirement!

Travel Portland's Jeff Miller will retire from key tourism role - Portland Business Journal Jeff Miller has become inextricably linked to Portland's tourism scene.

The 2024 Cinema Unbound Awards, presented on Friday by Portland Art Museum’s Center for an Untold Tomorrow, was a star-studded gala that lived up to its moniker. This year’s event celebrated multidisciplinary artists who are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in media arts, including Mickalene Thomas, Sterlin Harjo, Irene Taylor, and Peter Cho and Sun Young Park.

Today I was thrilled to join Congressman Earl Blumenauer and State Representative Rob Nosse to celebrate the grand opening of the Anna Mann House, which was made possible by funding from Portland’s Housing Bond.

This magnificent affordable housing redevelopment and expansion represents a major undertaking to create 128 affordable homes in an amenity-rich neighborhood, helping to foster economically diverse communities while also preserving a historic landmark building.

Among the units, 62 apartments include multiple bedrooms to accommodate families with children; 12 apartments offer Permanent Supportive Housing services from New Narrative and IRCO Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization for formerly homeless individuals; and 42 apartments are affordable to extremely low-income households.

The Anna Mann House also focuses on essential priorities like great transit access, ample greenspace, a playground for the children who live here, and indoor community rooms.

The Portland Clean Energy Fund awarded nearly $2 million to the redevelopment project, which helped fund energy-efficient heating, cooling and ventilation systems, a high-performing thermal envelope, regenerative gardens with native plantings, and health and safety upgrades that are enhancing the building’s climate resiliency for its residents.

The Climate Investment Plan's strategic programs The strategic programs in the Climate Investment Plan will be developed on different schedules. Learn more about these programs, including eligibility, allocations, timelines, and who to contact for more information.

This week I had the fantastic opportunity to tour Steelport Knife Co., makers of kitchen knives that were described by Forbes as a “work of art.” This company is entirely local, from its manufacturing facility to the wood that it uses in its knives.

Thank you, Ron and Eytan, for taking the time to meet and show me your incredible business. The City of Roses is proud to support businesses like yours!