Save the date to tell your city something wonderful: “Thanks.”
After two years of advocacy from us and our partners, we have an exciting chance to open a path to an affordable, walkable, and prosperous Inner Eastside for All. The City of Portland has proposed to launch a project to reconsider its ban on apartments in close-in neighborhoods.
The city isn’t committing to any specific zoning action; it’ll take a few years to debate those details. But the city council’s vote this month would allow that conversation to truly begin.
We think this is wonderful and overdue. Please join us in thanking the city planning staff and council as they prepare to vote for this big commitment.
Portland’s city council will hear public testimony on the city’s new Housing Production Strategy on Wednesday, Aug. 28. We’ll post the sign-up link on this page once it’s available. Your short testimony (less than one minute is ideal in this case) can be in-person or virtual.
Re-legalizing low to mid-rise apartment buildings throughout close-in neighborhoods (12th to 60th, Fremont to Powell) would:
Fight displacement, “renoviction,” and the pipeline to homelessness by reducing competition for existing apartments across the city
Further enhance Portland’s beloved close-in neighborhoods by boosting demand for their public transit and local shops
Reduce segregation by undoing Portland’s fateful 1981 decision to ban apartments from much of the heart of our city
YOU CAN GET THIS PROJECT LAUNCHED BY PROVIDING TESTIMONY:
Oral Testimony
Testimony will take place over Zoom or in person. Use the link above to register. You must register in order to provide testimony.
We’re on track to win this argument, so we want to show our gratitude but also not waste anyone’s time. For today, aim for no more than a minute, tops.
City councilors almost never ask questions to those who are testifying - but even if they do and you don’t feel confident, you’re always able to say you aren’t able to answer a question.
Not sure what to say? Check out our bullet points above or our Inner Eastside for All homepage! Or you could simply say “Hi, my name is _____ and I live in the _____ area. I want to thank the city for this commitment to staffing a project that would consider upzones in high-opportunity neighborhoods. Thank you!”
Written Testimony
Written testimony can be as long or as short as you like.
Not sure what to say? Use our bullet points above or our Inner Eastside for All homepage - or you could simply say “I am writing to thank the city for committing to staffing a project to consider upzones in high-opportunity inner pattern neighborhoods.”