Dear Portlanders,
Another busy month, let’s dive right into it!
Candace in Community
Shape the Future of East Portland: Apply to the Community Leadership Committee!
Big changes are coming to East Portland! Recently, Portland City Council approved three new Tax Increment Finance (TIF) districts:
- 82nd Avenue Area
- East 205 Area
- Sumner-Parkrose-Argay-Columbia Corridor Area
These districts aim to stabilize neighborhoods, support small businesses, and create economic opportunity over the next 30 years. Prosper Portland is recruiting community members to serve on leadership committees for each TIF district. These committees will help guide how funds are invested — ensuring community priorities lead the way.
This is a critical opportunity to make sure longtime East Portland residents, workers, and business owners are centered in shaping the future of our neighborhoods. We hope you’ll consider getting involved!
Constituent Days Recap!
In April, I started my Constituent Days program, where I spend my Fridays in district and focus on one neighborhood at a time. I meet with local business owners and community groups, host office hours for District 1 stakeholders at the Midland Library and knock on doors! So far, I’ve knocked on over 171 doors to hear directly from you! These Fridays have been both energizing and informative—and I’m just getting started!
Our next constituent day will be Friday, May 16 and I will be in the Sumner neighborhood. Please don’t forget you can request a meeting with me during my office hours byfilling this form. Whether it’s a scheduled meeting or a conversation on your doorstep, I’m committed to showing up and listening.
Candace Call to Action: Let’s connect—sign up to meet with me during Constituent Days here.
Candace at Work
Policy Wins!
I'm proud to share that a resolution I co-sponsored has advanced out of the Community & Public Safety Committee and is now headed to the full City Council for consideration. This resolutioncommits to establishing Portland Street Response (PSR):
- As a co-equal branch of our community safety system
- Restoring PSR’s ability to use basic life-saving supplies
- Preventing its involvement in enforcement activities
- Creating a PSR Community Advisory Committee, and
- Working toward making PSR a 24/7 service
Stay tuned—this important resolution will be coming to City Council soon!
Budget Update
We’re currently in the middle of the City of Portland’s annual budget approval — a process that determines how we invest in our communities over the next fiscal year (July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026). On May 5, the Mayor will release his Proposed Budget, which incorporates months of input from city bureaus, council offices, and — most importantly — community voices. Starting May 7, the City Council will hold work sessions and public hearings to review the proposal and offer amendments.
Over the past several months, I’ve been meeting with neighbors, small business owners, community advocates, and organizations across District 1 to understand your priorities. Your feedback has been invaluable, and I’m committed to advocating for investments that reflect our shared values of equity, safety, sustainability, and community well-being — even during a challenging budget season.
Here are some key dates to keep in mind:
- May 7: Mayor Message & Public Hearing on the Mayor’s Proposed Budget
- 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. – The Mayor will present the FY 2025-26 proposed budget to council.
- 4:00 to 4:30 p.m. – Council will take a break.
- 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. – In-person and virtual public testimony will be heard. Sign up to give testimony
- May 16 (5:00pm): Deadline for councilors to submit budget amendments
- May 21 (9:00am–9:00pm): Budget Committee meets to debate and amend the City budget
- May 22: Preliminary budget submitted to the Tax Supervising & Conservation Commission
- June 10 (9:30–11:30am): Tax Supervising & Conservation Commission Public Hearing on the Approved Budget
- June 11 (9:30am): City Council first reading and adoption of budget
- June 12: City Council second reading (final adoption)
My commitment to you— this is the first full budget cycle under Portland’s new council structure, and I believe we have a responsibility to make this process more transparent, accessible, and accountable to the public. You deserve to know where your tax dollars are going and to have a real say in shaping those decisions.
Candace in City Hall
Homelessness and Housing Committee
At the latest Homelessness and Housing Committee meeting we received a presentation from The Portland Housing Bureau (PHB) and the Fair Housing Council of Oregon (FHCO), which included student artists from across the state who presented posters they created for FHCO’s annual Fair Housing Poster Contest. We also received an update on Mayor Wilson’s progress toward funding and implementation of his goal to end unsheltered homelessness. And lastly, we received a presentation from the Portland Housing Bureau on its affordable housing work focused on production and preservation. The next committee meeting is on May 13 from 9:30 – 11:30am and will focus on the mayor’s budget proposal and its impacts to development permitting and shelters.
Candace Call to Action: Join the next Homelessness & Housing Committee meeting here.
Climate, Resilience, and Land Use Committee
At the latest Climate, Resilience, and Land Use Committee meeting we heard and had a discussion with the Portland Clean Energy Fund Co-Chairs on their perspectives on preliminary budget recommendations. We also confirmed the appointments to the City Sustainability and Climate Commission. Here you can see who got appointed! The next Committee meeting will be on May 15 from 9:30-11:30am.
Finance Committee
At the latest Finance Committee meeting we got an update on the fund forecast and the City Economist presented an executive memo outlining updates to the fund forecasts for the General Fund and Clean Energy Surcharge Tax. Finally, we received a presentation and overview of Prosper Portland and Prosper Portland Budget. The next committee meeting is on May 5 from 12:00-2:00pm.
Upcoming Council Meetings
Here you can find all the upcoming City Council and committee meetings. The City Council meets the first and third week of the month. Committee meetings meet on the second and fourth week of the month. All meetings are held virtually via Zoom and in-person at City Hall. You can sign up to testify here or call 311.
In solidarity,
Councilor Candace Avalos