I'm feeling hopeful this month. In November, we saw wins in the courts, from a federal judge issuing a final ruling blocking the National Guard from deploying in Portland to the Supreme Court rejecting an attempt to overturn same-sex marriage. We also saw wins at the ballot box – the Portland parks levy passed with flying colors, and across the country, progressive candidates were elected by the will of the people.
These wins fortify my belief that our democratic values will ultimately prevail, and that, despite the attacks from all sides by our federal administration, our underlying democratic systems are still chugging. I'm energized by this fact as we continue our work on Portland City Council, and I have even more hope that our midterm election next year will give our country the opportunity to stop Trump's agenda in its tracks.
That said, we're still a ways away from the midterms. And in our community, we have seen a disturbing increase in ICE activity this month, which has impacted too many of our families, our neighbors, our local businesses and our schools.
I commend Portlanders for their quick action to mobilize peacefully and strategically in the face of this violence, particularly by showing up to school drop-off and pick-up – anecdotally, we know that community presence is enough to deter some ICE activity. As we move forward, I encourage you to keep showing up for our community – please coordinate with your local school community and teachers if you are interested in supporting.
And as always, call the Portland Immigrant Rights Coalition (PIRC) hotline at 1-888-622-1510 if you witness ICE activity in our area. For nonurgent questions or concerns, please TEXT the hotline rather than calling – they have seen an exponential increase in calls recently, and this helps to mitigate that traffic. PIRC is also reachable at volunteers@pircoregon.org for questions about volunteering, donating to the PIRC Resource Center, and Migra Watch.
November in review
Parks levy passage
I've said it before, and I'll say it again – THANK YOU for approving the Portland parks levy in this month's election. So that I don't repeat myself, here is my statement about the parks levy and all of the work I am excited to dig into now that it is passed.
And, for something a little different, here is an article from the Portland Tribune about my personal Portland parks story. I moved to Portland when I was 17, and from walking my dog in the parks of Northwest Portland to coaching Little League to chasing trains with my family in Cully Park, these spaces have raised me, and seen me through so many incredible chapters of my Portland story. Big thanks to the Portland Tribune for the opportunity to share a little bit about who I am out from behind the dais.
Hacienda Gala and Dolores Huerta
My office had the amazing opportunity to attend Hacienda Community Development Corporation's La Gala: Día de los Muertos on November 7. Hacienda CDC is an amazing, Latino-led organization advancing the social and economic mobility of all communities, especially in our District, and we were thrilled to celebrate their impact.
Equally thrilling was hearing from special guest Dolores Huerta, a labor leader and feminist activist who coined the phrase "Sí, se puede." She has spent decades fighting for union workers, most famously during the Delano Grape Strike in the 1960s. Thank you, Dolores, for your ongoing activism, and thank you to Hacienda CEO Ernesto Fonseca for all you do in our community!
"Every moment is an organizing opportunity, every person a potential activist, every minute a chance to change the world." — Dolores Huerta
Portland Farmers Market
I got to spend a Sunday morning earlier this month at the King's Farmers Market with Councilor Sameer Kanal, learning about how food vendors support local farmers, how Portland Farmers Markets serve SNAP shoppers (of 1,000-2,000 shoppers per day at the King's Market alone, about 100 are SNAP recipients), and how our work on Council can support vendors and markets here in Portland. Thank you to Portland Farmers Market Executive Director Katy Kolker, Market Manager Sarah Watt, and board member and owner of Hot Mama Salsa Nikki Guerrero for the tour!
At the dais
TAO
On November 20, City Council passed the Fall Technical Adjustment Ordinance (TAO) – our process for making tweaks to the budget we passed in the spring.
Earlier in the month, Council considered five amendments, none of which received the seven affirmative votes needed to pass. Following much deliberation, we passed the TAO unamended, re-balancing our budget and priming us for a robust budget conversation in the spring.
Even when we disagree, I'm appreciative of how my colleagues continue to come to the table to represent the unique needs of our Districts. I'm looking forward to continuing this work when we take up the Fiscal Year 2026-27 budget in just a few months.
City/County joint meeting
In July 2024, Portland City Council and the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners passed the Homelessness Response Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA), a 3-year guide to our joint homelessness response efforts. On November 13, Councilors and Commissioners met for our third joint work session of the year, where we reviewed the updated Homelessness Response Action Plan and newly drafted key performance indicators (KPIs). Both bodies will take up these frameworks in a resolution to adopt in December.
While action plans and KPIs help us to do our work, Portlanders want to see action. We've made progress on homelessness in Portland, and we're starting to see more traffic downtown and more folks in shelters. But the rate of those experiencing homelessness is continuing to rise.
We have to ensure we're tackling the root causes of homelessness and the things that keep people from getting stable and back into housing. This means using our tools to create more jobs that pay a living wage; ensuring Portlanders have access to healthcare, including mental health treatment, before they're in crisis; increasing addiction treatment services; and continuing to create more affordable housing. I look forward to the City and County's continued work together as we move into our next budget cycles, using these budgets to meet our shared goals and to do the work that will help us to make tangible progress on this challenge.
AI price fixing ordinance
On November 19, Council approved an ordinance prohibiting the use of AI algorithms to set rents. This technology can be used to manipulate the market and artificially inflate costs, posing a significant threat to fair competition, housing affordability, and tenant protections. As the cost of living continues to rise, we can't subject our renters to these unjust practices and uncertainty.
My goal with all new policy ideas, provided they match my values, is to get to yes. When this policy was first introduced, I was not at yes. But thanks to the collaborative efforts of all Councilors involved, we moved an amendment last week and solved many of my concerns.
It's important to note, though, that there are still risks. It's unclear to me whether this policy will bring down rents in our city, and I don't want any untested policy to give a false sense of progress to our renters who really do need help.
But risk should not handicap our ability to bring innovative policy that seeks to solve big challenges. We won't make progress for our community unless we're willing to take bold steps.
Council schedule
This month, the Council will hold regular meetings as follows:
December 3, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
December 10, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
December 17, 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
December 18, 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. (tentative)
City Council will not meet in Committee or as a full Council the weeks of December 22 – January 2.
Find the most up-to-date information on all meetings, including executive sessions, work sessions, and committees, here. To submit public testimony, visit this link.
Community events and engagement opportunities
District 2 is full of amazing events to attend this holiday season. My People's Market, a reimagined marketplace of Portland's diverse and vibrant entrepreneurs and artists, will be taking place at the Oregon Convention Center on December 6 and 7 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. I'll be there on Sunday, December 7 – come say hi!
And the weekend of December 20-21, NAYA's Native Made Market Winter Marketplace will take place at the Lloyd Center from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. This is another great way to shop local, and to support Native makers and artisans.
As always, stay tuned for additional opportunities to connect with me and my team. Thank you for your engagement, and have a wonderful holiday season!
In solidarity,
Elana Pirtle-Guiney