Policy committees

Council committees consider, develop and recommend legislation in their topic area. Committees publicly and actively deliberate and are the primary place to promote public engagement and input on proposals and policy under consideration. 

Committees provide oversight to City Bureaus and programs and ensure that they are best serving the needs of community members and meeting their established goals, as directed by Council. 

You can find information about each committee below.

Finance and Governance Committee of the Whole

Governance issues and other internal operational support and recommendations; finance; review of executive appointments; auditor reports that are not related to policy committee areas; internal labor and workforce issues; oversight.

• Sameer Kanal, Chair
• Dan Ryan, Vice Chair for Finance
• Tiffany Koyama Lane, Vice Chair for Governance
• Steve Novick
• Angelita Morillo
• Loretta Smith
• Eric Zimmerman
• Candace Avalos
• Mitch Green
• Elana Pirtle-Guiney
• Jamie Dunphy
• Olivia Clark

The Finance and Governance Committee of the Whole meets the first, second, and fourth Thursday of each month from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and the third Wednesday of each month from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The agenda is published below by 9:00 a.m. Friday before the meeting.

Staff contact: Christopher Herr, Christopher.Herr@portlandoregon…

Community and Public Safety 

Includes efforts to make Portlanders safer, including prevention, intervention, and response; community safety and violence prevention programs including but not limited to Public Safety Service Area; all law enforcement officers of the city; emergency response, violence prevention, and crisis response systems; and the programs, policies, and Bureaus addressing community and public safety needs. 

• Steve Novick, Chair
• Angelita Morillo, Vice Chair
• Sameer Kanal
• Loretta Smith
• Eric Zimmerman

The Community and Public Safety Committee meets the first and third Tuesday of each month from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The agenda is published below by 9:00 a.m. Friday before the meeting.

Staff contact: Christopher Herr, Christopher.Herr@portlandoregon…

Housing and Permitting

Housing investments, permitting, zoning and other land use decisions; the continuum of housing supports; sheltering and the City's role in homeless services; and the needs, programs, policies, and Bureaus addressing zoning, housing, homelessness, and homeownership.

• Candace Avalos, Chair
• Mitch Green, Vice Chair
• Tiffany Koyama Lane
• Elana Pirtle-Guiney
• Steve Novick

The Housing and Permitting Committee meets the first and third Tuesday of each month from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The agenda is published below by 9:00 a.m. Friday before the meeting.

Staff contact: Claire Adamsick, Claire.Adamsick@portlandoregon…

Public Works 

Includes matters related to transportation and utilities; ratepayer-funded programs; parks, urban forestry, and open space; superfund cleanup; and the needs, programs, policies, and Bureaus addressing public infrastructure.

• Olivia Clark, Chair
• Loretta Smith, Vice Chair
• Sameer Kanal
• Tiffany Koyama Lane
• Mitch Green

The Public Works Committee meets the second and fourth Tuesday of each month from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The agenda is published below by 9:00 a.m. Friday before the meeting.

Staff contact: Claire Adamsick, Claire.Adamsick@portlandoregon…

City Life 

Economic development, tourism, and sports; music, arts, and culture; recreational programing including programs within Portland Parks and Recreation; external investments in internships, apprenticeship, and job training programs; workplace and labor protections; community development; equity and human rights; climate change prevention and mitigation; community resilience; and the needs, programs, policies, and Bureaus addressing culture, climate, labor, and economic development.

• Elana Pirtle-Guiney, Chair
• Eric Zimmerman, Vice Chair
• Candace Avalos
• Angelita Morillo
• Dan Ryan

The City Life Committee meets the second and fourth Tuesday of each month from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The agenda is published below by 9:00 a.m. Friday before the meeting.

Staff contact: Christopher Herr, Christopher.Herr@portlandoregon…

Public testimony information

• For agenda items that accept verbal and written testimony, registration is available when the agenda is published.
• Those who wish to testify verbally on an agenda item must sign up in advance on the Council agenda or by calling 311.
  • Registration for virtual testimony closes one hour prior to the Council meeting.
  • In-person testifiers must sign up before the agenda item is heard.