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Share Your Thoughts on the City's Budget

The Budget Monitoring Process (BMP) takes place three times during the fiscal year. The BMP’s goal is to provide City Council with information on revenues and expenditures and allow for urgent and unforeseen changes to the budget.
 
In this case, it was reported that the City has a budget surplus of $62M. This money came from business taxes last year, and it was far more than the City anticipated. As part of the Fall BMP process, City Council now decides how to direct about half of the budget surplus to other City bureaus. However, before they weigh in, there is an opportunity for public testimony. This is your time to share with Council your thoughts on how the City should direct these surplus funds.
 
How you can participate in the budget monitoring process?
The City Budget Office collects online testimony year-round via email as well as a budget testimony collection form on the City’s MapApp site. Community members can use these communication platforms to provide written comment on the Fall BMP. Interested members of the public may use MapApp to provide their feedback on how to direct the surplus budget or via email to budgetcomment@portlandoregon.gov.
 
You can also view the budget comments anytime on the publicly accessible MapApp testimony reader. The City Budget Office made the Fall BMP recommendations and analysis public on Friday Oct. 8, and more than 30 public comments were submitted on MapApp and four emails were turned in when last checked.
 
The City Budget Office will continue to collect online community feedback throughout the Fall BMP process and sends weekly summary emails to Council each Monday leading up to your vote on the Fall Supplemental Budget.
 
Council is still scheduling the hearing date however comments for the Fall BMP are due to the City Budget Office in November. For more questions, please email budgetcomment@portlandoregon.gov.
Three volunteers work on cleaning graffiti off of a public building. Two of the men hold long paint rollers and roll grey paint over graffiti.
A photograph of Graffiti Removal Volunteers painting over a tagged building. If you would like to volunteer, please visit our website.

The State of Graffiti

In April, Civic Life's Graffiti Program reported a 300% increase in graffiti work during the height of COVID recovery (and just prior to the release of vaccines and the reopening of businesses). Six months later, we’re pleased to share that the work order requests have stabilized.

While our program is actively removing graffiti from residential properties, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations, we know that Portland is still facing an unprecedented amount of graffiti. We are pleased to share that we have successfully onboarded five new emerging businesses to assist with the Graffiti Program clean-up efforts. 

How Graffiti Work Order Requests Work?
From July 2021 to present, 1,904 (or 78%) work orders have been resolved or closed by our team. The remaining 529 (or 22%) work orders are pending because we are waiting for a property owner's “approval” for graffiti removal or the work order is not within our program's duties and has been assigned to another entity (see graphic below).
Civic Life's Graffiti Program is the hub for all Portland-related complaints, but our program is only responsible for removing graffiti from residential properties, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations. 

Should you need to request services or learn more about our program, please visit our
website.
A black and white photograph taken in 1976 of a drag race at the Portland International Raceway
A black and white photo courtesy of the Portland Archives showing a 1976 drag race at Portland International Raceway.

Portland Intl. Raceway Subcommittee

The Portland International Roadway (PIR for short) is in North Portland, adjacent to the Kenton neighborhood. They host events ranging from bicycle races to car shows, drag racing, sports cars, and motorcycle road racing.
 
On Sept. 29, 2021, the Noise Review Board (NRB) called a special session to encourage dialogue about PIR's noise impacts to the surrounding community. Based on the conversation, the NRB decided to form the Portland International Raceway Subcommittee. The Subcommittee’s charge is to further understand the PIR noise impacts and identify possible solutions to address community noise concerns.

NRB’s Subcommittee starts in November
Following the NRB’s decision to form a subcommittee, they held another meeting on Oct. 13 to review 20  applications and selected 10 members to serve, including two PIR track users, three neighborhood residents, two PIR staff and three NRB members.
 
“The members of the Subcommittee were carefully chosen to represent and reflect the interests of both the neighbors and racetrack users,” said NRB Chair Mary Sipe. “We’re looking to have a very balanced discussion that not only includes nearby neighbors and their lived experiences, but also includes PIR management, subject matter experts, and acoustical experts to help us learn about the historical and statistical information that has been captured previously from a mix of City and consultant staff.”
 
The subcommittee will be presented with hundreds of pages of reports and data. After the fact-finding stage, the Subcommittee will identify next steps which will include possible solutions to address community concerns related to noise from the Portland International Raceway. In the end, the goal of Subcommittee is to provide insightful and feasible recommendations where all can co-exist and live within a more harmonious environment.
 
“The Subcommittee’s work will be long, thoughtful and detailed, and it likely end in the NRB providing recommendations to City Council after we complete our multi-month process,” concluded Sipe.
 
Learn more about the subcommittee’s work here.
Two women look at framed map of Vanport. The woman in the foreground points to a section of the map while the other woman reads the map description.
Image shows two Vanport flood survivors visiting a Vanport exhibition at the Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center (IFCC)

Request for Proposals

The Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center (IFCC) is a historic community center located at 5340 N. Interstate Avenue, in North Portland’s Overlook neighborhood. It has a indoor performance space which seats nearly 100 people, a rehearsal studio, and art gallery. 

In 2018, Portland Parks and Recreation supported the formation of the Community Arts Committee to help shape a sustainable programming and business model for the IFCC. As a result of three years of work, the Community Arts Committee has recommended that the existing site and building be redeveloped and expanded as a center for the arts and culture of Portland’s Black community.

T
o assesses the practicality of the Community Arts Committee's recommendations, the City of Portland Parks & Recreation is seeking proposals from individuals, firms, teams or consultants with demonstrated experience in leading Arts & Culture Center Feasibility Studies. The objective of the feasibility study is to determine the viability and sustainability of a revitalized arts and culture center at IFCC site.

Submissions are due by Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021 at 4:00 p.m.. To find out more and how to apply please visit their website.
A gardener bends down to talk to five children in a community garden.

Info Sessions for East Portland Grants

Calling all East Portland projects!  On Monday, Oct. 25 from 2 to 4 p.m. the East Portland Community Office's (EPCO) will hold a virtual information session on their "Small Grants Reimbursement Program." Come learn more about the grant, if your organization qualifies and how to apply. 

The Small Grants Program prioritizes engagement of communities historically underrepresented and underserved such as elders, youth, people with disabilities, communities of color, immigrants and refugees, low-income, and LGTBQIA+ people. All are welcome to apply. 

To qualify, your project must meet at least one of our program’s goals:

  • Increase the number of people who are involved and engaged in their communities;
  • Strengthen community capacity through, for example, leadership development, skills   building, fostering teamwork and/or partnerships, and community building; and/or
  • Increase community impact on public decisions.
Grant applications are due Monday, Nov. 8.

To register for the Oct. 25 information session, please email Carlee.Smith@portlandoregon.gov.

Find out more about how to apply on our website
A photo of an arm wearing a blue sweater holds up a white and red bullhorn against a yellow and pink background

Civic Life is Hiring!

Civic Life's programs invest in building strong civic engagement, community leadership, and support relationships between businesses and their neighbors. The Cannabis Program is currently hiring for a new position, come join our team!

Social Equity & Educational Development Initiatives - Coordinator II

The Social Equity & Educational Development (SEED) Initiatives Coordinator will provide strategic planning and execution leadership for the Cannabis Program's SEED Initiatives.

This position will be the grant manager for the SEED Grant Fund. In this role, the Coordinator will oversee the annual grant RFP process in collaboration with the Bureau's business operations team, facilitate the SEED Selection Committee review process and coordinate day-to-day management of all SEED applicants, finalists and winners. As needed, this position will be a public spokesperson for the SEED Initiatives program locally, regionally and nationally. Finally, this position regularly supports Office of Community & Civic Life bureau-wide initiatives and multi-bureau projects that advance bureau and City strategic plans and projects. 


To find the full job description and how to apply, please visit the City's job website.

Join an Advisory Body!

Joining an advisory body is a way for Portlanders to lend their expertise and personal or professional experience to the City of Portland. As an advisory body member, you will work closely with community members and City of Portland liaisons to impact policies and programs.

Development Review Advisory Committee (DRAC) – Closes Friday, Oct. 29
The Development Review Advisory Committee (DRAC) advises the Bureau of Development Services (BDS) and other bureaus of the City of Portland that are involved with construction-related permits. The DRAC fosters a timely, predictable and accountable development review process that implements the City's goals for land use, transportation, housing, economic development, neighborhood livability and the environment. The DRAC advocates for and supports the consistent and fair application and implementation of regulations. Learn more and how to apply here.

Building Code Board of Appeals – closes Friday, Oct. 29
The Building Code Board of Appeals is a three-person advisory body that reviews appeals from architects, builders and developers who disagree with decisions made by City building officials. The Board meets with the appellants and City building officials to discuss ideas and concerns with proposed construction plans and issue rulings on whether to uphold the decisions of the Administrative Appeals Board. Eligible candidates must live, play, worship, work or do business in the City of Portland, and must be a registered architect, builder or a member of the public at-large who is qualified, by experience and training, to make decisions on matters pertaining to building code issues. Learn more and how to apply here.


River Community Advisory Committee – closes Wednesday, Nov. 10
The River Community Advisory Committee is comprised of six members representing the interests of those who live in or work on floating structures. Members are appointed by the Commissioner-in-charge of the Bureau of Development Services (BDS) and confirmed by the City Council for three-year terms. The Committee assists the BDS with the procedure development and implementing administrative guidelines for Title 28 of Portland City Code which governs floating structures. Eligible candidates must live, play, worship, go to school, work or do business in the City of Portland. The must also be considered a member of one or more of the following categories:
  • Floating home resident
  • Marina operator
  • Floating structures contractor
  • Floating structures design professional
  • Yacht club member
  • On-the-water business owner
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Office of Community & Civic Life
1221 SW 4th Avenue, Suite 110
Portland, Oregon 97204
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