When you have bed bugs, there’s only so much you can do to kill them by yourself. Apart from contacting a professional for immediate help, there are a few ways to deal with bed bugs. Review this guide by Jen Miller of Jen Reviews for steps you can take.

• What To Do If You Have Bed Bugs​

The City of Portland’s challenge with the homeless crisis is not new, but it’s a growing issue demanding more attention from the City, especially in light of recent outcries from downtown businesses. The issue was a hot topic at ORLA’s Portland Lodging Alliance meeting this week, where several area lodging operators discussed recent talks with city leaders and next steps businesses can take. Hoteliers have seen an increase in antisocial, threatening and criminal behavior among homeless individuals outside (and in some cases inside) their hotels and are looking for real solutions from city leaders.
 
Earlier in November, ORLA President and CEO, Jason Brandt, and Government Affairs Director, Greg Astley, along with a few restaurant owners and hoteliers, met with Mayor Ted Wheeler and Commissioner Nick Fish to discuss the industry’s concerns and how the city plans to address homelessness. While the Mayor conveyed, they are taking steps including increasing community policing, he’s asking for help from the business community. Greater enforcement and new ordinances regulating homeless behavior on city streets need to be considered, and industry members are encouraged to keep pressing city leaders to find solutions.
 
At an invitation-only meeting on November 21, city leaders gave several business owners the opportunity to voice their concerns about the growing homeless problems in downtown Portland. Mayor Ted Wheeler, Portland Police Chief Danielle Outlaw and Multnomah County Sheriff Mike Reese participated in the town hall. In addition to more officers on the streets, some parts of downtown labeled "high pedestrian zones" may soon ban overnight camping, including on sidewalks and doorways.
 
The homeless issue is not isolated to downtown Portland, it’s everywhere, and lodging properties near the Portland Airport are also speaking up and taking action. ORLA is working with the PDX Airport Lodging Group in conjunction with Travel Portland’s Community Action Committee to address some of the issues such as car break-ins, vandalism, aggressive panhandling, and drug use. Lodging operators were provided forms to use in reporting incidents that include the potential loss of revenue and/or cost of the incident to their property. With the information gathered, ORLA will continue to push the City of Portland to prioritize and take action in those areas where businesses are being affected by these incidents.
 
If you’d like to get involved or have questions regarding the issue, contact ORLA’s Director of Government Affairs, Greg Astley at 971.224.1502 or email Astley@OregonRLA.org.

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Support Portland Police Bureau's Budget Request

As we get ready to give thanks for all we’ve received this year, many of us are preparing to pay that good fortune forward to those less fortunate.
 
This Thanksgiving, several of our area restaurants are giving back to community members in need. They are contributing a combination of financial and in-kind donations and are encouraging their customers and the public in general to join them in the effort. Giving new meaning to the words “Food is Love,” here is a sampling of just a few restaurants in Oregon trying to make a difference for the neighborhoods they serve:
 
Prost
On Nov. 23, the German pub/biergarten will hold its annual Thanksgiving Day Feast. The restaurant will open its doors at 6 p.m., to serve its annual free turkey dinner. Nearly 100 pounds of turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and sides will be on the menu. Even though the event is free, guests are encouraged to donate to those in need, AND also bring a side dish to share.
 
Salt & Straw
For the third year in a row, the Portland-based scoop shop is teaming up with Urban Gleaners, a nonprofit hunger relief charity. For every Thanksgiving Celebration series pint sold, Salt & Straw will donate another one to Urban Gleaners. The goal: increase the number of people Urban Gleaners is able to serve and bring holiday cheer to those in need.
 
Verde Cocina
On Thanksgiving Day, the Portland-based, gluten-free, paleo and vegan-friendly cafe and catering company is closing all of its locations except one – in Sylvan Heights, where it will serve a family-style meal to guests at 11 a.m., 1 and 3 p.m. What’s on the menu? Guests can choose between a turkey, salmon or stuffed delicata squash entrée, plus dessert. Advance tickets are $40 per adult and $12 per child. Tickets on Thanksgiving Day are $45 per adult and $15 per child. All proceeds will benefit the Oregon Food Bank. And if you can’t make the dinner, but still want to contribute, learn more about the Oregon Food Bank and make a donation.

Protecting Tourism Promotion and Economic Development

The government affairs team from ORLA was in Salem everyday during the 2017 Legislative Session, actively engaged in bills that could have and will affect our industry. Read about our legislative wins and savings for the hospitality industry.

Eroding 70% for Tourism Promotion 

• HB 2049 would have expanded the definition of “tourism promotion and marketing” to include items such as flower baskets, sidewalks and benches.
• Research has shown transient lodging tax dollars directed to active marketing and promotion of Oregon and local communities is the best return on investment of these dollars.
• $26 Million protected for local and regional tourism promotion​

Establishing Ocean Beach Fund

• HB 2506 would have redirected current lodging tax dollars from state parks on the Oregon Coast away from local marketing and promotion efforts into a dedicated Ocean Beach fund to be used for sand erosion control, search and rescue and beach cleanup efforts.
• Carving out individual accounts of money for specific, geographic or boutique project purposes defeats the results from coordinated marketing and promotion efforts and diminishes the return on investment of those dollars to the local economies.
• Over $600,000 per biennium protected for local and regional tourism promotion

 
Film & Video Tax Credit

• HB 2244A extended the greenlight tax credit for film and video companies working in the state of Oregon.
• This continuation helps Oregon attract film and video production companies who spend money at local restaurants and lodging properties while filming movies and TV shows here.
• $140 Million in direct spending

 
Excise Tax on Coffee

• HB 2875 would have imposed a .05 per pound excise tax on all coffee beans and ground coffee.
• Any person selling these products would have had to submit to the Department of Revenue, on or before the last business day of the month, on forms prescribed, a signed statement of the gross weight of coffee beans and ground coffee subject to the excise tax imposed under this section during the preceding calendar month, whether sold at wholesale or used in preparing specialty coffee beverages for sale at retail.
• $350 SAVINGS per establishment (on average)

 
Property Lien

• HB 2180 would have allowed an employee who has a claim against the employer under this subsection or the assignee of an employee who has filed a wage claim under this subsection a lien upon all property of the employer, real and personal, located in this state for the amount of the unpaid wages to which the employee is entitled.
• Employees would also have the ability to bring an action of a lien prior to presenting a wage claim to the Bureau of Labor and Industries.
• $125,000 SAVINGS per establishment

 
Unused Gift Cards

• SB 113 would have transferred any unused amount on gift cards to the Department of State Lands five years after the last transaction.
• $2500 SAVINGS per establishment

 
Smoking Porch Enclosures

• SB 235 re-established the “old rule” for the definition of a smoking porch enclosure.
• Establishments were in danger of having to remodel or redesign existing smoking porch enclosures to comply with the “new” interpretation of the rule
• $10,000 SAVINGS per establishment​​

View a summary of bills ORLA tracked in the 2017 session and learn what they mean for your business.