Unacceptable Burden: Multnomah County's Proposed 33% Health Inspection Fees Increase 
Multnomah County is considering a staggering 33% increase in health inspection fees for FY 2026. This isn't a minor tweak; it's a major financial blow that could jeopardize the fragile recovery of our local restaurants and lodging establishments.

While we appreciate the County holding fees steady during the pandemic, our hospitality sector hasn't "bounced back." Years of lost revenue, accumulated debt, and ongoing operational challenges persist. Many businesses made painful decisions just to survive.

Why This Hike is So Harmful, Right Now: We fully support public health and inspections, but the timing and magnitude of this increase are deeply concerning. The County seems to be recouping deferred costs all at once, burdening an industry still fighting for its footing.

This 33% increase is dangerous because it means:

• Crippling Operating Costs: A direct hit to already thin profit margins.
• Stifling Recovery: Impedes investment and growth for businesses still battling pandemic effects.
• Passing the Buck to Consumers: Could force price hikes, making local dining/lodging less affordable.
• Disproportionate Impact on Local Gems: Small, independent operators will be hit hardest, increasing closure risks.
• A Shock to the System: Disrupts financial planning after five years of stable fees.

Beyond the Balance Sheet: A Community Impact: Our restaurants and lodging establishments are vital to Multnomah County's economy and culture. Their struggles impact us all. Oregon's tourism hasn't fully recovered, and Portland metro revenue is still down from 2019. Businesses already face soaring costs (food, labor, utilities, rent) and upcoming water/sewage rate hikes. This fee increase is simply too much, too soon.

What We're Advocating For: ORLA believes in sustainable solutions. We urge the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners to:

1. Reconsider the Magnitude: Abandon the proposed 33% increase.
2. Explore General Fund Support: Use the general fund to subsidize public health costs.
3. Implement Modest, Phased Increases: If essential, advocate for a manageable, single-digit percentage (e.g., 8% or under), implemented incrementally.

Here's How You Can Help: Contact the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners TODAY. Share your concerns. Learn more and contact your Multnomah County Commissioners through ORLA's action campaign. A sample letter template is available, but we encourage you to share your own words and stories. Together, we can advocate for a solution that supports public health without jeopardizing the businesses that make Multnomah County special. Let's ensure our hospitality industry thrives.

Share how increased health inspection fees will impact your business! 

Multnomah County Health Department is proposing a 33% fee increase on health inspections due to budget shortfalls. Businesses operating in the county may have received a letter regarding this, and we want to make sure our members are aware of how to engage on this issue. In 2023, ORLA fought a proposed increase in fees and was successful.

The new Multnomah County Board of Commissioners have been briefed on the Health Inspections Program, the history of the program’s cost recovery model, and the County’s efforts to support pandemic-impacted businesses over the past five years. ORLA met with county staff to start a conversation about the harm a 33% fee increase would create for the restaurant and lodging industry. In the Portland area, the hospitality industry is still seeing far less business than 2019, while prices of goods and fees continue to rise. The County promised to continue to seek feedback from industry members as they sort budgetary needs of the Health Department.

Contact your County Commissioner today to let them know how this potential increase will impact and burden the success of your business.

• Chair Jessica Vega Pederson: profile page | [email protected]
• Commissioner Meghan Moyer, District 1: profile page | [email protected]
• Commissioner Shannon Singleton, District 2: profile page | [email protected]
• Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards, District 3: profile page | [email protected]
• Commissioner Vince Jones-Dixon, District 4: profile page | [email protected]

The County Commissioners will have further discussions about the proposed fee during the upcoming budget process. Read more here: Board of Commissioners briefed on proposed health inspection fee increase.

Multnomah County Confirms Location of New 24-Hour Sobering Center
County Commissioners Jessica Vega Pederson and Julie Brim Edwards met with the Portland business community earlier in February to share next steps and updates on the anticipated sobering and detox center. The county has initiated a purchase agreement on a 24,000 square-foot warehouse in the Central Eastside Industrial District for the center. The purchase of the building is expected to be finalized in April, and in June, the county will put out a request for proposals and will commence the bidding process to locate a provider to run the sobering center. Operations of the center are expected to cost around $10 million for staff and equipment, this doesn’t account for building costs once inspections are finished. An opening date hasn’t been announced yet, but the center will house up to 50 beds. The county says the new site will serve as a permanent location for sobering and withdrawal management services, allowing intoxicated people to avoid jails or hospital emergency rooms. The new center will be geared specifically toward short-term drug and alcohol withdrawal, and those who utilize the center can be connected with local recovery and treatment services.

This March, the county will work with the community to establish a collaborative good neighbor agreement before the center opens. An advisory group will be convened of businesses, community-based organizations, providers and peer organizations, law enforcement, elected officials and other neighbors.

A temporary Coordinated Care Pathway Center was opened in Southeast Portland last year, as a means of providing deflection services to people who accept treatment over jail. That location will be expanded to offer 13 sobering beds, starting this spring. Read the in-depth Multnomah County Plan for the Sobering and Crisis Stabilization Center.

Portland Metro Chamber and ECONorthwest releases State of the Economy
The city made significant strides last year, delivering results on livability issues, declined crime in the central city, street use of controlled substances became illegal again, fentanyl overdose deaths decreased, emergency shelter capacity expanded and more. Public perceptions of safety have improved, and the barrage of negative national media coverage has been eased. Now the focus is on long-term economic outlook for the Portland region—where major challenges remain. Population loss continued, as small natural increases (more births than deaths) were offset by net out-migration. The housing crisis persisted, with production remaining sluggish, and outside investors viewed the region unfavorably. As a result, much of the region remains unaffordable to households earning less than $160,000 annually.

Adding to the strain, large regional employers experienced layoffs and leadership transitions. The hospitality industry saw -1.4% decrease in jobs equating to 1,600 positions lost during 2024. Portland’s peer regions (Denver, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Sacramento, and Seattle) experienced sharp job losses during the pandemic, followed by a steady rebound. However, most, including Portland, have struggled to move significantly beyond their pre-pandemic employment peaks, with only Sacramento and Denver making notable gains. While all peer cities saw GDP growth in 2023, Portland’s economy is uniquely volatile due to its heavy reliance on the semiconductor industry. Recent announcements of federal funding favoring other markets raise concerns that the region’s GDP could decline in the near future.

Until the region can implement policies and programs that bring costs down, Portland metro should expect to underperform its economic performance of decades past. Portland will continue to face longer-term challenges of an aging, low-fertility society, while seven in ten voters feel their taxes are too high and ultimately choosing to live in communities with lower costs and more abundant job opportunities. Downtown’s foot traffic remains down 40% due to fewer office workers and visitors. The areas with the strongest activities benefit from a balanced mix of residents, employees, and visitors, while Downtown shows no growth in its residential presence, highlighting a critical gap. The vibrancy of Portland and its Downtown and Central City is integral to the economic strength and vitality of our entire state. Policymakers must lead with a unified vision and consider the next phase of investment to bring vibrancy and livability back to Portland.

State of Economy Takeaways:  

• -4,820: Net population loss in Multnomah County in 2023.
• -9,600: Jobs lost in the Information, Financial Services, Manufacturing and Professional Service sectors in 2024.
• $105,800: Average income of individuals moving to Clark County, versus $73,540 for those moving to Multnomah County in 2022.
• 80th: Portland ranked second to last in national real estate attractiveness rating.

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State of Downtown Takeaways: 

• -25%: Portland office leasing rate is down compared to 2019 (600,000 square feet per quarter versus 790,000 square feet).
• 6th: Ranked last among peers for Central City visitor foot traffic.
• -21%: Portland’s Central City foot traffic compared to 2019.
• 80%: Share of visitors to Portland’s Central City that live within 20 miles.

Addressing Future Elected Leaders: Portland Events and Tourism
ORLA’s Director of Government Affairs, Greg Astley, recently joined Jim Etzel, CEO of Sport Oregon and Christina Fuller of Fuller Events on a panel discussing the importance of the hospitality and tourism industry to 35+ Portland City Council candidates. The event was a joint effort with United for Portland to help educate candidates running for Portland City Council. The panel discussion was followed by a Q&A from the candidates and wrapped up with a social meet and greet. Many, if not most, candidates in the room are very probable to be elected leaders for the city and last night’s discussion provided a glimpse into the impacts and importance of a thriving hospitality industry and the challenges our industry hopes to overcome in Portland. Watch the full news story here.

Portland Lodging Alliance (PLA) and Portland Kitchen Cabinet (PKC) Meeting Updates
PLA and PKC convened on September 16 with Portland City Commissioner Dan Ryan as our guest. Commissioner Ryan spoke to the group about the importance of the upcoming election and how important it will be to elect people who are willing to get things done and who have a willingness to work together and make progress in the city. Commissioner Ryan encouraged members to show up at county and city meetings to share stories and testify to help advocate for policy that will uplift the community. At the meeting, United for Portland’s Executive Director Doug Moore also shared an overview of the upcoming election, polling and what is expected in the months leading up. PLA and PKC are starting the process to find new volunteer leaders to step in and help facilitate meetings, shape agendas with minimal time commitment. Interested? Please email Makenzie Marineau.

Travel Portland Stakeholder Meetings
As the hospitality community wraps up a successful summer season, Travel Portland is excited to convene a series of stakeholder meetings to update you on the organization’s latest efforts, outline new initiatives and solicit feedback.
Join Travel Portland and other partners on one of the following dates:

• Oct. 9 from 3-4 p.m. at the Sheraton Portland Airport Hotel
• Oct. 14 from 3-4 p.m. at the Hilton Portland Downtown

 To RSVP, click here.

Weigh In: Oregon Building Performance Standards
The Energy Performance Standard policy for commercial buildings addresses energy use and emissions from existing commercial buildings. The latest proposed rules don’t take the hotel and restaurant industry into consideration, resulting in concerns with existing infrastructure, piping and appliances, and retrofitting older buildings. The Oregon Department of Energy requests stakeholders’ input on the draft rules; share your comments virtually through the end of October. To stay informed of program updates, sign up for the Oregon BPS distribution list.

Future of Keller Auditorium to be Made this Fall
Portland City Council is delaying a final decision on the future of the Keller Auditorium to October and directing two groups to work together to create a plan to upgrade the aging performing arts venue. Portland State University put forward a plan to build a new, similar-size venue near the university and Halprin Landscape Conservancy has proposed to renovate the auditorium at its existing site. Last Wednesday, the council passed a resolution directing city staff to work with PSU and Halprin to “seek a collaborative solution that combines their respective projects.” The combined proposal from PSU and Halprin is due to the city council by October 9.

Business Safety and Continuity During Civil Unrest
As a follow up to the ‘Safety Summit in an Election Year’ held earlier this year, Portland Downtown Clean & Safe has partnered with the Professional Security Association of Oregon (PSAO) to host a free two-hour resource seminar. The event aimed to help businesses how to best prepare for civil unrest and potential property damage, how to build a communication plan for your staff and patrons, and how to connect with existing public safety networks and the City of Portland. Contact [email protected] for more information on the resources available.

Upcoming ORLA Portland events
The Portland Lodging Alliance and Portland Kitchen Cabinet will meet October 16 with guest presentations from Travel Portland and the City of Portland’s Portland Solutions. Stay tuned for more information on a Meet and Greet with Oregon Treasurer Tobias Read in October.

Heart of House Tours
ORLA held its first of three Heart of House tours at the Hyatt Regency Portland at the Convention Center. These tours are in partnership with our national affiliate, American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA) and give elected officials a behind the scenes look at what it takes to operate a hotel. Brian Lang, general manager of the Hyatt Regency along with Brad Gillespie, the director of operations, showed Portland City Commissioner Rene Gonzalez and Multnomah County Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards’ Chief of Staff Eric Zimmerman (who is running for City Council) an intimate tour giving them the opportunity to ask questions and have conversations with staff along the way. Upcoming tours will be held at The Bidwell, University Place, and Convention Center.

Keller Project Proposals
City officials have warned for years that the Keller Auditorium will collapse—as would many other old buildings that aren’t seismically reinforced—in the event of the “Big One,” the 8.0-magnitude Cascadian subduction zone earthquake that’s expected to hit Oregon within the next 100 years. City officials last year began exploring how to ensure the Keller wouldn’t collapse. It’s exploring two concepts: renovate the existing Keller or build a new facility elsewhere in the city. At our March PLA/PKC meeting we heard from Portland State University (PSU) on their proposal for the Keller. There are currently three projects up for consideration by Portland City Council. They will likely be deciding in June about which project the city will move forward with. In short, here is each project up for decision:

• PSU is pitching to build a sprawling performing arts center in the South Park Blocks, outfitted with a 3,000-seat auditorium, a high-end hotel, classrooms, and a plaza. 
• Urban Renaissance Group and New York lender KKR Real Estate Finance Trust, want to incorporate a new Keller into a full-fledged redevelopment in the Lloyd District that would include housing, retail, and entertainment.
• Renovate the Keller and turn it into a state-of-the-art performance venue

Concerns have been brought forth by Broadway Across America that if the auditorium is renovated, the Keller’s operations would be put on hold for at least 18 months, leaving no place for Broadway shows in the city during that time. Broadway Across America has asked the city when considering proposals to find a solution to closing operations completely. They suggest if it’s a new performing arts center than continue to bring audiences to the Keller until the new building is open, or if a renovation is the path forward the city should strongly consider phasing their renovations to allow for several abbreviated Broadway seasons.

May Election
Big leadership changes are coming to Multnomah County as four of its five commission seats will be up for grabs next month. The outcomes of those races are likely to impact crucial decisions in the coming months and years, including choices about the county’s Preschool for All program, homeless services spending, and funding for prosecutors and jails. Jessie Burke, hospitality industry member and owner of the Society Hotel is running for District 2 county commissioner seat against Sam Adams who is a former mayor of the city of Portland and Shannon Singleton who is the former interim director of the Joint Office of Homeless Services. Jessie Burke also sits as the board chair of the Old Town Community Association.

The 3rd Congressional District in Oregon will have a spot to fill when Rep. Earl Blumenauer retires later this year. Candidates hoping to take Blumenauer’s place include physician and State Rep. Maxine Dexter, former Multnomah County Commissioner Susheela Jayapal, Gresham City Councilor Eddy Morales, and businessman Michael Jonas. The May election will determine who will be running against the Republican candidate in November. Watch last Thursday morning’s debate forum here.

TriMet Safety Strategy Discussion
After the devastating loss of an industry worker earlier this month commuting home from work on the MAX train, ORLA engaged in conversations with TriMet leadership around concerns of safety. Following the tragic news there has been an outcry from other staff members voicing their fears of riding public transportation. ORLA is currently working to find a date and time to meet with TriMet about their Vision 2030 ridership strategies and various other TriMet safety initiatives. 

ORLA Regional Meeting in Portland
Join us for ORLA’s upcoming Regional Meeting April 23 from 2:30-4PM at Jupiter NEXT for an opportunity to engage in important conversations as we start to plan our legislative framework for the 2025 session. It's critical that we know what challenges our members are facing so we can educate our elected officials on how potential legislation can impact our businesses. ORLA members are encouraged to participate in discussions on legislative priorities, local advocacy, and workforce development. 

The tentative agenda follows:

• Introductions around the room to hear from members on top of mind issues
• Legislative recap, national updates, and open discussion on local and regional issues
• Open discussion on what members want to see in the 2025 Legislative Session
• Reminders on member engagement programs and workforce development efforts

RSVP for the Portland Regional Meeting and join us for a light reception hosted by ORLA immediately following!

ORLA's government affairs staff, along with our Portland Lodging Alliance and Portland Kitchen Cabinet members have been actively engaging in meetings and conversations with business partners and policymakers in the City of Portland the last few months. The following is a brief recap of activities, partner updates, and upcoming meetings. 

Chamber Agenda: Our partners at the Portland Metro Chamber have just released their 2024 Policy Agenda. This is a fluid document that will most likely change over time. ORLA along with other coalition partners to the regional chamber will rally around objectives they view as critical priorities. The policy agenda priorities focus on:

• Tax burden and cost of living
• Housing and homelessness
• Public safety
• Downtown revitalization and economic development

The Chamber also presented the 2024 State of the Economy showcasing how the Portland region remains at a crossroads. According to the report three of the four metro counties, excluding Multnomah County, have exceeded their 2019 job totals. And the GDP recovery offers even better news and is aided, in part, by the ongoing growth of the region’s technology sector. This year’s report still finds the region in unfamiliar territory. Once a migration magnet, the Portland area appears to have hit an affordability wall. Regional leaders must maintain a competitive mindset and engineer a tax, service, and livability package that is more appealing than it has been in recent years. The report offers some modest improvements over last year’s, but on critical measures like population growth and housing production, the region still has a long way to go. Good news is that elected officials and business leaders enter 2024 with an agreed-upon list of remedies courtesy of the Governor’s task force. If productive action is taken on those then the community can look forward to a better report next year. 

Business Credit Program: Portland City Council adopted the Downtown Business Incentive (DBI) credit program. The program is a $25 million temporary nonrefundable tax credit designed to incentivize commercial lease signings and lease renewals that will contribute significantly to the recovery and revitalization of Portland’s central city. This program will retain and support future investments from a variety of central city tenants that drive job creation, pay taxes, and generate economic activity throughout the City’s core. Learn more and apply.
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Food Carts: Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) recently launched a pilot program to bring food carts downtown to help with revitalization. The ordinance waives right-of-way city code that prohibits food trucks from operating within the district, and builds off of the PBOT’s Healthy Business Program, which allows downtown property owners to request food truck services for their employees and tenants during the COVID-19 pandemic. This pilot program, which was adopted by Portland City Council last month, will be monitored closely as to how it affects downtown brick and mortar restaurants. While revitalization of the city is important many of our downtown restaurants are still not seeing business as usual pre-pandemic and are struggling to stay open. We would hope the city would prioritize existing food services and businesses in the downtown area over allowing others to come in.

Outdoor Dining: ORLA staff recently met with Portland City Commissioner Gonzalez’s office and Portland Fire to discuss changing the tent permit for restaurants so they no longer would have to remove the tents for 180-day period or find a way to create a tent permit for year-round use in Portland. The current permit requires restaurants to remove tent/membrane structures during the winter months for safety reasons. With outdoor dining here to stay in the Portland region we are looking for solutions to allow restaurants to keep these structures up year-round. There is also a permit through Development Servies Department for permanent structures currently and we are discussing ways to possibly fund those permit fees through grants or other resources for businesses.

Task Force Updates: If you missed in December, the Governor’s Portland Central City Task Force has shared recommendations for solutions to Portland’s most pressing challenges and a vision for its economic future. Notable items include declaring a moratorium on new taxes and offer targeted tax relief. Portland is the second highest taxed city in the nation; we trail New York City by only a fraction. Elected officials should agree to a three-year pause, through 2026, on new taxes and fees. A Tax Advisory Group should be established to study and evaluate improvements to our taxing structure, and state and local governments should identify a few targeted incentives, including an expansion of the Business License Tax (BLT) downtown tax credit. In addition, declaring a tri-government fentanyl emergency and further elevate law enforcement response in the central city.

Portland Leadership Team Meetings: Next Portland Kitchen Cabinet and Portland Lodging Alliance meeting will be another joint meeting held on February 29th at the Royal Sonesta. Our guest will be Nathan Vasquez who is the candidate running against Mike Schmidt for Multnomah County District Attorney. Learn more about Nathan Vasquez. Portland Downtown Clean & Safe will also be joining to share updates on the hotel security district was implemented this past fall.

​As the year begins to wind down, we want to share some updates on what’s been happening in the Portland Metro area.

Update on BHRC
As of Monday, Sept. 18, 2023, the Behavioral Health Resource Center (BHRC) launched a new process to maintain client access, while reducing a periodic queue that developed around the building as people waited for specific time slots. Peer staff from the Mental Health and Addiction Association of Oregon (MHAAO), the agency that operates the Day Center, will utilize peer support staff to engage community members at social service agencies in the Old Town area, offering peer-delivered services and giving tickets for time-specific entry to the BHRC. This new process should result in participants no longer waiting for services outside of the BHRC. In addition, there is a new mobile van site to help make referrals and connections in the neighborhood. Outreach teams have engaged more than 200+ groups of people around the BHRC location, with nearly half interested in connecting to BHRC services. Reports have shown of 77 people who’ve moved on from the shelter, 48 have been positive exits directly into bridge housing or other shelter locations.

City Launches New Downtown Business Incentive Credit Program
The City of Portland is offering a special incentive to bring businesses back to the heart of the city. By leasing downtown office and retail spaces, companies renewing or signing new leases can receive a credit of up to $250,000 over four years to reduce their business license taxes. A qualifying business must apply for the credit. The due date for submitting the application for tax year 2023 will be January 31, 2024. Don't miss out on this opportunity to revitalize the Central City and increase foot traffic by committing to have your employees in the office at least 50% of the time.

Local Restaurants Fight Health Inspection Fee Increase (and Win)
In late October, the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners heard a proposal to increase health inspection fees by over 20% in three years and voted it down. The increase as to cover the costs of administering county inspections and licensing for food, pool, and tourist facilities. Thanks to ORLA members and small business owners providing impactful testimony and written letters of opposition, the proposal didn’t pass. It was a great effort by the business community to show up and share the impact of increased fees in a trying time.

Enforcement Of Camping Ban Halted
After the ADA Lawsuit, the City of Portland is facing another lawsuit. Homeless Portlanders filed a class action lawsuit against the city, arguing that Portland's camping ordinance violates state law and the Oregon Constitution. In early November, a judge placed a temporary hold against the enforcement of Portland's daytime ban on homeless camps that was slated to start next week.

Take Downtown Clean & Safe Business Survey
Today it is even more important to collect information to better understand the economic impact 2023 has had on businesses and others throughout the city’s downtown core. Help identify the ways Downtown Clean & Safe can continue to support and improve the downtown business environment by completing their business survey by December 31, 2023. Honest answers are valued and appreciated, and individual responses are confidential. Take Survey.

Invitation to Engage with City Staff
The City of Portland continues to host Downtown Portland Problem Solver Meetings every two weeks with city staff over Microsoft Teams. The focus of these meetings is to hear from business owners and managers and help connect them to resources. If you’d like to attend, please inquire to get an invitation with Makenzie Marineau at [email protected].
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ORLA and Portland area members met on September 14 for a follow up meeting to the Hotel and Restaurant Safety Summit held downtown earlier this summer in August. Multnomah County Commissioners, the Multnomah District Attorney, Multnomah County Sheriff’s office, Portland City Mayor’s office and Portland Police Bureau were in attendance to answer questions.

It was presented that Downtown Portland Clean & Safe and the Portland Metro Chamber have gathered support and funds to increase safety through a Downtown Hotel Security District. The plan was pulled together in response to significant crime and safety concerns and a need for action. The funding will provide Downtown Clean & Safe the ability to add two additional patrol shifts and eight additional public safety coordinators to the already existing public safety staff who are responding in the area. The additional coordinators will patrol two defined hospitality zones, seven days a week. The Hotel Security District covers the concentration of the central city’s hotels and tourism activities. Safety personnel will focus on the hotels in the area, responding to calls for service among usual patrol duties.

As we are aware, the long-term recovery of Portland depends on bringing people back downtown and the hospitality industry plays a critical role. Tourism and hotels support a wide nexus of other businesses and are an important economic driver in the area. The plan was created as a step to ensure that residents, employees and Portland visitors feel safe, while being a support system for economic recovery in downtown.

Who’s funding this? The Hotel Security District is a public-private partnership, with funding from: 

• $400,000 from the Office of the Multnomah County District Attorney
• $200,000 from downtown businesses 
• $200,000 from Multnomah County 
• $100,000 from the City of Portland 
• $100,000 from TriMet 

These resources will fund operations for one year of enhanced security services.

Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt and Multnomah County Board Chair Jessicia Vega Pederson who were in attendance both expressed the necessity of this partnership and plan. Jean-Marc Jalbert (Royal Sonesta) shared concerns of the effectiveness of the hotel safety district but acknowledged the need and shared gratitude for the progress being made. Lisa Schroeder (Mother's Bistro) asked if there was a way to bring back a sobering center for the Portland Police Bureau to use again. Since 2020 this facility hasn’t been a resource the PPB can use. Multnomah County Commissioner Sharon Meieran seconded Schroeder’s comment that the Police do need a sobering center again and encouraged continued advocacy for this facility. Vega Pederson mentioned that the county jails lost 218 beds due to lack of funding from the state this last year, meanwhile herself and the other members of the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners recently increased the budget for jails by $4M with hopes to help offset the loss. 

There will be a follow up to this meeting in the months to come to take a pulse on how the new hotel security district is going. To mark progress and impact, Downtown Clean & Safe will collect feedback and testimony from downtown hotels and businesses in the district.

Other Portland News...

Portland City Council Passes Tax Incentive to Bring Businesses Back Downtown

• To qualify for the tax credit, businesses must enter a new lease or extend a current lease for four years or more in central city neighborhoods including Downtown, Lower Albina, the Lloyd District and Old Town/Chinatown. 
• The program requires employees to work in office at least on a halftime basis and requires businesses to have at least 15 employees.
• The tax credit will allow eligible business a credit for the full amount of business license tax owed in a year up to $250,000 per taxpayer over four subsequent years—the tax incentive program is capped at $25 million.

Upcoming Portland Lodging Alliance Meeting

• September 19 from 2-3:30pm at the Hyatt Recency Portland; please RSVP to [email protected]
• Join us for a conversation with Multnomah County Commissioner Susheela Jayapal

Upcoming Portland Kitchen Cabinet Meeting

• September 20 from 1-2:30pm at The Mahonian; please RSVP to [email protected]
• Join us for a conversation with Multnomah County Commissioner Sharon Meieran

Stay tuned on the work and progress that is being made within the city by following this blog. If you have any questions, or wish to get involved in ORLA's leadership teams in Portland, please reach out to me at [email protected]. | Makenzie Marineau 

On July 27, Portland Downtown Clean & Safe in partnership with ORLA hosted a Hotel & Restaurant Safety Summit at The Nines hotel. Nearly 50 hospitality industry members were in attendance and armed with concerns and questions. Guest panelists represented the Portland Police Bureau, Portland mayor’s office, District Attorney’s office and Multnomah County. Guests acknowledged the importance of continuing these types of meetings to bring us together and provide a bigger voice, suggesting we need to express it more directly and frequently.

During the meeting Andrew Fitzpatrick, the Director of Economic Development in the mayor’s office, made a commitment to being a contact from the city to share updates and respond to concerns from our industry. As a follow up to the discussion last week, Fitzpatrick shared with ORLA an update on the current work being done by the city to help move solutions forward:

1. All hotel and restaurant representatives are encouraged to consider joining the downtown problem-solvers meetings, which include a diverse group of other stakeholders focused on solutions to similar challenges. This meeting takes place online every other Wednesday at 11am. Email Makenzie at [email protected] to request a calendar invite.
2. The timelines document summarizes key activities the City, under the Mayor’s leadership, is pursuing to comprehensively and urgently address homelessness, safety, and livability issues – this document also includes implementation timelines.
3. The city is seeking the re-deployment of additional Portland Police Bureau (PPB) officers from other precincts into Central Precinct and will soon be authorizing double overtime to encourage the uptake of additional patrol shifts in the central city. They are looking at ways of leveraging public resources for investments in increased private security patrols to help mitigate the gap from current PPB staffing shortage. More to come on this.
4. PPB will continue to make its near daily arrests of drug dealers as well as partnering with specialty units for maximum impact in the city’s core.
5. In addition to PPB and private security, the mayor’s office is currently negotiating an expanded contract for Urban Alchemy to provide a prosocial presence in the downtown core to dissuade the sort of unacceptable activity currently taking place at 6th and Harvey Milk, for example. As most know, Urban Alchemy is the service provider who is managing the TASS (temporary alternative shelter sites) and one of our safe rest villages.  
6. The Public Environment Management Office (PEMO) has been meeting with local hotel managers to identify locations for bus and valet parking that would help attract revenue. Those asks are being delivered to Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) and Commissioner Mapps’ office currently.  
7. PBOT has significantly increased security personnel and cleanings at SmartPark garages downtown to improve safety for employees, visitors, tenant businesses and surrounding neighborhoods.  
8. The Mayor’s Central City Recovery Plan summarizes the specific programs and activities that are being executed to revitalize the urban core, especially as it relates to safety and livability.
9. The City agrees with comments made that, in addition to PPB staffing and other visible security resources for the central city, positive foot traffic is critically important to reinforce positive activity and safety. Portland will continue to make investments into public events and activations, encouraging employers and employees to return to work, and into partnerships with Travel Portland to market and promote our downtown as a destination.  

​We will continue to communicate and share the work and progress that is being made within the city as we all work together to further improve the safety and wellbeing, and overall rejuvenation of the City of Portland and Multnomah County. 

The Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association (ORLA) represents the interests of restaurants and lodging operations across the state of Oregon. However, in the Portland metro area where the largest concentration of ORLA members exist, there are a number of unique challenges–and opportunities–for our association to engage on and help make a difference. 

This new Portland Advocacy blog is an effort to highlight the good news and work being done in Portland by ORLA and our leadership teams as well as inspire members to get more engaged. ORLA serves as a facilitator in creating opportunities for our members to meet with policymakers, opinion leaders, community leaders and partner organizations on issues of importance and to collaborate on city-wide initiatives impacting our industry. Members wishing to get involved in the Portland Kitchen Cabinet or Portland Lodging Alliance can reach out to me, Makenzie Marineau, for more information.

For additional updates on the Oregon Hospitality Foundation and Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association, follow the Workforce Blog and the ORLA Update Blog​.

Feel free to reach out to me at any time with your questions or concerns. Thank you.

– Makenzie Marineau, Government Affairs and Regional Leadership Teams Coordinator​

Portland Hospitality Industry at the Table...

Engaging Conversations About Safety & Security
Safety in the City of Portland has been a hot topic of conversation for some time now. As the collective leans into finding solutions to ongoing concerns around public safety our Portland Lodging Alliance and Portland Kitchen Cabinet members have been meeting and discussing with elected officials and city and county staff how the hospitality industry can step in and work together to help.  

The Portland Lodging Alliance held a meeting June 20, 2023, with the City of Portland’s Division of Community Safety and the Mayor’s office. Discussion focused on the continued issues of public safety being experienced by small business employers, their teammates, and guests. Learn more about Portland’s Community Safety Division and Mayor Ted Wheeler’s efforts to prioritize Community Safety. Stephanie Howard, Director of Community Safety with the Mayor’s Office shared that the city has been recruiting police at a fantastic rate and has been advocating for additional resources for the state ran police academy. At least half of the 100 Portland Police new hires are still awaiting training because the academy is at capacity. On average police recruits wait over six months to attend Oregon’s 16-week basic training courses. In addition, the current Central Precinct, which covers downtown and inner southeast, is stretched thin, there have been conversations about looking at ways to expand from three to four precincts in Portland.

With the continued concerns around safety ORLA has partnered with Downtown Portland Clean & Safe and the City of Portland to host Portland area hotels and restaurants to a “Hotel & Restaurant Safety Summit” Thursday, July 27 from 10am to noon at The Nines Hotel, 525 SW Morrison Street, Portland, OR, 97204.

The goal is to provide the hospitality industry with an overview of current and future public safety plans and strategies from the Portland Police Bureau, the City of Portland, and various private security partners and organizations. Safety for staff, patrons and locations is a paramount concern and this event hopes to provide networking connections, security-related resources and information and work to enhance and strengthen many existing private-public safety and livability partnerships.

This is an RSVP only event reserved for management and operators. When registering, please ensure you submit a question as there will be a robust Q&A after the presentations. RSVP online.

ADA Lawsuit Update
We are holding a joint PLA/PKC informational zoom meeting Friday, July 21 from 8:30am-9:30am with guest John DiLorenzo who will be sharing about the ADA lawsuit brought against the City of Portland and settled, and what investments are now needed to hold the City to its commitments. This was a lawsuit that argued that the city's failure to keep public sidewalks clear of homeless encampments violates the rights of people with disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act. John will give an update on what is happening now and how they intend to report and monitor the City’s progress, and time will be given to member questions. If you’d like to join please email Makenzie Marineau for a calendar invite and zoom link. 

Prioritizing Homeless Services
Portland Lodging Alliance and Portland Kitchen Cabinet members have also met with Portland City Commissioners Gonzalez, Rubio and Mapps at conversational meetings held earlier this year, along with Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson and the Portland Bureau of Public Transportation. At the beginning of June, both local leadership teams, along with ORLA signed in support a letter spearheaded by the Portland Metro Chamber directed at all three Portland Metro counties—Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington—demanding the counties fix their contracting practices to more urgently deploy Supportive Homeless Services program dollars and build our workforce of service providers and trained outreach workers. Over 65 business organization partners, Alliance members, and homeless service providers signed onto the letter. 

If you are interested in getting engaged with the Portland Lodging Alliance and/or the Portland Kitchen Cabinet, please contact Makenzie Marineau. Join and have your story and perspective heard by Portland’s elected officials and community leaders.

Other Portland notes of interest:

• Updates to the City of Portland’s existing public camping restrictions policies have been made in compliance with House Bill 3115. The updated code aims to provide reasonable time, place and manner camping restrictions for those experiencing homelessness. Enforcement of the amended code has been updated and will be implemented through a phased-in approach beginning in late-July. For more information, including a comprehensive list of changes and an FAQ, please visit the website.
• Every Wednesdays in Portland’s Central City: Welcome to a new Portland tradition designed to brighten up your midweek. The aim of Every Wednesday is to increase traffic and engagement within the inner Portland neighborhoods that have struggled since the pandemic; to rally around favorite shops, coffee stops, and happy-hour hangs; and to remind everyone why they first fell in love with this weird and vibrant town. If your business would like to join the movement and host a weekly Wednesday event there is a calendar you can list events as well as download a graphic toolkit and talking points. Learn more at hereforportland.com/everywednesday.
• Join “Hospitality Taking Action” Downtown Cleanup Events: Several downtown businesses will join together with hotels all over Portland to lead one of the largest city wide clean up events Portland has seen. There are 12 locations volunteers can meet up on August 30 and help bring some positive press to downtown Portland. Visit SOLVE’s website for more information.