 I’m dedicating time to meet with District 4 constituents both virtually and in their own neighborhoods — to hear what’s on your mind and to provide information on a variety of issues. I am also reaching out to attend neighborhood association meetings when possible. You can find all of my event listings here.
Please save these dates:
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Arlington Heights: 11 am-1 pm Friday, September 12th at Hoyt Arboretum Visitor Center, 4000 SW Fairview Boulevard.
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Far Southwest: 11 am-1 pm Friday, September 19th in Room 310 of the Health Technology Building at Portland Community College Sylvania, 12000 SW 49th Avenue.
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Hillside: 11 am-1 pm Friday, October 10th at Hillside Community Center, 653 NW Culpepper Terrace.
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Eastmoreland: 3-5 pm Thursday, October 23rd at Eastmoreland Golf Course Bar & Grill, 2425 SE Bybee Boulevard.
 This week I celebrated Labor Day at Northwest Oregon Labor Council’s annual picnic at Oaks Amusement Park alongside Northwest Labor Press editor Don McIntosh and Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici.
I also announced my intent to run for re-election to Portland City Council in 2026. To follow my campaign activities, please go to OliviaForPortland.com, where updates are coming soon.
 This week I came to the Pearl District for the opening of the NW Northrup Shelter, a new emergency overnight congregate shelter. Operated by the Salvation Army, the shelter is initially offering 40 sleeping units, although word of mouth has been slow to spread among our unhoused community.
Mayor Wilson has promised a 1,000-foot engagement area around the shelter where public safety, trash removal, and graffiti abatement will be ensured. I wanted to remind neighbors to let me know if they encounter any issues as this facility gets up and running.
Together, we can get to a place where our residents can feel safe and secure, where our businesses can thrive, and where our unhoused neighbors can find a bed if they want one.
 I recently joined Mayor Wilson and Prosper Portland’s Office of Small Business to visit entrepreneurs who are thriving in District 4!
💍 Betsy & Iya isn’t your average jewelry store! Betsy Cross and Will Cevarich launched their Northwest District business in 2008 and grew it through a focus on unique craftsmanship and community connection. They later founded Little Boxes and Small Business Saturday to encourage Portlanders to shop small and local.
🍭 How Sweet It Is isn’t your average candy store! Brian and Pilar Vocker’s award-winning business got its start with the help of Built Oregon’s Bridges Accelerator Program and the Portland Mercado. Then their full dream became a reality when they opened a retail and production spot in Hillsdale — the community where they live and their kids go to school.
Thank you to these passionate proprietors for believing in Portland! Click here to watch video highlights of our small-business tour.
 This week I welcomed Prosper Portland’s new Executive Director, Cornell Wesley, to City Hall.
He brings fresh energy to the City’s economic development agency at a time when District 4 faces so many challenges and opportunities like downtown office vacancies and developing neighborhoods including Broadway Corridor and Montgomery Park.
Cornell previously led economic development strategy for the City of Birmingham, Alabama, driving initiatives that resulted in $2 billion in economic impact and $1.2 billion in new growth investments.
 Portland has a new Chief in town!
Congratulations to Lauren Johnson, who was sworn in last month as the 41st Chief of Portland Fire & Rescue.
Chief Johnson comes to Portland from the Dallas Fire-Rescue Department, where she has served for the past 26 years, most recently as Assistant Fire Chief. She holds a number of professional certifications and is scheduled to earn her master’s degree in public service administration in December.
I will continue to work to ensure that our first responders have the appropriate resources to safely and immediately respond to every emergency call. Special thanks to Interim Chief AJ Jackson for leading the bureau since March.
 Last month I joined Stadiumhood and Goose Hollow neighbors for a community concert at the David Campbell Portland Firefighter Memorial.
The plaza, which is located on Southwest Alder Street between 18th and 19th avenues, was built in 1929 to honor fallen Fire Chief David Campbell and to remember all 77 firefighters who have given their lives in service to Portland since 1853.
Firefighters, EMTs, and paramedics from Station 3, including Lt. Drew Staheli (center left), stopped by the memorial during a break. Retired firefighter Don Porth (center right) is raising money to restore the memorial.
The crowd enjoyed tunes from Rose Gerber, fresh off her performance at Pickathon Music Festival! I also caught up with Stadiumhood Neighbors President Michelle Milla (pictured here with husband Dave Gray), who has been instrumental in saving Couch Park and the surrounding area from open-air drug use.
You can catch the final installment of the free summer concert series from 7 to 8:30pm September 11th.
 Congratulations to my colleague Councilor Loretta Smith on the grand opening of her District 1 office near Gateway Discovery Park!
The people of District 1 are what make it special: It has the most families, the most racial diversity, and the most non-English speakers. District 1 and District 4 also have the fewest sidewalks in Portland, so I was proud to partner with Councilor Smith on the Sidewalk Improvement and Pavement Program to address this long-standing inequity.
 Last month I walked in Multnomah Days Parade, one of the oldest street fairs in Portland, presented by the Multnomah Village Business Association. It was really great to see all of these community members celebrating such a special neighborhood!
 Last month neighborhood leaders, small-business owners, and dedicated volunteers came together at DeWitt Park for National Night Out.
It was inspiring to see so many people out with their families, connecting with one another, and sharing their passion for making Hillsdale an even better place to live. I also enjoyed learning about upcoming projects!
 I recently met with leaders of the Regional Arts & Culture Council, which engages in advocacy, administers grants, and maintains public art across the tri-county metro area. The walls of Portland City Hall are covered in beautiful works by local artists courtesy of RACC; you can view the entire collection online at PublicArtArchive.org.
Credit: Shelbie Loomis, “The Art We Value: Michelle Grimes & Cecilia Saucedo”
 Big decisions are ahead for a long-needed renovation of Keller Auditorium, a proposed Portland State University Performing Arts and Culture Center, and the future management of Portland’5 Centers for the Arts — and you can be a part of these important conversations.
The City of Portland is seeking representatives from the community — including from the fields of architecture, construction, finance, fundraising, performing arts, real estate development, urban planning, and venue operations — to serve on an eight-month steering committee that will make recommendations about direction and next steps for this project. Please submit your applications for the Future of Large-Scale Performing Arts Steering Committee by September 29th!
 Did you know that Multnomah Arts Center was previously the home of Multnomah School, which served families in the area from 1923 to 1979?
A new plaque — funded by a private donation in conjunction with the Multnomah Historical Association — recognizes the building’s addition to the National Register of Historic Places in 2020. It is the only elementary school in Southwest Portland with such a designation.
The school was originally designed to emphasize a “child-centered” education to encourage creativity, movement, and healthy meals. The MAC now serves as a neighborhood hub with activities galore!
Special thanks to my friend and former Multnomah Neighborhood Association President Maria Thi Mai for her leadership in keeping this history alive for future generations!
 “The dining capital of the Pacific Northwest remains one of America’s great culinary cities,” according to The New York Times, which recently updated its list of our finest restaurants. Not surprisingly, several of them are located right here in District 4: Kaede (Sellwood | Sushi), Langbaan (Nob Hill | Thai), Lilia Comedor (South Waterfront | Mexican, Pacific Northwest), Maurice (Downtown | French, Lunch), República (Pearl District | Mexican, Tasting Menu), and St. Jack (Nob Hill | Pacific Northwest Bistro).
At a recent presentation before City Council’s Arts and Economy Committee, I learned about the huge impact that Portland’s for-profit music scene has on our economic activity, employment, and tourism. As I said at the meeting: “I’m gobsmacked. We’re batting out of our league here.” Read more in Oregon ArtsWatch.
Our local nonprofits are finding innovative ways to bring the arts into outdoor public spaces. The Oregonian reports on Tango Berretín hosting social dancing at Director Park: “It reminds me of a lot of places like Paris where you have tango dancing by the Seine.” OPB reports on Opera a la Cart, Portland Opera’s mobile performance venue: “We’ve gotten a lot of people who are really interested in coming for the first time.”
Phil and Penny Knight are donating $2 billion to Oregon Health & Science University for cancer research — the nation’s largest single gift to any college, per OPB. At a time when the Trump administration has slashed funding from the National Institutes of Health, this transformative gift will not only save countless lives, but it will give OHSU a competitive edge to attract top cancer research talent to Pill Hill.
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