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In the pink. A little each day, rooted in partnership. Volunteers keep beauty blooming across Portland’s parks. Welcoming thousands. Leading tours. Planting. Pruning. Over the past year, volunteers gave 7,051 hours to the City's rose gardens.
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Dialogue policing and crowd behavior
When large gatherings happen—whether they're celebrations, protests, or community demonstrations—the Portland Police Bureau's goal is simple but vital: create a safe environment while protecting everyone's rights to free speech and peaceful assembly. But how? By using research developed after the 1989 Hillsborough Stadium disaster in the United Kingdom, where 97 soccer fans lost their lives due to poor crowd management. That event sparked decades of study into how police and crowds interact, and how those interactions can either escalate or defuse tension.
The latest episode of Talking Beat dives deep into this balance with Assistant Chief Craig Dobson and Professor Clifford Stott, a social psychologist from Keele University. Together, they explore how crowd science and dialogue-based policing are helping shape a safer, more democratic approach to managing public order events.
"What we began to find," said Professor Stott, "is that the transition from a peaceful protest into violent confrontation is often precipitated by overly aggressive, disproportionate policing. When people feel that policing is illegitimate, that's when confrontation emerges."
The key, he argues, is legitimacy. If people believe the police are acting fairly, proportionately, and with respect for their rights, the chances of violence drop dramatically.
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Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church, a historically black church in the Cully neighborhood, won the Bill Naito Community Trees Award for its work depaving over 20,000 square feet of parking lot and converting it into a community garden, playground, and native plant habitat, with the help of Depave. The project was funded through a green infrastructure grant from the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund.
The City announced the opening of two new overnight shelters in SE Portland to provide a warm, safe place to sleep for hundreds of our homeless neighbors undergoing recovery from substance abuse. With these sites, the total number of overnight shelter beds created by the City this year now stands at 1,090.
The Julia West House brings 89 affordable homes for seniors exiting homelessness. These units offer rental assistance, case management, behavioral health support, and more. Brought to you by the Portland Housing Bureau, Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund, Northwest Pilot Project, NARA Northwest.
Arts organizations and their work are vitally important to Portland's past and present—and critical to its future. The arts play an outsized role in revitalizing downtown and building community connectedness. Portland's Office of Arts & Culture is excited to announce grants totaling $2,805,000 to 79 local arts groups.
To give Portlanders transparency into the City government's implementation of audit recommendations, the Portland City Auditor released the annual Audit Impact Report in October. City leaders continued to be challenged with prioritizing how to implement auditor recommendations.
Data spotlight
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Portlanders use parks! A 2024 community needs survey found that 96% of Portlanders had visited a park or natural area in the past year. Portland Parks & Recreation maintains 156 developed parks, 12 community centers, 11 swimming pools, 6 golf courses, 124 baseball diamonds, 218 basketball hoops, 62 community gardens, 137 playgrounds, 9 skateboard parks, 398 restrooms, 38 off-leash dog areas, one motorsports raceway, and literally thousands of classes in everything from photography to pickleball. Learn more at Parks & Recreation by the numbers. |
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Organization of crews at Stanton Yard. (Portland City Archives, AP/24206)
We're sending a massive call for artists at the new CityFleet facilities on Swan Island. We invite artists and artist teams to submit their qualifications for artwork that will attach to two functional aluminum gates, and a large-scale sculpture. Made possible by Portland's Percent for Art Program, which specifies that up to 2% of qualifying infrastructure project budgets be dedicated to public art. Submit by Nov 24.
Curious about the zoning code and how it guides development? Join City staff to learn more about the basics of the zoning code at the ABCs of Land Use Planning. All are welcome! Thursday, Nov. 13 from 6:30 to 8:00 pm – Hybrid event hosted by District 2 partners
The City of Portland is gathering public input on two projects that balance job growth and environmental protections. The Economic Opportunity Analysis will ensure that we have enough land to meet future job growth for the next 20 years, and the Columbia Corridor and Industrial Lands Environmental Overlay Project will ensure an adequate level of natural resource protection within the industrial corridor of the Columbia Slough. Join us on Thursday, Oct. 30th to learn more about these efforts, give feedback and talk to staff!
Rose City Self-Defense is looking for cis and trans women, non-binary people comfortable in women-centered spaces, members of the LGBTQIA2S+ and BIPOC communities to train to become volunteer instructors and teach empowerment-based self-defense skills in our community, youth or LGBTQIA2S+ programs. The deadline to apply is October 31, 2025.
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New job openings at the City of Portland
Because of a budget shortfall, the City will impose a hiring freeze on most jobs starting October 1. There will be some exceptions. And positions that are open now will stay open until they’re filled. So check out our listings and apply today
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Compliance Coordinator (Coordinator II – CPPW)
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Emergency Management Policy Advisor (Analyst III – CPPW)
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Storekeeper/Acquisition II: Auto Part Specialist – CL
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Grants and funding
The Bureau of Environmental Services awards Percent for Green grants to help fund green infrastructure projects that benefit watershed health and the community. Eligible projects must propose a green infrastructure or low-impact development method to manage stormwater. Projects that construct stormwater management facilities to meet Stormwater Management Manual development requirements are not eligible for grant funding.
Who's Eligible: Community groups, businesses, non-profits, student groups, schools, faith organizations, neighborhood or business associations, government agencies, and service groups within the City of Portland whose pre-applications have been approved.
Next Deadline for pre-approved applicants: November 4, 2025 at 5 p.m. After that, the next open application deadline is May 1, 2026.
The purpose of this program is to encourage civic engagement in under-supported communities and ethnic culturally specific communities with language appropriate communication that leads to further community involvement of people not usually included in decision making. Approximately $45,000 is available this funding cycle, for projects requests of up to $8,000 each.
Who's Eligible: Only nonprofit organizations, including fiscal sponsors, may apply.
Next Application Deadline: November 12, 2025 at 12:00 p.m.
The Small Grants Fund increases access to PCL funds for smaller nonprofits and strengthens their capacity to serve children, youth, and families. The grants are for program services in after school, child abuse prevention & intervention, early childhood, foster care, hunger relief, and mentoring. Grants are 3 years, 7/1/2026- 6/30/2028. The minimum 3-year grant is $81,000 and the maximum 3-year grant is $240,000.
Who's eligible: Community-based nonprofit organizations serving children and families in Portland. Nonprofit organizations must have annual revenues of $90,000 to $750,000 to apply.
Application deadline: December 1, 2025 by 11:59 p.m. PST. Applicants must register for WebGrants by November 14, 2025.
Prosper Portland offers matching, reimbursable grants that help businesses and property owners make tenant improvements and small and large-scale improvements to new and existing buildings.
Who's Eligible: Businesses and property owners in the following TIF Districts: Central Eastside, Gateway Regional Center, Interstate Corridor, Lents Town Center, Old Town, and North Macadam.
Application Deadline: Ongoing
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Serve on a board or committee
The City of Portland seeks interested community members to serve a three-year term on the Noise Review Board. Portland's Noise Review Board is unique in the United States because it offers both residents and members of the business community the opportunity to help set the City's policies related to the environmental issues and health impacts of noise. The board reviews applications for noise variances for events and construction that may impact many people or take place over a significant period of time. It also addresses emerging noise problems in the community. As part of the board, you will also be responsible for working with the Noise Program to advise and make recommendations to the Portland City Council on sound-related code and policy decisions. Apply by Nov. 30, 2025.
The NW Parking District Stakeholder Advisory Committee advises the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) staff on transportation and parking issues in NW Portland and supports a full range of transportation options within the context of neighborhood livability and economic vitality with the goal of efficiently manage parking and reducing reliance on single-occupancy automobile. The committee provides feedback on proposed changes in parking management strategies and also helps prioritize the use of parking revenue raised in the district. Apply by Nov. 9, 2025
The Design Commission provides leadership and expertise on urban design and architecture and advances the purpose of the Design overlay zone. It supports development that builds on context, contributes to the public realm, and provides high quality and resilient buildings and public spaces. It also helps develop design guidelines for design districts and provides advice to other City Bureaus and Regional Government Partners. Apply by Nov. 20, 2025
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Give us your feedback
The City of Portland's Legacy Business Preservation Study is developing recommendations for the establishment of a legacy business program that would support and preserve long-standing, independently owned businesses. Give feedback on program priorities by Friday, Oct. 30.
TriMet is reducing spending and cutting service to close a projected $300 million annual budget gap. You can help shape the future of transit. Share your thoughts in TriMet’s online Service Priorities Survey, open through Oct. 31, or attend an open house. Details at trimet.org/servicecuts.
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Not sure what district you’re in?
Check our district map to find your district and your City Councilors.
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Explore the natural beauty and history of our community on a Heritage Tree Tour through the Arbor Lodge neighborhood on Saturday, November 8th from 10am-12pm. This guided outdoor walking tour will showcase three magnificent Oregon native heritage trees, including a stunning bigleaf maple, an Oregon myrtle, and a towering Ponderosa pine. Learn about the botanical characteristics, cultural significance, and unique stories behind these living landmarks as we stroll through the neighborhood.
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Featured events
Free events
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Community events in Portland parks
Volunteer events
For Portland Parks & Recreation planting and park clean up volunteer events, check the volunteer event filter.
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Request an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for any City of Portland program, service, event, or activity. To ensure the best response, please make your request at least five business days before the program or event, if possible. |
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Your Portland moment
After two years in the making, Mt. Scott Community Center is now renovated, seismically retrofitted, and expanded.
A 31,000-square-foot building is now a two-story, 70,000-square-foot home for play, movement, and connection. New fitness rooms. Event spaces. Classrooms. A rebuilt core with upgraded roof, HVAC, fire sprinklers, seismic work, and windows.
There is new artwork throughout the building, including “Understory,” a large mixed-media textile by Isabella Saavedra in the main stairwell; two-dimensional works across both floors by 16 local artists; and the reinstallation of a sculptural relief by Gail Simpson and Aristotle Georgiades.
Public art is funded by the City of Portland’s Percent for Art program, in partnership with the Regional Arts & Culture Council, Portland Parks & Recreation, and the City’s Office of Arts & Culture.
The center partially reopened in September 2025, with full operations beginning in January 2026.
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How're we doing?
How well do you like Rose City Connection? How could we make it better? Take our reader survey and give us some feedback.
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Traducción e Interpretación | Biên Dịch và Thông Dịch | अनुवादन तथा व्याख्या
口笔译服务 | Устный и письменный перевод | Turjumaad iyo Fasiraad
Письмовий і усний переклад | Traducere și interpretariat | Chiaku me
Awewen Kapas
Translation and Interpretation: 3-1-1
The City of Portland ensures meaningful access and reasonably provides: translation, interpretation, modifications, accommodations, alternative formats, auxiliary aids and services. To request these services, call 311 for Relay Service or TTY: 711.
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