Background
In August 2023, the Portland Central City Task Force was convened by Governor Tina Kotek and Standard Insurance CEO Dan McMillan to respond to the overlapping challenges facing Portland’s urban core—including public safety concerns, rising homelessness, record office vacancies, and the long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

To move beyond short-term crisis response, the Task Force launched the Value Proposition Committee, which brought together 24 civic, business, nonprofit, and community leaders. The group hosted 24 listening sessions with 250 people across Central City neighborhoods to explore what it would take to restore and reimagine the heart of the region. 

 

The Committee organized its work around three long-term value propositions: that Portland’s Central City should serve as the region’s gathering place, a complete set of livable urban neighborhoods, and a hub of innovation and opportunity. These value propositions became the foundation for the recovery strategy.

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About this report

All In on Central City is the product of the Task Force’s work and offers a strategic roadmap for revitalizing Portland’s civic core that complements City-led planning efforts like Central City 2035 and Advance Portland. The report outlines over 75 projects across six districts and sets measurable goals to guide recovery, including:

• Restoring foot traffic to pre-pandemic levels

• An additional 2 million square feet of net office space absorption across the Central City

• Adding 2,500 housing units to the pipeline, with at least half affordable or middle-income

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The report is organized into three parts:

• The Vision: A value proposition framework built on livability, culture, and innovation

• The Goals and Projects: District-level catalytic investments

• A Path Forward: A call to action, including the launch of the Central City Roundtable

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​While this report marks the close of the Value Proposition Committee's formal work, it also initiates the next phase of coordinated civic leadership. The newly formed Central City Roundtable will carry the strategy forward by aligning stakeholders, tracking progress, and helping Portland deliver on its ambitions.