Stop Portland City Council from Ignoring Neighborhood Associations

I’ve received a lot more info from my neighborhood association than from the City over the years

It's easier to fix/set standards for neighborhood associations than it is to eliminate and replace the role they play in this city. This town is defined by it's neighborhoods more than any city I've ever visited. These are important groups and deserve the city's respect.

Our neighborhoods are unique and well defined, with a nearly 50 year history of community involvement. It is critical that our collective voice be heard so that developers alone don't dictate the character of our city.

Neighborhood associations give people a voice.

Strong support

The neighborhood association system is one of the things that actually works "in the city that works." Please keep the current language as it stands. Those of us who have deep roots in this city (and the associated high property taxes) are already feeling disenfranchised by unmanaged, explosive development. Please don't silence our voices, by making this change that allows the city to formally ignore our issues and needs.

The Portland City Commission should not approve language to remove neighborhood associations from city code. While the city might wish to develop guidelines for interacting with additional organizations that represent underserved communities, it should work to become more inclusive and accountable rather than less so.

I strongly oppose gutting the neighborhood associations.

How much more of the portland we love, can you destroy? How else do citizens have input between city elections? But the organizations need to be held accountable to follow their rules of order, open meeting laws, etc.

Portland’s NAs do amazing work throughout the city and need to be supported not undermined.

If citizens don’t participate in their neighborhood associations what makes the city think they will participate in other organizations? NA are composed of dedicated volunteers who are looking out for their neighbors and represent those who do not participate. The city needs to look at what the barriers are to participation in these open and transparent and geographically distributed platforms for citizen involvement rather than diminish them. Many neighbors who don’t participate are unable to because they don’t have the time or childcare. If there is a problem regarding lack of minority participation then the city needs to put out the effort to educate folks on how to participate in democracy instead of setting up unvented and non transparent groups to even further segregate the population. Help people learn what is needed to increase participation in their NA’s rather than creating a bunch of other venues.

Standards for public meetings and records, open elections, and disclosures of potential conflicts of interest, in our view should be required not gotten rid of.

Neighborhood associations keep our politicians and city bureaucrats in line and I don’t think we’d have proper representation without them.

Bad proposal. Can’t wait to vote Eudaly out.

Neighborhood Associations are critical for making our voices heard and are essential) partners in promoting greater equity and inclusiveness in our city. Because NAs members are all volunteers, anyone who wishes to participate can do so and would be welcome.

I listened to the discussion on this issue on Think Out Loud. I heard not a single good reason for destroying important city infrastructure and a lot of good reasons to keep our neighborhood associations. This must not happen.

There has been no clear explanation as to why this is happening other than a vague statement around equity, however, there is no data given to support this argument. If you live in or do business in a neighborhood, you should have a say about what happens there!

Stop city council.

I dont agree the city political wings should decide all we as residence desire or need.

Do not pass the changes!