Stop Portland City Council from Ignoring Neighborhood Associations

Do not change our neighborhood associations!

Why change a system that has been working very well for everyone’s benefit!

This line of communication is needed in the most way. It produces good results and helps many neighbors who don’t receive answers.

The brain can not make decisions without listening the rest of the body.

I am appalled by Commissioner Eudaly’s statements of contempt for Portland’s nationally-recognized network of 95 volunteer-run neighborhood associations that serve every resident in the city. Portland will be stronger when we build a better understanding of our differences, create on-ramps to civic participation, and empower all people to act in solidarity for the greater good. This code change does none of these things. I would like to see the Civic Life bureau: - Endow identity-based groups with the same recognition and responsibilities that neighborhood associations have, and create a process for welcoming new groups to the table as they emerge. - Implement strategies for building an interconnected network of both identity- and neighborhood-based groups to work together. Imagine what might come from a biannual summit where all groups share their priorities and challenges, and identify ways to collaborate. - Provide diversity, equity and inclusion training for all neighborhood associations. Pilot their promising initiatives for engaging underserved communities and then replicate what works. - Train all groups on transparency practices and why it is a fundamental principle of an inclusive democracy. - Invest in developing the leadership skills of active Portland residents so they become equipped to serve as our future electeds.

Neighborhood Associations one of few counterbalances to a city government elected at large and susceptible to business influences.

NAs are a unique feature of Portland that makes it special. They are open to anyone and represent the true spirit of democracy unlike the proposed changes that would put a single bureaucrat in charge of deciding whose voice counts and whose doesn't.

We need to keep our neighborhoods represented at the government level!!

Neighborhood Associations are the closest things we have to a real town hall-type democracy. They should not be swept aside, they should be enhanced and supported.

now is the time for all citizens to become actively involved in their neighborhood associations. We all need to work together to impress upon the city council members that this city belongs to every citizen. Stop the proposed change to City Code Chapter 3.96

This is for the people to decide. If this is so important, it should be a local ballot measure.

The process used to date to rewrite the code, while inclusive of diverse group of citizen members, was not open to most citizens. There were missing public notices for meetings and recommendations were not shared openly and timely with the public. Public comment was severely limited. We should be adding to community involvement, not subtracting it.

We pay all the taxes and have no say. Is it our city or theirs?

Monica Cory Keep the neighborhood associations. We need to have a voice!

Neighborhoods Matter

Neighborhood Associations are the last guard against city government that represents only the most privileged and able-to-advocate voices in our community. They are vehicles for diverse residents to engage in discussion and debate, values that are sorely missing from city-wide meetings and decisions.

Less civic involvement is not the right direction.

It would be nice if the people living in the neighborhoods could have a say in what happens in them.

7 years ago Featured

Keep the neighborhood associations. City of Portland making a big mistake to even suggest doing them away. There are better ways of inclusion of disadvantaged groups, but it should not be at the expense of disempowering neighborhood associations.

I am vehemently opposed to the Portland City council removing neighborhood associations from having a voice in the future of our city.