February 2020 Updates

News Article
Published

Like these updates? Sign up for a monthly newsletter and get updates from the Commissioner in your inbox.

It’s been another busy month here in city hall. February brought Black History month, longer days, a leap day, and some important council agenda items and work sessions. As always, your engagement and advocacy in the city’s many issues is crucial. Here are some updates on the many policies we’re working on, and things to keep an eye on: 

But first, a public health update:

With news reports about cases of coronavirus in Oregon, the city is closely monitoring the latest developments and working with our City bureaus, Multnomah County and Oregon Healthy Authority to ensure the safety of the public. The coronavirus spreads in the same way as the flu, so the most effective way to protect yourself, your family, and your coworkers include:

We want to remind everyone that ethnicity and race are not risk factors for the virus. Recently across the nation and here in Portland, Chinese and Asian businesses are struggling due to the stigma and fear the virus has fostered in the community. This is about the safety, respect, and dignity of our communities. We encourage you to support our local businesses, which are vital to the cultural fabric of our city. Need some recommendations? Look no further than APANO's list of suggestions.
 
For local reliable information, updates, and steps you can take against the virus, visit the Multnomah County website or Oregon Health Authority website 


PPA Negotiation Updates

Portland City Hall

On Monday, February 24, 2020, the City of Portland and Portland Police Association (PPA) bargaining teams held their second bargaining session at the Portland Building. During the session, the parties further discussed ground rules, which are agreements between the parties on how they will conduct bargaining. This meeting was open to the public to attend. 

The PPA will be hosting the next bargaining session on March 13, 2020. Because the PPA’s facilities are not a public building, the bargaining session will be closed to the public.


Portland Street Response

Commissioner Hardesty stands speaking to a crowd, holding a microphone.
Photo from Lents Neighborhood Association, Danelle Painter

Team Hardesty and staff at Portland Fire & Rescue are working together diligently to meet the goal of getting the pilot program team on the ground this Spring. We have begun attending community events to share more information about the program, program logistics and protocols continue to be worked out, and the program logo design is underway.  


Facial Recognition Software Ban

Two surveillance cameras pointed outwards

As the city continues developing its public and private sector bans, Smart City PDX and Office of Equity and Human Rights are hosting community events to discuss the bans with the public. Attendees will learn more about what facial recognition technology is, have an opportunity to have their questions about the technology and bans answered, discuss and offer feedback on the current draft policies. 

The March 7th event has been postponed. For more details and to RSVP, visit the Smart City PDX page.  

Read the latest Oregonian article about the ban 


Labor Peace

Chalk drawing of two hands shaking

After months of collaboration, City Council is scheduled to vote on March 25th on a resolution that will require labor peace agreements for all city contracts for janitorial, security, and laundry services. Labor peace agreements are agreements made by the employers that they will not intervene or obstruct employees from unionizing or labor organizations from working with employees to unionize.  

Why labor peace? Workers in these industries are historically more vulnerable to poverty wages, wage theft, sexual assault in the work place, increased risk of safety and health hazards, retaliation for asserting their rights on the job, and other work-related problems. These high-risk industry jobs deserve to be good jobs that offer living wages and benefits, and ensuring that workers are safe, well compensated, and have adequate benefits results in contracts executed more efficiently, sustainably, and ethically. 


Residential Infill Project 

Members of the public hold up green signs behind members of the public sitting down to testify

A five-year effort, the Residential Infill Project (RIP) is being considered by city council. RIP aims to allow more opportunities for “middle housing” by allowing more housing units in parts of the city to meet the city’s growing population needs.

In January, council heard hours of public testimony regarding RIP, and on March 12 at 2pm in council chambers, council will hear the amendments to the policy and the public will have the ability to provide testimony.  


In the Community

Collage showing four photos of Commissioner Hardesty in the community

Top left: Commissioner Hardesty at KATU News for their Black History Month segment
Top Right: OPAL, NAACP Portland, and Climate Justice Alliance hosted a conversation to discuss climate justice for Black and Brown communities, with Commissioner Hardesty as the moderator
Bottom Left: PCC Cascade students met and talked with the Commissioner about her experiences as a public servant
Bottom Right: Commissioner speaks on a panel for the Rosa Parks Transit Equity Day on what transit equity means, how transit and racial equity are linked, and what more can be done to fight for transit equity


The Census is Coming

In the next several weeks, census forms will arrive in mailboxes. Every 10 years, the Census Bureau seeks to accurately count every person living in the U.S. The results of this count will determine funding and political representation for the next decade.

Being counted translates to dollars for your kid’s school district, representation of your issues at the local and state level, and critical public services like roads, hospitals, community centers, services for families of colors, children, LGBTQ programs, and emergency services. Learn more at Oregon Counts 2020