Portland, I'm Ready

Last month I had the privilege to stand with hundreds of supporters and announce my intention to run for re-election.

When I walked into City Hall three years ago, we were looking at a housing shelter crisis that was out of control. We faced a global climate emergency that only continued to accelerate. And Portlanders were worried about the affordability of the city that we love, and how to make sure that it would remain a place that anyone and everyone could work, live and play.

In my first term as Mayor, we have made incredible progress on these and other issues in our city and I couldn't have done it without your support.

Together, we have built an incredible foundation that is moving us forward and prompting continued progress. Since I took office in 2017, we have:

• More than doubled Portland’s shelter capacity;
• Invested in new and robust models of transitional housing, like Kenton Women’s Shelter;
• Built over 800 units of affordable housing;
• Lifted up strong and capable women in positions of leadership in our government, like Chief Danielle Outlaw and BPS Director Andrea Durbin;
• Limited Portland’s reliance on single-use plastics;
• Committed our city to 100% renewable energy by the year 2050;
• Established economic development programs like Portland Means Progress, enabling companies to create internship, job and training opportunities for underrepresented youth and increase purchasing from a diverse pool of local businesses.

However, we’ve only scratched the surface and there is still much work left for us to do. While it hasn’t always been easy, serving as Mayor of the City of Roses has been the honor of my life, and I’m not done yet.

Portland, I’m ready. I’m ready to keep going, to keep listening to you, to keep learning from our shared experiences, to keep making lasting, sustainable progress.