Tell Portland City Commissioners that Our Historic Places Matter!

Take Action: Testify on the Historic Resources Code Project at Portland City Council on November 3, 2021, at 2pm

The Historic Resources Code Project (HRCP) is the biggest rewrite of policies governing the management and protection of Portland’s historic resources in over a generation, and the Recommended Draft is scheduled for a public hearing at City Council on November 3rd at 2pm.

This regulatory update will pave the way for how the City will govern older properties.

Properties that should and can play a role in Portland’s future to help advance equity and social justice, meet carbon reduction goals, and address housing stability and affordability. Yes, historic preservation does have a positive role to play in all those issues! For far too long, the City has been hampered and unable to undertake the basic preservation steps, such as conducting an inventory of older resources or diversifying recognition and designation of landmarks to reflect the incredibly diverse histories of Portland’s communities. This code update is the first step. Implementation and funding for much-needed work will come next.

Code and regulation are the bases upon which to build from, and much is at stake. It is imperative that the City Council hears loud and clear that Portland’s historic and cultural heritage is important to you, to us, and to the entire City. Now is not the time to weaken protections that open the door to more demolitions. As we learned with our recent advocacy efforts to save the Yamaguchi Hotel, our elected officials need more education about why history and cultural heritage are important, and support in understanding how vital historic preservation is citywide.

Historic resources are a vibrant part of the solution to our most pressing challenges. Let’s all work together on:

Racial Equity: Let’s push to recognize, celebrate and protect a wider variety of places and spaces that reflect the diverse communities of Portland.

Climate Action: Let’s preserve and reuse existing older neighborhoods all over Portland to reduce our carbon footprint. The embodied carbon of our existing buildings is an underutilized resource. Re-use is Climate Action!

Housing Affordability and Anti-displacement: Let’s continue to encourage the City toward a more equitable model for funding historic preservation efforts for all older housing, regardless of designation.

Cultural Heritage: Let’s tell the full and complete story of the people and places of Portland.

How Can You Help?

Get Informed

Learn more about the process, how to participate, and where to find information to educate yourself about this important issue.

Make YOUR Voice Heard to Portland City Council on Nov 3, 2021

There are two types of advocates/supporters that City Council most needs to hear from:

Advocate 1:  You care about preserving important pieces of Portland’s history in our built environment but you are NOT an expert on the HRCP, and may not have time to dive deep.

Action:  Write and submit your support for historic resources (any older properties that might be important to you and your neighborhood). This does not need to take more than 15 minutes. Perhaps you might also sign up to “testify” on Nov 3. All that really means is sharing your comments out loud via Zoom. Let’s work together to remind Portland City Council that PEOPLE, PLACES AND HERITAGE MATTER. 

Advocate 2:  You care about Portland’s historic resources and like to read regulations and/or have been participating in the HRCP process over the past few years.

Action:  You’ll want to read the Recommended Draft, review the positions of the local Portland preservation community, and then get ready to submit written and oral testimony. Restore Oregon is currently preparing our own testimony and will send out more information regarding our position in advance of Nov 3rd. Overall, we support the HRCP Draft as presented by staff, with some recommendations.