Commissioner Rubio Co-Introduces Resolution to Create Framework for Lower Albina Neighborhood

The Portland City Council has unanimously approved a resolution to create a framework for the Lower Albina neighborhood, which aims to address the significant historical injustices faced by the Black community in Portland. Co-introduced by Commissioner Carmen Rubio, Mayor Ted Wheeler, and Commissioner Mingus Mapps, the resolution is part of a broader effort to repair the damage caused by decades of disinvestment and urban renewal policies. Alongside the resolution, the Council also accepted an $800,000 grant from the U. S. Department of Transportation for the Reconnecting Albina Planning Project.

This initiative will see collaboration between the Portland Bureau of Transportation, the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, and Prosper Portland, in partnership with the Albina Vision Trust to ensure community engagement. Commissioner Rubio highlighted the plan's potential to foster equitable economic, social, and environmental innovation in the region. The Albina Vision Trust, which aims to address the historical displacement of Black families, has created partnerships with local entities, including the Portland Trail Blazers, to support this redevelopment effort. The Community Investment Plan outlines a 50-year strategy for restorative redevelopment over 94 acres, making it the largest such initiative in the United States. This plan emphasizes restorative justice and aims to create inclusive economic opportunities while improving transportation and infrastructure connections within the community.