FAST FACTS

What Is Being Proposed?

The City of Portland is considering creation of a new Enhanced Services District (ESD) covering portions of the Parkrose area.

If approved, certain commercial and investment properties within the proposed district boundary would be charged a mandatory annual fee. The district would be administered through a nonprofit organization and governed by a board responsible for directing how the funds are spent.

Supporters say the district would provide additional services such as graffiti removal, cleaning, outreach, advocacy, and safety ambassador programs.

The proposal does not require approval through a public vote of affected property owners. Instead, the Portland City Council has the authority to create the district through a council vote.

​

How Much Money Will Be Collected?

According to proposal documents, the district is expected to collect approximately $644,000 every year from affected property owners.

The amount each property owner pays depends on the size and type of property they own within the district boundary.

Over the proposed ten-year life of the district, total collections could exceed $7.2 million.

Many property owners have expressed concern that this represents a significant new financial burden at a time when businesses are already facing rising costs, inflation, crime, and economic uncertainty.

​

​​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

How Long Does It Last?

The proposed Parkrose ESD would remain in place for 10 years.

Once approved, property owners would be committed to paying the annual assessment throughout the district's life cycle unless future action is taken by the City.

Opponents argue that a decade-long commitment is too long for a program that has not demonstrated clear and measurable results in other parts of Portland.

​

How Would The Money Be Spent?

According to proposal materials, funds would generally be directed toward:

• Graffiti removal

• Sidewalk and litter cleanup

• Safety ambassador programs

• Business advocacy and outreach

• Administrative and operational costs

The proposal does not fund:

• Additional police officers

• New law enforcement services

• Jail capacity

• Criminal prosecution programs

Many property owners support cleaner streets and safer neighborhoods but question whether these services justify a new mandatory fee.

​

Who Makes The Decisions?

The district would be managed by a nonprofit organization and a governing board.

That board would be responsible for determining spending priorities, approving budgets, overseeing contracts, and directing district activities.

Unlike City Council members, board members are not elected by the general public.

Opponents believe that property owners who are required to pay the fee should have greater authority over how the money is spent.

​

How Is The District Governed?

The proposed district would operate through a nonprofit management structure.

The nonprofit would be responsible for hiring service providers, overseeing programs, managing district funds, and reporting district activities.

The City of Portland would continue collecting the fees, but day-to-day spending decisions would largely be handled through the district's governance structure.

Critics argue that this arrangement creates an additional layer of bureaucracy while reducing direct accountability to the people paying the fee.

​

How Is This Different From A Traditional Tax District?

Traditional special districts often require direct voter approval or formal approval by the property owners who will pay for the services.

The proposed Parkrose ESD follows a different model.

Rather than being approved through an election, the district can be created by a vote of the Portland City Council.

Supporters describe the assessment as a "fee" or "license fee."

Opponents argue that because the charge is mandatory, collected by the City, and based on property ownership, it functions much like a tax from the perspective of those required to pay it.

This distinction is one of the central debates surrounding the proposal.

​

Why Does This Matter?

If approved, the proposed Parkrose ESD would affect hundreds of properties and collect millions of dollars over the next decade.

Property owners deserve to understand:

• Whether their property is included

• How much they may be required to pay

• How the money would be spent

• Who would control the funds

• Whether the proposal delivers meaningful benefits

Before City Council makes its decision, residents and property owners have an opportunity to review the facts, participate in the public process, and make their voices heard.