Dear Friend,

I am pleased to share my 2016 mid-year report with you.

The first six-months of 2016 have been marked by big changes, more senseless gun violence, and progress on many fronts. We elected a new Mayor, Ted Wheeler. I am looking forward to serving with him. We witnessed a terrible mass shooting in Orlando, targeting the LGBTQ community. Portland responded with love, not hate. And we are moving forward on many issues you and I care about.

A Balanced Budget

The Council passed a balanced budget for 2016-2017. It reflects my values—with significant new investments in affordable housing and homeless services, neighborhood small businesses, public safety, and safe streets and sidewalks. (I opposed raising new business taxes because we continue to enjoy healthy budget surpluses.)

Stabilizing Water and Sewer Rates

As Commissioner-in-Charge of our public utilities (Environmental Services and the Water Bureau), I once again directed my bureaus to keep the combined rate increase under 5%.  Working with our partners at the Portland Utility Board (PUB) and the Citizens’ Utility Board of Oregon (CUB), both bureaus delivered. 

We continue to focus on providing good value to our ratepayers and investing in basic services like replacing old pipes and preparing for the “Big One.” For example, we are moving forward with plans to fortify the Washington Park Reservoirs, which serve water to the west side of the city, including hospitals, homes and businesses.

And, we are moving forward with the sale of BES' "Terminal 1" property, 14 acres of Prime Industrial land along the river in Northwest Portland - and a key part of our family-wage jobs forecast for the next 20 years. 

More Sunshine at City Hall

I sponsored new ethics reforms, designed to strengthen transparency at City Hall. Portland is now the second city in the nation to require “political consultants” to register and disclose their activities.

And I co-sponsored the independent City Auditor's legislation to close the revolving door loophole and make it easier for the public to review elected officials' calendars.

All-User Restrooms

We made progress implementing the all-user restroom policy I sponsored in the fall. Our initial goal is to expand choice and options for everyone by converting about 600 single-stall restrooms to all-user restrooms by September. 

An Age-Friendly Portland

I secured new funding to support the important work PSU’s Institute on Aging is doing to implement our Age-Friendly Plan, participated in a Q&A with AARP, attended a forum at Terwilliger Plaza, and spoke at the annual awards dinner for Elders in Action.

Celebrating the Arts

As Arts Commissioner, I participated in a City Club of Portland Friday Forum, "Are the Arts Getting Squeezed Out?"; was interviewed by Jessica Rand of KMHD Jazz Radio about living "A Jazz Life"; and spoke at the inaugural Vanport Mosaic Festival, commemorating the 68th Anniversary of the Vanport flood.           

Recently I played a small role in “The Skin of our Teeth” at the ART and visited Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts in Pendleton, which showcases the work of Native American artists like James Lavadour and Rick Bartow.

And I was honored to receive the "Angel Award" from my friends Walter Jaffe and Paul King of White Bird. Their Nest program allows low-income families to experience the joy of modern dance.

Supporting Small Business

We celebrated the 30th birthday of Venture Portland, which advocates for our 50 neighborhood business districts. And, working with our partners, we secured additional funding for the East Portland Pilot Project, to build capacity in emerging Eastside business districts.

A Blueprint for Portland's Future

The Council completed work on the Comprehensive Plan, which will guide the growth of our city for the next 20 years. I am particularly pleased with the focus on housing affordability.

In June, I voted to refer a ballot measure asking our community to support a bond to fund development of new affordable homes. This will be a powerful new tool to address the housing and homelessness crisis facing our community, and I will be actively campaigning for it.

Essays

I wrote about what "Home" means to me for the Upper Left Edge, and “What I Learned About Health and Fitness from a Champion Bodybuilder" in the Lund Report.

Proudest Moment

My family spent the last year in Europe. This spring, I visited Patricia, Chapin and Maria in Cordoba, Spain, where we watched Chapin play soccer for his club team. He was named captain, and his team won! And Maria wrapped up a year on a Fulbright in Andorra. So proud of them.

Unsung Heroes

The volunteers with Elders in Action who serve as Personal Advocates for vulnerable older adults. They epitomize the "Spirit of Portland."

As always, it’s an honor to serve you on the City Council, to work with the talented professionals at our public utilities, and to partner with Venture Portland, the Regional Arts & Culture Council, Elders in Action, and Regional Solutions.

Thanks for all you do for our community!

Sincerely,

Nick

Faubion Groundbreaking	Ethics Reform
White Bird Angel Award	Starlight Parade
Water Quality Report	All-User Restrooms

As 2015 comes to a close, I’m pleased to share some of the highlights with you.

In January, I was sworn in for a new four-year term as your City Commissioner – thank you for the vote of confidence. In April, we said farewell to my friend Gretchen Kafoury, who taught us about the true meaning of public service.

It was a big year for our family. My daughter Maria graduated from college, and was awarded a Fulbright. My son Chapin is living his dream of playing youth soccer in Spain, and my wife Patty is re-tracing her mother Carmen’s steps in Andalucía and researching a new book during her well-deserved sabbatical.

Our country took an historic step forward on marriage equality. I had the honor of witnessing President Obama award the Medal of Honor posthumously to WWI hero Sgt. Henry Johnson. Portland “banned the box,” and I sponsored legislation to require all-user restrooms in City-owned buildings.

I fulfilled a pledge to bring more transparency to our public utilities: a new Portland Utility Board, a more robust public process for disposing of surplus City property, new Watershed Health Report Cards, and the first annual “State of Our Public Utilities,” published in Street Roots.

My bureaus are doing their part to protect our environment. Environmental Services (BES) invests in cost-effective green infrastructure, like trees and bioswales, and uses methane gas to fuel our generators and cut greenhouse gas emissions. It is also a leader in cleaning up the Willamette River and brownfields. The Water Bureau utilizes the power of water and the sun to generate energy, and now offers a monthly e-bill option. Green solutions are good for our environment and our ratepayers.

Click here to read my full year-end report for our two public utilities.

This year City Council stepped up to address our housing crisis. We declared a state of emergency and committed substantial new resources to shelters, homeless services and affordable homes. We supported new protections for renters, and strengthened our community partnerships. And we are committed to ending veterans’ homelessness, building on the success of Operation 305. 

I stood up for older adults, securing a grant to fund Age-Friendly Portland, and by working with our friends at Elders in Action, AARP Oregon, Multnomah County, and Portland State University. And I cried foul when consumers were run over by the so-called “sharing economy.”

I supported East Portland small businesses by securing a $100,000 grant and partnering with Venture Portland. Hacienda CDC opened the Portland Mercado, and the Jade District sponsored a second Night Market. We cheered Grimm on its 100th episode, and for the $250 million it has contributed to Oregon’s economy. And BES and the Bureau of Transportation teamed up to minimize disruption to residents and businesses during large-scale construction projects.

It was a banner year for arts and culture. We celebrated 35 years of our “Percent for Art” program, 20 years of outstanding leadership by the Regional Arts & Culture Council, and more arts education for children in our elementary schools.

Click here to read my full Arts & Culture report.

2015 was also marked by senseless violence – in Paris, Beirut, San Bernardino, and closer to home in Roseburg. I witnessed first-hand the toll gun violence is taking when I joined two Portland Police officers on the Gang Enforcement Team for a ride-along.

This year, I shared my thoughts on many local and national issues: preparing for the “Big One,” a level playing field for women’s soccer, challenging developers to step up during our housing crisis, the lessons I learned from my dad and Joe Biden, the steps our utilities are taking to protect our environment, why arts education matters, and the legacy of Barney Frank.

In spite of our progress, we continue to face many big challenges. Poverty. Income inequality and racial disparities. Climate change. Too many hungry children, homeless families, and people falling through the cracks. These challenges are not unique to Portland. But Portland has shown it can lead the nation on difficult issues, and I am confident that we will continue to tackle these challenges head-on.

And here is why I remain optimistic. All year long, I have been inspired by people rising to the occasion. “Spirit of Portland” award recipients Debbie Aiona and Bernie Foster. High school students debating the constitution in the We the People competition. Zenger Farm opening a new Urban Grange in East Portland. Mt. Tabor neighbors working with the Water Bureau to protect our historic reservoirs. A visionary principal and dedicated teachers at Glenfair Elementary School fighting to overcome the odds. Muslim Americans opening a new community center and school in Tigard, and faith leaders condemning religious bigotry. And long-time housing activists insisting that the City keep its promises in South Waterfront.

It is an honor to serve as your City Commissioner – and to lead the hardworking teams at the Portland Water Bureau, Bureau of Environmental Services, and my City Hall office.

Thank you for all you do.

A New Portland Utility Board	Celebrating Marriage Equality
Justice for Sgt. Henry Johnson	Portlandia Turns 30
New Leadership at PWB and BES	Supporting Small Businesses in East Portland
A Resilient City: Willamette River Crossing	Affordable Homes in South Waterfront
Our Historic Reservoirs: Finding Common Ground	Grimm's 100th Episode
Age-Friendly Portland	Crystal Springs Restoration Project

2014 was marked by steady progress on many fronts.

My team continued the hard work of strengthening oversight and accountability at the Water Bureau and Bureau of Environmental Services.

We launched a Blue Ribbon Commission headed by former U.S. Attorney Dwight Holton, and they delivered a blueprint for meaningful reform. And we formalized a unique, independent role for the Citizens' Utility Board of Oregon.

I was pleased to support a balanced budget that invests in strong neighborhoods and small businesses, protects our safety net services, supports older adults and youth, and builds strong partnerships.

We grieved the loss of visionary parks leader, Charles Jordan; beloved former governor, Vic Atiyeh; local jazz legend, Linda Hornbuckle; and a colleague’s spouse, Dr. Steven Fritz.

Voters, by large margins, rejected a deeply flawed proposed takeover of our public utilities, and supported a $67 million Parks bond measure.

After a long struggle, Oregon finally achieved marriage equality!

Through it all, I have never been prouder of the men and women who work in my bureaus and serve our city every day.

I'd like to share some of my favorite highlights from the year:

Unsung Hero

Dan Weidinger, the Water Bureau's "Lone Ranger" assigned to patrol the Bull Run Watershed. This year, I prioritized funding to add a second full-time ranger, which will help us protect our precious resource.

Most Inspiring Moment

Judging the We The People competition, and celebrating the hard work and passion of the next generation of civic leaders.

Unsung Hero II

World War I hero and "Harlem Hellfighter" Sgt. Henry Johnson. After nearly a century, Congress passed a bill to award Sgt. Johnson the Medal of Honor. The only thing left that's needed to right this wrong is the President's signature.

As always, it is an honor to serve you on the City Council—and to work with so many inspiring people across our community.

Thanks for all that you do to make our city a better place.

Village Market: Supporting Access to Healthy Food	Advocating for Older Adults
Salmon Return to Crystal Springs	Portland Welcomes the MLS All-Star Game
Right Brain Learning Makes a Difference	Investing in East Portland Jobs & Small Businesses
Heroes During a Winter Storm	Southeast Division Street Reopens for Business
Promoting the Creative Economy	Celebrating with the Street Roots Family
A New Beginning for a St. Johns Brownfield	Dawson Park Reborn

The first half of 2014 has been marked by big changes, new challenges, and many reasons to celebrate.

City employees and community partners stepped up during a big winter storm.

The Portland City Council approved a balanced budget that invests in strong neighborhoods and small businesses, protects our safety net services, supports older adults and youth, and builds strong partnerships.

And after Portland voters soundly defeated a ballot measure to create a new water district, we launched a Blue Ribbon Commission to consider reforms to the oversight of our public utilities.

As always, it is an honor to serve you on the City Council, to work with the talented professionals at the Water Bureau and the Bureau of Environmental Services, and to serve as Council liaison to Venture Portland, the Regional Arts & Culture Council, Portland'5, and Elders in Action.

Thanks for all you do to make Portland a great place to call home.

#pdxLOVESsmallbiz	PHAME Celebrates 30th Anniversary
City Launches Blue Ribbon Commission	Heroes During the Winter Storm
BES Reclaims St. Johns Brownfield	New Partnership with Citizens' Utility Board
A Decade of Northwest Dance Project	BES: Everyday Heroes
Celebrating Older Americans	City's First-Ever Utility Rate Review