February 5, 2016

Last night, Nick was honored to attend and speak at Celebrate Our City, Venture Portland’s 30^th Anniversary Party.

The diamond-anniversary celebrated Venture Portland and our wonderful neighborhood business districts.

And, on Wednesday, Nick was proud to present a proclamation at City Council, honoring their huge milestone.

Nick is Council liaison to Venture Portland. It is a local organization with a strong focus on investing in the smart, strategic growth of our neighborhood small business districts.

Neighborhood small businesses are the backbone of our community. They bring character and strength to our neighborhoods, create jobs, and encourage economic growth. For every dollar spent a local small business, nearly 70 cents stays in Portland’s local economy.

Check out Venture Portland’s website for more information.

 February 8, 2016

This weekend, Nick was honored to attend the TET Vietnamese New Year’s Celebration.

Today is the official beginning of the lunar year for many people around the world, and in our community too.

Ethic, racial, and religious diversity are some of our city’s great strengths. The immigrant and refugee families who choose to call Portland home enriches our community.  

And, we are grateful for the many contributions the Vietnamese-American community makes to our great city.

We wish you and your loved ones a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year!

February 10, 2016 

We believe that Superfund is the most significant environmental, public health, regulatory, and jobs issue facing our city.

Yesterday morning, Council hosted EPA leadership at a work session about the Portland Harbor Superfund site. The Superfund process is moving toward significant milestones this year, including the release of a proposed cleanup plan this spring.

At the Council work session, EPA Program Manager Cami Grandinetti updated the Council on where we are in the process to get to a final cleanup plan and how EPA plans to seek feedback from our community. We are grateful to Cami for taking time to bring the Council up to speed and answer their questions about this important issue.

The Portland Harbor is a vital part of Portland’s history, culture, and local economy. It’s used for industry, recreation, fishing, shipping and navigation, tribal ceremonial practices, wildlife habitat, and is a migratory corridor for salmon.

The EPA is hosting Community Information Sessions for Portlanders to learn about the clean-up planning process. Visit the Bureau of Environmental Services’ website to learn more.

Bridge to Portland Harbor Cleanup

February 11, 2016

Yesterday, Nick was proud to join Commissioner Saltzman in sponsoring a proclamation honoring HUD’s Multifamily Housing office in Portland.

The HUD (or Department of Housing and Urban Development) office in Portland opened in 1971. Over the last 45 years, and it has provided multi-family loans, direct loans, and grants to 342 properties and almost 23,000 affordable apartments in Portland.

The City of Portland was proud to partner with HUD on many initiatives, including 11 x 13.

11 x 13 was a response to the fact that Federal subsidies on 11 privately-owned affordable apartment buildings in our community, home to low-income older adults and people with disabilities, were set to expire.  

Through strong partnerships, with the Portland Housing Bureau, HUD, NOAH, the State Oregon, and local nonprofits, all of the at-risk buildings were saved, preventing 1,000 affordable homes from being converted to market-rate rentals or sold as condos.

We are grateful for HUD’s partnership, and legacy of service to thousands of vulnerable families and individuals in our community.

Visit HUD’s website to learn more. 

Hidden Hearts Press Release

Office of Commissioner Fish

Venture Portland at 30

Joseph Gallivan in the Portland Business Tribune

Sources: Fish has questions about scale of new apartments

Jim Redden in the Portland Tribune

Homeless Portlanders Will Be Allowed to Camp on City Land Under Proposals Being Unveiled Monday Afternoon

Dirk VanderHart in the Portland Mercury

This is Charlie Hales’ plan for allowing homeless camping in Portland

Brad Schmidt in The Oregonian

Study finds Metro area rents up 63% from 2006

Jim Redden in the Portland Tribune

City’s Superfund bill likely won’t be known until at least 2020

James Cronin in the Portland Business Journal

Portland's newest park: a $15.1 million pathway to nowhwere

Brad Schmidt in The Oregonian

PDX Jazz Festival includes ‘Jazz in the Schools’

Ken Boddie and KOIN 6 News Staff