# data[].attributes.body
This is the city of Portland, Oregon. Although I am a transplant to the city from my hometown, I still resonate and identify with the culture. This city has learned to adapt to a multitude of changes within its culture and environment. The city has become one of the most progressive in the nation. Today, governments and communities are implementing changes to become safer and more inclusive.

# data[].attributes.body
This article provides a brief overview of Portland's history and the changes that occurred during the 19th century. An interesting thing I learned from this article is that in the early 19th century, the government of Oregon permitted cities to deny Japanese Americans the right to possess a business license or own land.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
A Brief History of Portland: The Progressive Era

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
When studying history, one significant challenge is finding the stories you want to follow. It can be easy to focus on one or two subjects, but focusing on such few ideas limits the narrative to only those perspectives. To truly understand history is to pay attention to each person’s story, ideas, and opinions. On our…

# data[].attributes.body
The cultural developments throughout the city have had a lasting impact on the local social change. Portland has long been considered a hub of creativity. While researching for this assignment, I came across a website that discusses specific pieces of street art. One of which I found particularly interesting is the "Black Pride Malcolm X Mural." The mural depicts a significant social transformation from the early 19th-century version of the city.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
PORTLAND STREET ART HISTORY — Portland Street Art Alliance

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
For thousands of years, indigenous peoples gathered at the “great meeting place,” the Columbia River Gorge, to fish the bounty of salmon. Their rock art, mostly spiritual petroglyphs, can still be found there today. Early pioneers of the Willamette Valley chronicled their travels on the “Oregon Trail,” in writing along the way. The “Register Cliffs” Pioneer signatures are amoung the most famous, but the Condra Tree Segment is a local example of this (from Lane County), is a hemlock tree stump inscribed with graffiti from 1867. We have been writing on walls since the dawn of human culture.

# data[].attributes.body
When considering how the environment has influenced social change in Portland, it's difficult to overlook the topic of nature. Communities within the city have established numerous local gardens featuring a variety of vegetables, fruits, and plants. These developments have also been reflected in government policies aimed at reducing their carbon footprint.

# data[].attributes.body
One of the major topics that the community of Portland is passionate about is inequality. Within the US, there are significant concerns over the inequalities related to race, gender, and sexual orientation. This affects our community because, although there has been much progress towards decreasing the gap between legal rights and income, there is still tension around the profiling that continues to occur. From the perspective of the police, there are benefits to profiling that allow them to understand criminal behavior.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Meet the moms who made a human wall to protect protesters in Portland

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Meet the moms who made a human wall to protect protesters in Portland: “We’re stronger than we’re given credit for.”

# data[].attributes.body
Portland is located within the US, which is known to be a powerhouse in the globalization movement. Our community often reaps the benefits of the imports that come from different countries worldwide. While this may be true, we see the effects of some of the downsides of Western culture within our community as well. Some of the ideals that westernization promotes are freedom, cleanliness, and capitalism. Specifically, capitalism comes with its downsides. Within the community, many unhoused members struggle to make a living. One of the root causes could be that technology and capitalism have advanced to a point where we often leave people behind if they are struggling. This leads to a vicious cycle that slowly puts more people on the street with little to no hope for recovery.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Globalization: the pros and cons, & the future of an interconnected (or disconnected) world - Lokalise Blog

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A guide to globalization, the pros and cons, and what the future holds. Discover globalization examples, from brand to digital.

# data[].attributes.body
This article offers insight into how Portland functions as a community. While the city is part of a capitalist country, social change is beginning to occur. There are concerns about the state of public affairs in the city. Capitalism has many pros, but some of the city's cons have left many people out on the streets, or worse. This has prompted the city to change, bringing more community-driven solutions to the issue. The democratic socialist chapter in the town has been vocal about concerns with the current approach. Voters within the city elected councilors from different geographic districts to set a variety of policies (Peel, 2025). Amongst those were four members of the Democratic Socialists of America.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
One Thing Has Changed at Portland City Hall: The Socialists Are Setting the Agenda

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
For the first time in living memory, Portland in effect has two viable political parties—and the second one isn’t the Republicans.

# data[].attributes.body
One of the most notable things about Portland is the class and wealth inequality. Interestingly, the city of Portland has some of the lowest in the nation, but from a local perspective, the gap is significant. This article sheds some light on the current situation within the state of Oregon. I also found an article that explains how the Portland Business Alliance reports a decline in middle-wage job opportunities. This is concerning because the situation in the state is already at a point where the top three billionaires own more than double the income of the bottom half of the state. The book talks about how mental and physical stimulation are necessary for a well-rounded life. How are those middle-wage workers supposed to have a well-balanced life when they are being overworked?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
How extreme is wealth inequality in Oregon? So extreme that, together, three billionaires residing in the state have about twice the wealth as that of the entire bottom half of Oregonians.

Wealth inequality is vital to understanding the economic insecurity so many Oregonians endure. Wealth refers to the sum of all the assets a person owns, minus all of their debts. Assets can take many forms, including real estate, stocks and other financial instruments, and ownership of businesses. This differs from another measure of economic well-being: income, which refers to how much a person receives in a year. Because wealth is the accumulation of assets and income over years and generations, it represents a more profound measure of a family's ability to ride the ups and downs of the economy, to generate greater income, to provide educational and economic advantages to children, and to exercise political power through the use of money.

As extreme as income inequality is in Oregon, wealth is concentrated in even fewer hands. This report relies on analysis by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) of data from the Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF), Forbes estimates on U.S. billionaire wealth, and ITEP's own Microsimulation Tax Model.[1]

Three billionaires together own about twice as much as do half of all Oregonians

Three billionaires in Oregon collectively own about twice the wealth of the bottom half of all Oregonians. These three wealthiest individuals together hold about $53 billion in wealth.[2] The bottom half of all Oregonians - about 950,000 tax filers - together own about $27 billion.[3] Oregon's wealthiest billionaire, Nike co-founder Phil Knight, alone owns more wealth than the bottom half of Oregonians.

The top tenth of Oregonians owns more than three-quarters of the state's wealth

Oregon's inequitable distribution of wealth is not confined only to the billionaire class. The bulk of the state's wealth is in the hands of a relatively small share of Oregonians. Specifically, the top 10 percent of Oregonians collectively own more than $1.2 trillion, more than 75 percent of all wealth in the state.

The wealthiest 1 percent owns more than the bottom 90 percent

Within the top 10 percent, wealth skews toward the top. The wealthiest 1 percent of Oregonians collectively own about $588 billion, more than a third of all wealth in the state and more than the bottom 90 percent of Oregonians own together.

Wealth inequality looks even worse through a racial lens

The grim picture of wealth inequality worsens when applying a racial lens. Although the ITEP analysis itself does not disaggregate data by race, other research confirms that wealth is concentrated in the hands of white Americans.[4] For instance, while the typical white household in the U.S. has $187,300 in wealth, the typical Latino and Black households have wealth of $31,700 and $14,100 respectively.[5]

The racial wealth gap is the product of centuries of racial exclusion and oppression, as well as ongoing forms of discrimination. Although many factors have contributed to the racial wealth gap, racist housing policies stand out, given that homeownership is the primary asset for most families.[6] Oregon was founded through the colonization and genocide of Indigenous people and theft of their lands.[7] Oregon's founding constitution prohibited Black people from owning land, a primary means of wealth generation.[8] In more recent history, the redlining and later gentrification of historically Black neighborhoods have stripped families of the opportunity to build wealth.[9]

Oregon can push back against wealth inequality

Wealth inequality is a problem of national scope, requiring federal action. In recent years, researchers have put forward sound ideas for how Congress can tackle wealth inequality.[10]

States, too, can take action to reduce wealth inequality. Some of the steps the Oregon legislature can take in this regard are the following:

Boost worker power. Removing the obstacles that make it hard for workers to bargain collectively would enable workers to achieve better wages, benefits, and working conditions. It would, in other words, enable workers to capture more of the prosperity they generate through their labor.

Raise taxes on the wealthy. Tax policy is a powerful tool to advance equity, and Oregon lawmakers should use it. One of the most direct ways to tax concentrated wealth directly would be to strengthen Oregon's estate tax. Another way would be to tax mansions or other expensive properties, though this approach would require changes to Oregon's constitution - specifically, reforming Oregon's complicated and inequitable property tax system and ban on real estate transfer taxes. Oregon could also pursue an indirect strategy of raising income taxes on the richest Oregonians. In this regard, reforming Oregon's inequitable tax rebate known as the "kicker" - which disproportionately flows to the richest Oregonians - would be an important step.

Ensure that Oregonians can meet their basic needs. Oregon can address the problem of wealth inequality by making wealth less important to achieving economic security - by ensuring all Oregonians can meet their basic needs. This means ensuring that all Oregonians have access to affordable and quality housing, education, health care, and transportation. A key policy to help families meet basic needs is a guaranteed income, where families below a certain income threshold receive cash payments. Another effective policy would be establishing the Oregon Kids' Credit, a state-based child tax credit, which would boost the economic security of low-income families with children.

Conclusion

Wealth inequality in Oregon is extreme, with just three billionaires owning more than does half of Oregon's population. All told, the richest 10 percent of Oregonians hold more than 75 percent of the state's wealth. Oregon can address wealth inequality by boosting worker power, raising taxes on the wealthy, and ensuring all Oregonians can meet their basic needs.

[1] For a more detailed explanation of the methodology employed, see Carl Davis et. al., The Geographic Distribution of Extreme Wealth in the U.S., Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, October 13, 2022, Data and Methodology.

[2] Unless otherwise noted, all figures in this fact sheet are Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy estimates provided to the Oregon Center for Public Policy. Wealth estimates for Oregon's three billionaires extracted from Forbes on August 12, 2022.

[3] Estimated number of tax filers making up the bottom 50 percent of Oregonians is OCPP analysis of Oregon Department of Revenue data for the 2020 tax year, the most recent available. Data are for full-year filers.

[4] Mira Mohsini, Khanya Msibi, and Andres Lopez, Addressing the Racial Wealth Gap, Coalition of Communities of Color, 2022.

[5] OCPP analysis of U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Survey of Income and Program Participation, public-use data.

[6] Op. cit., Mohsini, Msibi, and Lopez, 2022.

[7] Our Story, Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde; Don't Evict PDX, Land Back Statement.

[8] The Oregonian, Oregon's Founders Sought A 'White Utopia,' a Stain of Racism that Lives on Even as State Celebrates its Progressivism, Updated June 15, 2020.

[9] Gibson, K. J. (2007). Bleeding Albina: A history of community disinvestment, 1940‐2000. Transforming Anthropology, 15(1), 3-25.

[10] See, e.g., Carl Davis et. al., The Geographic Distribution of Exteme Wealth in the U.S., Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, October 13, 2022; Alexandra Thorton and Galen Hendricks, Ending Special Tax Treatment for the Very Wealthy, Center for American Progress, June 4, 2019; Greg Leiserson, Taxing Wealth, Washington Center for Equitable Growth, January 28, 2020.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Wealth Inequality in Oregon Is Extreme - Oregon Center for Public Policy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
How extreme is wealth inequality in Oregon? So extreme that, together, three billionaires residing in the state have about twice the wealth as that of the

# data[].attributes.body
The textbook explains that housing or shelter is not simply a commodity but a requirement for survival. This article, published by KOIN, examines growing concerns in the city about class disparity. It also includes information that shows that 46% of the unhoused population currently identifies as black, indigenous, or people of color. There are also a reported 2,594 people struggling with some mental illnesses within the unhoused community. This shows how the colonial conception of health is taking a toll on the community. Simply treating symptoms rather than addressing the root causes of issues has left some communities in the city in disarray.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Nearly 2,600 of the homeless people who were surveyed reported that they were living with serious mental illnesses.

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) - The homeless population in Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties surged by 61% over two years, according to new data.

The latest Point-In-Time Count, conducted by Portland State University's Homelessness Research and Action Collaborative, shows there were 12,037 homeless individuals in the tri-county area on Jan. 22. This includes 940 unhoused people in Washington County and 568 unhoused people in Clackamas County, compared to 10,526 in Multnomah County.

During Portland City Council's Homeless & Housing Committee meeting on Tuesday, PSU's Dr. Marisa Zapata told councilors that the county estimates about 48% of its homeless population was entirely unsheltered - compared to those living in emergency shelters, transitional housing and "safe havens."

The professor noted that sidewalks and streets were the most common sleeping areas for unhoused people in the county.

The PIT Count has come just days after the City of Portland resumed enforcement of its public camping ban. In a statement, Mayor Keith Wilson told KOIN 6 that the findings highlight the city's need to address homelessness.

"The January 2025 snapshot data confirms what we have seen on our streets: homelessness in Portland is an emergency that requires an urgent, coordinated response," Wilson said. "The data further validates our urgent approach of quickly opening emergency shelters, expanding day centers, investing in rapid rehousing and supportive services, and scaling outreach to prevent deeper crisis."

The report shows 46% of the tri-county area's homeless population identifies as Black, Indigenous or People of Color, although the county's overall BIPOC population stands at 36%.

Zapata also noted that 2,597 of the unhoused people who were surveyed reported living with chronic substance use disorders, while 2,594 of them reported living with serious mental illnesses.

Researchers additionally found that 73% of survey respondents already lived in the tri-county area before they were homeless.

"The finding that about 26% of this population are from out of state aligns with our outreach data and makes clear the need to accelerate reunification and regional referral efforts," Wilson added in his statement. "Every person deserves safety, dignity, and a real path to stability. My administration will continue working to ensure there is a safe bed for everyone who needs one."

"We're the 51st out of 51. So we're including territories now in terms of access to mental health. That is a failure. But that's not something that right now the city of Portland can solve. I need the state," Portland City Councilor Eric Zimmerman said. "We, the city of Portland, can work on the affordability, getting our communities more dense, getting more apartments and homes built. But that won't help if a huge part of our population remains sick and untreated."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
'A failure': Portland metro area's homeless population grew by 61% over 2 years, report shows

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The homeless population in Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties surged by 61% over two years, according to new data. The latest Point-In-Time Count, conducted by Portland State University's Homelessness Research and Action Collaborative, shows there were 12,037 homeless individuals in the tri-county area on Jan. 22.

# data[].attributes.body
The city of Portland struggled with the effects of racism throughout its history. The issues with segregated housing have left a lasting impact on housing developments that are designed to this day. Like most cities in the nation, Portland also had a systemic housing discrimination plan for reducing or straight-up denying access to wealth-building and home ownership for people of color. This article shares some perspectives on how people of color are still displaced today. Areas with larger populations of people of color have received multi-family zoning, while regions with larger populations of white people have remained single-family zones.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
As Portland moves forward to meet its housing needs, it is imperative that we - the City of Portland and the community - consider our past as we plan for the future.

Historical Context of Racist Planning: A history of how planning segregated Portland is a review of racist planning practices in Portland. This systemic discrimination, which was also practiced nationwide and goes back to the origins of our country, has harmed communities of color by excluding them from homeownership and wealth-building opportunities; denying them access to educational resources, jobs and healthy neighborhoods; and perpetuating segregation, displacement, and harmful stereotypes through the zoning code, deeds and covenants, lending practices, public housing and urban renewal.

It wasn't until the 1960s, when the civil rights movement led to the Fair Housing Act and later, in 1977, to the Community Reinvestment Act, that the federal government began to address these racist wrongs. But even then, communities of color - particularly African Americans - continued to be displaced as investments in urban renewal and community plans resulted in gentrification.

Here in Portland, that harm is still felt today. And as insidiously as the racist covenants lurking within the deeds of Portland's older homes, the zoning patterns have created an exclusionary legacy and fueled speculation and displacement. Once a city of a single "residential" zone, where housing of many types coexisted in the same neighborhood, Portland has been intentionally segregated through the creation of a series of single-dwelling zones, where only one house is allowed on a lot. Furthermore, community plans in areas with larger populations of people of color received more multi-family zoning, while areas with larger white populations preserved much of the single-dwelling zones.

This report shows how this history has led to today's inequitable outcomes, where exclusive neighborhoods of white affluence coexist next to neighborhoods with households of color at the greatest risk of displacement. And so, it has become something of a beacon as we move forward in our equitable planning work.

We invite you to explore this particular story of Portland's history, as well as the early zoning maps, snapshots of racist covenants in deeds, the data about racially inequitable outcomes and more. And if you want to dig deeper, we've assembled a variety of other resources to explore the topic.

Read the report:

Additional documents and resources

1977 Population Strategy

Portland's policy and investment framework to reverse suburban white flight, which guided the first Comprehensive Plan and multiple capital plans in the 1980s.

Summary PowerPoint presentation

A summary presentation of the report.

Bleeding Albina: A History of Community Disinvestment

Using census data, oral histories, archival documents, and newspaper accounts, this study analyzes residential segregation and neighborhood disinvestment over a 60-year period.

Interactive map of redlining by Portland neighborhood
View the map
Interactive map of urban renewal by Portland neighborhood
View the map
Map of Portland racist covenants

The Bureau of Planning and Sustainability has partnered with Greta Smith, a Portland State University Masters student in the Department of History, to create an interactive map showing the location of racist covenants in Portland.
View the map
Presentation at the Planning and Sustainability Commission (video, ~2.5 hrs)

Watch the "Planning for Racial Equity" briefing to the PSC.

Segregated by Design (video, ~18 mins)

Watch The Color of Law author Richard Rothstein deliver a rapid fire primer on exclusionary zoning and racist federal policies.

Zoning Matters: How Land-Use Policies Shape Our Lives video (video, ~3 mins)

Watch the video from the Urban Institute below to learn how zoning affects communities.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
How historical racist land use planning contributed to racial segregation and inequity for people of color in Portland

# data[].attributes.body
According to a study done by the Pew Research Center, Portland stands out as the only place where nonreligious people outnumber religious people (Pew Research Study, 2024). This is interesting because there have obviously been some subtle social changes around decolonizing religion. The region's Christian affiliation has declined since 2007. This could be due to the variety of spiritual institutions. One could also view this from a movement perspective and see examples of retreats and places of congregation supported by the Buddhist Temple, Ananda, and New Thought Spiritual Living.

References

https://www.pewresearch.org/religious-landscape-study/

# data[].attributes.body
The Portland community has seen many social movements. The people in this community have not been afraid to voice their opinions on contentious issues. Whether that be through climate strikes, demonstrations against logging industries, racial inequality, class inequality, education inequality, and the list goes on. Whether they be reform, revolutionary, resistance, or alternative, the community will take part if they believe in it. Some of the most notable examples include the protests against the Trump inauguration and the Black Lives Matter movement. There have also been examples of different methods of work, including the destruction of property and civil disobedience, as well as many peaceful protests. These movements have affected the city's regulations, social norms, and economy.

# data[].attributes.body
The city of Portland, OR, has a wide range of subcommunities that set it apart. The social change I am focusing on is inequality within the community. This community has experienced inequalities from all directions. This is a community of movements, and its lack of fear in the face of globalization, colonization, and oppression is what makes it unique. People in this community experience social change differently because of their powerful beliefs in coming together to make an impact. If cultural lag becomes an issue, there will likely be a movement created within this community to expedite the process. The three topics I'd like to focus on are Health, Safety, and the State, Economy, and Social Movements.