Chamber President calls for collaboration to address Portland’s economic challenges

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Hundreds gathered at the Portland Metro Chamber’s annual meeting where the governor’s Central City Task Force unveiled its plan to get Downtown Portland back on track.

Some main goals in this plan — dubbed All In on Portland’s Central City — are to bring Central City foot traffic back to pre-pandemic levels, capitalize on big projects in downtown, and turn the city’s center into a place where people can live and work.

Mayor Keith Wilson and members of the Chamber spoke at the event. Chamber President Andrew Hoan acknowledged the city is coming out of a tough few years, but said Portlanders should feel confident about the future now.

“While we’re working on the hard stuff like public safety and unsheltered homelessness and behavioral health issues, those things need to happen,” he said. “And we have to have a vision for what we can be. And it is clear to me that we have the vision, and now we need collaboration and the coordination to get it all done.”

Hoan said in addition to collaboration, it will take time. But he said people in power need to realize Portland’s economy is challenged right now.

“Either get on the public private partnership bandwagon or find a different place to spend their time,” he said. “Because the reality is, when you’re in a hard spot, you don’t measure the drapes, you don’t look at what color the wallpaper is. You focus on the core issues.”

Hoan commended Mayor Wilson and Governor Kotek for working together to turn the city around, encouraging other leaders to do the same. He said Portland residents can play a role also, they just need to show up.

“Let your voice be heard,” he said. “Because if you’re not involved, you’re not voting. If you’re not testifying, you’re not writing letters to the editor, to your state representatives, and you’re not part of the solution. Be part of the solution. Get off the sidelines. Get involved.”