
From No to Yes: How Councilor Olivia Clark Plans to Reignite Portland’s Growth
Rebuilding Trust: Portland City Councilor Olivia Clark’s Vision for Housing Growth, Public Safety, and Economic Revitalization
Portland has long been heralded as a city of innovation, diversity, and ambition—a place where people and ideas converge. Yet, in recent years, challenges like housing shortages, public safety concerns, and a declining downtown core have tested the city’s resilience. Newly elected Portland City Councilor Olivia Clark, representing District 4, has stepped into this critical moment with a commitment to turning things around.
In her recent interview on HFO-TV Multifamily Marketwatch, hosted by Greg Frick, Councilor Clark shared her multifaceted vision for Portland’s future. Drawing on decades of public service, including roles at local and state government levels as a housing advocate and as key personnel in governor administrations, Clark is no stranger to tackling complex challenges. She brings to her new role a bold determination to make Portland a responsive, thriving, and “yes-oriented” city once again.
From Public Service to Public Solutions
Councilor Clark’s journey to City Hall is rooted in her commitment to building coalitions that serve diverse communities. Her career began as an affordable housing advocate, where she rallied legislators to expand the housing authority and spearheaded efforts to empower nonprofits and develop community projects. With housing affordability still at the forefront of Portland’s struggles, her past efforts to reduce barriers and improve access feel particularly relevant today.
Her career progressed through government leadership positions, including service under Governors Barbara Roberts and John Kitzhaber, where she refined methods to create collaborative solutions among state and local entities. She also achieved major successes in transportation infrastructure, notably securing resources to build Portland’s iconic Tilikum Crossing Bridge while working for TriMet. These accomplishments underscore an ability to get big things done—something Portland desperately needs amidst perceptions of a city bogged down by bureaucracy and inefficiency.
“When I ran for office, I heard over and over again that Portlanders felt like promises were made but never delivered,” Clark said during the interview. “My goal now is to change that trajectory.” With a near-universal mandate borne out of record voter participation in her District 4 victory, she’s poised to bring this pragmatic, solutions-first mindset to city governance.
Housing for All: Turning Challenges into Opportunity
A core focus of Councilor Clark’s agenda is addressing Portland’s pervasive housing crisis. The city faces significant barriers to achieving affordable housing solutions, ranging from stagnant bureaucratic processes to increasingly restrictive regulatory measures. For instance, lengthy permitting and zoning requirements bog down housing projects, while administrative burdens create additional costs for property owners, impacting renters and homebuyers alike. Clark’s approach? Shift Portland’s self-image from a “city of no” to a “city of yes.”
“One of the first things we need to fix is permitting,” she argued. “Developers and property owners have been buried under layers of red tape, creating unnecessarily high costs and delays.” She envisions implementing changes such as introducing navigators to guide projects, streamlining city zoning approvals, and revisiting stringent design review processes that can hinder progress.
Providing more clarity and efficiency isn’t just about cutting red tape—it’s about making space for opportunities and collaboration. One of her pledges is to meet regularly with rental housing providers like those represented by Multifamily Northwest and others from adjacent industries. These conversations will focus on understanding the realities of operating and maintaining housing while creating a balance between affordability, growth, and economic stability.
Clark is also aware of the unique pressures facing smaller, mom-and-pop housing providers— groups that disproportionately bear the administrative burdens of rule changes, tax policies, and maintenance regulations. She suggested creating an ongoing advisory group or workgroup to provide these stakeholders with a reliable voice in policymaking and strategy.
The Nexus of Public Safety and Economic Vitality
Rebalancing Portland’s Revenue Equation
One of the thornier issues for Portland—and for many urban districts nationally—is taxation. Unlike neighboring areas outside Multnomah County, Portland’s tax burdens often discourage new residents or businesses from relocating to the city. Additionally, Clark voiced concern over the volatility of Portland’s property tax revenues, driven by losses in the downtown commercial leasing markets. “We’ve relied so heavily on popular tax measures in the past that now, with declining property values, we’re facing major funding gaps.”
Her solution? Collaboration. By engaging with organizations like Multifamily Northwest, Clark intends to understand better how tax measures impact property owners and residents alike. She floated the idea of at least a temporary moratorium on new tax measures to offer some reprieve and balance. Beyond halting new taxes, she called for a more earnest evaluation of the city’s tax burdens to address their inequity and ensure the costs of proposals don’t outweigh the benefits.
Bringing Everyone to the Table
As highlighted throughout the interview, Portland’s recovery depends on regaining public trust in its ability to execute and innovate. Clark’s approach emphasizes coalition-building and transparency, informed by data, real-world challenges, and visible community feedback. Her efforts dovetail initiatives to improve economic development, housing availability, and community safety, creating a balanced roadmap.
What lies ahead is no small task, but Councilor Clark brings refreshing and long-overdue momentum to Portland’s City Hall. With her leadership and a commitment to working with diverse stakeholders, the future of Portland as a thriving city of opportunity appears bright. As she so aptly noted in the interview, “We won’t fix just one thing at a time—everything must happen together. And it all starts with trust.”
How will Olivia Clark’s bold vision transform Portland into the “city that works” again? Only time will tell, but it’s a conversation every business leader, property owner, and resident should follow closely.