Portland City Council AM Session 09/02/26
Council gave every city employee free TriMet passes for a year, $495k total, right before the I-5 closure hits September 11 — and tacked on 120 contracted janitors and security guards too. Separately, they're still arguing over renaming Cesar Chavez Blvd to Campesinos Blvd after testimony about his history with women; no vote yet, meeting got pushed to the afternoon.
Summary
Free annual TriMet passes for all city employees were approved unanimously as a one-year pilot, timed to help staff commute during the upcoming southbound I-5 closure that begins September 11. The pilot costs a flat $495,000, about $245,000 more than the city spent on transit passes last year, at roughly $61 per employee. During debate, Councilors Zimmerman and Pirtle-Guiney successfully added an amendment directing the city to extend the benefit to contracted janitors and security workers who effectively work full-time for the city — about 120 people at an additional cost near $7,300. Staff plan to print and mail employee badges by the following week so passes are in hand as the closure begins. Council also confirmed hybrid employees will work fully remotely for the first two weeks of the closure.
Council held first readings on two other items. A $35 million federal Section 108 loan guarantee from HUD was introduced to help the Portland Housing Bureau rehab and preserve existing affordable rental housing, with the city pledging Community Development Block Grant funds as security. Councilors pressed staff on the risk structure, learning the loans passed to projects will match the terms the city takes on from HUD, and that a portion of CDBG contingency will be set aside to cover potential shortfalls. That item moves to a second reading.
The proposal to rename Cesar Chavez Boulevard to Campesinos Boulevard drew extensive invited testimony from community elders and organizers, including original members of the 2009 renaming committee, who cited revelations about Chavez's abuse of women and girls and a desire to honor farmworkers collectively rather than a single figure. Council President Dunphy, with Councilors Koyama Lane and Novick, introduced a separate amendment asking PBOT to spend a year reviewing and streamlining the street-renaming code and to propose a co-naming option, noting the city almost always suspends its own code when renaming streets. Public testimony on the renaming was still underway when the transcript ended, and the meeting was extended to complete the agenda in an afternoon session.
Key Points
- Council approved an emergency ordinance creating a one-year pilot program to provide free annual TriMet transit passes to all city employees ahead of the I-5 southbound closure, with an amendment extending the benefit to contracted janitors and security workers
- First reading of a non-emergency ordinance appropriating a $35 million Section 108 federal loan guarantee to support preservation of existing affordable housing
- First reading of an ordinance to rename Cesar Chavez Boulevard to Campesinos Boulevard, following revelations about Chavez and community advocacy to honor farmworkers collectively
Votes (3)
Agenda Amendment - Reorder Document 2026-294 (TriMet passes)
Move the TriMet transit pass item to be heard earlier on the regular agenda by unanimous consent
Zimmerman/Pirtle-Guiney Amendment to Document 2026-294
Adds Section 3 directing the City Administrator to extend the transit pass benefit to contracted employees providing sole service to the city (janitors, security), with additional funding requested if needed and recognition it may take more time to implement
Document 2026-294 (Emergency Ordinance - TriMet Transit Passes Pilot)
Authorizes an increase of up to $245,000 in bureau rates for FY 2026-27 to implement a pilot program subsidizing free annual transit passes for all city employees
Action Items
- Portland Housing Bureau to include clearer financial and budgetary risk profile details in future impact statements (per Councilor Green)
- Council to revisit the resolution requiring Prosper Portland economic impact analysis on ordinances
- City Administrator to develop and bring back a plan for extending transit passes to contracted janitors and security workers
- PBOT to verify no double-counting of transit passes for casual/seasonal employees already covered (e.g., Parks lifeguards who are students)
- TriMet to provide exact language on sworn officer free-fare program to Councilor Kanal
- PBOT to print new street signs and shift maintenance priorities to implement the potential street renaming, and analyze costs
- PBOT to explore assistance for businesses affected by street renaming (letterhead, directories, etc.)
- Staff to include voter registration/ballot delivery guidance in outreach for the street renaming
- PBOT to review and streamline street naming code (Chapter 17.93) and propose a co-naming option within one year
Issues Discussed (14)
Council held the first reading of a non-emergency ordinance appropriating a $35 million HUD Section 108 loan guarantee to help the Portland Housing Bureau rehabilitate and preserve existing affordable rental housing, with CDBG funds pledged as security. Councilors questioned staff about risk structure, learning loan terms passed to projects would mirror HUD's terms and that CDBG contingency funds would cover potential shortfalls; the item advances to a second reading.
First reading of the ordinance drew extensive testimony from community elders and 2009 renaming committee members supporting the change, citing revelations of Chavez's abuse of women and a desire to honor farmworkers collectively. Council President Dunphy, Koyama Lane, and Novick introduced an amendment directing PBOT to spend a year streamlining the street-renaming code and proposing a co-naming option, and public testimony was still ongoing when the session ended.
Councilors Zimmerman and Pirtle-Guiney successfully amended the free TriMet pass pilot program to extend the benefit to roughly 120 contracted janitors and security workers who effectively work full-time for the city, adding about $7,300 to the program's cost.
During debate on renaming Cesar Chavez Boulevard to Campesinos Boulevard, Council President Dunphy, joined by Councilors Koyama Lane and Novick, introduced a separate amendment directing PBOT to spend a year reviewing and streamlining the street-renaming code and to propose a co-naming option, noting the city almost always suspends its own code when renaming streets.
Not addressed in this meeting; the summary contains no discussion of off-site odor regulations, focusing instead on transit passes, a HUD loan guarantee, and the street renaming proposal.
Not addressed in this meeting; the work session focused on transit passes, a HUD housing loan guarantee, and the Cesar Chavez Boulevard renaming proposal, with no discussion of the Moda Center renovation funding.
Not addressed in this meeting; the summary contains no discussion of Albina Vision Trust or city-owned parcels near Moda Center, focusing instead on transit passes, a HUD loan guarantee, and the Cesar Chavez Boulevard renaming proposal.
Not directly addressed in this meeting; the session focused on the TriMet pass pilot, the Section 108 HUD loan guarantee, and the Cesar Chavez Boulevard renaming debate.
Referenced during broader budget discussion; no substantive discussion or action on Vision Zero intersection safety improvements appeared in this meeting, which focused on transit passes, a HUD loan guarantee, and a street renaming proposal.
First reading of a non-emergency ordinance authorizing a $35 million HUD Section 108 federal loan guarantee, with CDBG funds pledged as security, to help the Portland Housing Bureau rehab and preserve existing affordable rental housing. Councilors questioned staff on risk structure, confirming project loans would mirror HUD's terms and that a CDBG contingency reserve would cover potential shortfalls; the item advances to a second reading.
Councilors Zimmerman and Pirtle-Guiney successfully amended the free TriMet pass pilot program to extend the benefit to roughly 120 contracted janitors and security workers who effectively work full-time for the city, adding about $7,300 to the program's cost.
Not directly addressed in this meeting; the session focused on transit pass pilots, a Section 108 housing loan guarantee, and the Cesar Chavez Boulevard renaming, with no discussion of community engagement in tax increment financing.
First reading of the ordinance drew extensive testimony from community elders and 2009 renaming committee members citing revelations about Chavez's abuse of women and girls, favoring honoring farmworkers collectively instead. Council President Dunphy and Councilors Koyama Lane and Novick introduced a separate amendment directing PBOT to spend a year reviewing the street-renaming code and propose a co-naming option; public testimony was still ongoing when the transcript ended.
Councilors Zimmerman and Pirtle-Guiney successfully amended the free TriMet pass pilot program to extend the benefit to roughly 120 contracted janitors and security workers who effectively work full-time for the city, adding about $7,300 to the program's cost.